Roman Kofman, the Ukrainian conductor, violinist and composer, died on February 24, 2026, at age 89.
Born in Kyiv in 1936, he was a music educator and was named a People’s Artist of Ukraine in 2003. He was internationally known as concertmaster, co-founder and later artistic director of the Kyiv Chamber Orchestra, and served as Generalmusikdirektor of the Beethoven Orchester Bonn from 2003 to 2008.
He became principal conductor of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine in 2012.
Roman (Avraham) Isaakovych Kofman (Ukrainian: Роман (Аврaам) Ісаaкович Кофман, 15 June 1936 – 24 February 2026) was a Ukrainian conductor, violinist, composer, music educator and People’s Artist of Ukraine (2003). He was internationally known as concertmaster, co-founder and later artistic director of the Kyiv Chamber Orchestra, and as Generalmusikdirektor of the Beethoven Orchester Bonn from 2003 to 2008, when he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. He was principal conductor of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine from 2012.