With his shock of curly hair, and his acute musical ability, he holds orchestras in the palm of his hand. From Italy to Austria and beyond he receives rave reviews from audiences, critics and the players under his baton.

With his shock of curly hair, and his acute musical ability, he holds orchestras in the palm of his hand.

From Italy to Austria and beyond he receives rave reviews from audiences, critics and the players under his baton.

Now 25-year-old maestro Robin Ticciati, described as a "phenomenal talent", has signed up to be the new principal conductor of one of Scotland's most revered orchestras. The Scottish Chamber Orchestra has successful beaten a number of ensembles for his signature.

Ticciati, who looks much like a younger version of world famous British composer Sir Simon Rattle, has been described as one of the most exciting young conductors in the classical music world.

Ticciati, from London - his father's family are of Italian extraction - does have a strong link to Sir Simon: the classical star and principal of the Berlin Philharmonic is a close mentor of the young conductor, and the two confer and talk frequently.

Ticciati has been signed on a three-year contract by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra after the orchestra players lobbied Roy McEwan, the SCO's managing director, following concerts in the recent Highland tour, where his "musicality, presence, charisma and class" impressed the seasoned professionals so much they asked for him to be their new conductor.

One of the youngest conductors to perform at La Scala in Milan, and the youngest at the Salzburg Festival when he conducted Mozart's Il sogno di Scipione in 2006, Ticciati will take up his new position in Septe mber next year.

He will conduct four weeks of concerts during the 2009- 10 season, and from then on will conduct eight weeks per season.

His first performances, as he waits to assume his full new title, will be in the Highland Tour of next summer, which will take the SCO to Strathpeffer, Findhorn and Pitlochry in June.

Last night the conductor, currently in rehearsals at the Glyndbourne music festival, said: "I am thrilled to be appointed the Principal Conductor of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra - to be part of an orchestra that has such history and an outstanding reputation for its music-making.

"I hope that every programme we play will be filled with magic and excitement leading to new paths being found by both audiences and the orchestra alike."

Mr McEwan said: "Robin is growing as a conductor amazingly quickly and he really is a phenomenal talent. He has an old head on young shoulders, and when you consider some of the audiences he has already performed in front of, his talent is amazing.

"On the Highland tour the orchestra was raving about how good he was. A group of them came to me, and said he would just be the ideal principal conductor.

"Not only does he have the technical skills, it is his musical skill which impresses, he has incredible musicality. I know Robin enjoyed the Highland tour immensely and he had a wonderful time, he really appreciated the scale on which we are working and how special it is.

"Apart from his obvious talent, he has real presence, and that is so important.

"Sir Simon has guided and advised him, is a real mentor to him, I think that is important to him."

He added: "We are in no doubt that he has a glittering career ahead of him and we are delighted that the Scottish Chamber Orchestra is going to be an important part of it."

Ticciati is currently the music director of Glyndebourne on Tour and has been music director to the Gavle Symphony Orchestra in Sweden for three years.

He was born in London in 1983 and trained as a violinist, pianist and percussionist before turning to conducting at the age of 15, while still a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, under the guidance of Sir Colin Davis and Sir Simon Rattle.

His career has progressed rapidly with numerous engagements, including appearances with the Leipzig Gewandhaus, Dresden Staatskapelle, Rotterdam Philharmonic and BBC Philharmonic Orchestras and at La Scala, Milan.

He makes his debut at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden later this year, conducting Humperdinck's Hansel und Gretel.

His recent opera projects included Verdi's Macbeth at Glyndebourne, Britten's Rape of Lucretia at the Vienna Konzerthaus with Ian Bostridge and Angelika Kirschlager and a tour of Japan with the Salzburg production of The Marriage of Figaro with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

In 2002, as a member of the National Youth Orchestra, Ticciati won the Arthur Belgin Medal for Most Outstanding Musician of the Year.