Armen Babakhanian
Encyclopedia
Armen Babakhanian is an Armenia
n pianist.
He received prizes at the Leeds
(5th prize), Van Cliburn
(3rd prize), and Gina Bachauer
(2nd prize) competitions. His performance of Dmitri Shostakovich
's Piano Quintet
along with the Takács Quartet
at the XIII Paloma O'Shea Competition
earned him the Chamber Music award. These awards launched an intense international concert career. He's a member of the Cadence ensemble.The Cadence ensemble is noticeable for performing famous Argentine tango composer Astor Piazzolla's music.
On May 26, 2008 Babakhanian was distinguished a Merited Artist of Armenia. Days before he had been awarded the Strengthening Cultural Ties Between Armenia and Diaspora Golden Medal from the Ministry of Culture.
Armen has given recitals in the USA, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Spain. He has appeared as soloist with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
under Sir Simon Rattle
, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
, Royal Scottish National Orchestra
, Boston Pops Orchestra
, Irish National Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra
( USA), Dallas Symphony, with Saint Petersburg Philharmonic under Yuri Temirkanov
, with Moscow Philharmonic under Valery Gergiev
and the Israel Philharmonic.
Festival appearances include the Aspen
, Interlochen, Santander and Baalbec music festivals. Babakhanian's performance of the Shostakovich Piano Quintet with the Takács Quartet
during Santander Festival in Spain was named the best chamber music performance of the festival. He has recorded for the ASV and Real Sound labels and his performances have been broadcast on BBC
, PBS (USA), ORF (Austria) and RAI (Italy) television networks. His recent recording of the Tchaikovsky piano sonatas has received rave reviews in the European press.
In 1999, he founded and served as Artistic Director for the Armenian Legacy International Piano Competition in Yerevan, Armenia. He has taught numerous master-classes in Russia, United Kingdom, Spain, Japan and the United States. He is currently an Artist-in-Residence at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory in Yerevan, where he also received his musical education.
During the 2001/2002 season, Armen Babakhanian appeared in concerts in 17 cities in Japan, the United States, Canada, Australia and Finland. He also he had a concert tour in France which included a recital in Lyon's famed Salle De Molliere.
During 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 seasons, Mr. Babakhanian performed in Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, USA, China, Lebanon, Syria, Japan, Israel, Lithuania and Argentina.
Armen Babakhanian has been appointed the Artistic Director of Yerevan International Piano Competition to be held in April–May 2007.
Has more than 15 CD productions.
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n pianist.
He received prizes at the Leeds
Leeds International Pianoforte Competition
The Leeds International Piano Competition informally known as The Leeds takes place every three years in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 1961 by Marion, Countess of Harewood and Fanny Waterman, who is today its Chairman and Artistic Director. The competition was first held in 1963...
(5th prize), Van Cliburn
Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition was first held in 1962 in Fort Worth, Texas and is hosted by Van Cliburn Foundation. It was created by Fort Worth area teachers in honor of Van Cliburn, who had won the first International Tchaikovsky Competition four years prior with Tchaikovsky's...
(3rd prize), and Gina Bachauer
Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition
The Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition is based in Salt Lake City, Utah and is the second largest piano competition in the United States....
(2nd prize) competitions. His performance of Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a Soviet Russian composer and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century....
's Piano Quintet
Piano Quintet (Shostakovich)
The Piano Quintet in G Minor, opus 57, by Dmitri Shostakovich is one of his best known chamber works. Like most piano quintets, it is written for piano and string quartet ....
along with the Takács Quartet
Takács Quartet
The Takács Quartet is a string quartet, founded in Hungary, and now based in Boulder, Colorado, United States.- History :In 1975, four students at the Music Academy in Budapest, Gabor Takács-Nagy , Károly Schranz , Gabor Ormai , and András Fejér formed The Takács Quartet...
at the XIII Paloma O'Shea Competition
Paloma O'Shea International Piano Competition
The Paloma O'Shea International Piano Competition is a piano competition taking place in Santander, Spain every three years, organized by the Albéniz Foundation...
earned him the Chamber Music award. These awards launched an intense international concert career. He's a member of the Cadence ensemble.The Cadence ensemble is noticeable for performing famous Argentine tango composer Astor Piazzolla's music.
On May 26, 2008 Babakhanian was distinguished a Merited Artist of Armenia. Days before he had been awarded the Strengthening Cultural Ties Between Armenia and Diaspora Golden Medal from the Ministry of Culture.
Armen has given recitals in the USA, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Spain. He has appeared as soloist with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is a British orchestra based in Birmingham, England. The Orchestra's current chief executive, appointed in 1999, is Stephen Maddock...
under Sir Simon Rattle
Simon Rattle
Sir Simon Denis Rattle, CBE is an English conductor. He rose to international prominence as conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and since 2002 has been principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic ....
, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"...
, Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra is Scotland's national symphony orchestra. Based in Glasgow, the 89-member professional orchestra also regularly performs in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee, and abroad. Formed in 1891 as the Scottish Orchestra, the company has performed full-time since 1950,...
, Boston Pops Orchestra
Boston Pops Orchestra
The Boston Pops Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, that specializes in playing light classical and popular music....
, Irish National Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra
National Symphony Orchestra
The National Symphony Orchestra , founded in 1931, is an American symphony orchestra that performs at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.-History:...
( USA), Dallas Symphony, with Saint Petersburg Philharmonic under Yuri Temirkanov
Yuri Temirkanov
Yuri Khatuevich Temirkanov is a Russian conductor of Circassian origin.Yuri Temirkanov has been the Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic since 1988.-Early life:...
, with Moscow Philharmonic under Valery Gergiev
Valery Gergiev
Valery Abisalovich Gergiev is a Russian conductor and opera company director. He is general director and artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre, principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, and artistic director of the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg.- Early life :Gergiev,...
and the Israel Philharmonic.
Festival appearances include the Aspen
Aspen
Populus section Populus, of the Populus genus, includes the aspen trees and the white poplar Populus alba. The five typical aspens are all native to cold regions with cool summers, in the north of the Northern Hemisphere, extending south at high altitudes in the mountains. The White Poplar, by...
, Interlochen, Santander and Baalbec music festivals. Babakhanian's performance of the Shostakovich Piano Quintet with the Takács Quartet
Takács Quartet
The Takács Quartet is a string quartet, founded in Hungary, and now based in Boulder, Colorado, United States.- History :In 1975, four students at the Music Academy in Budapest, Gabor Takács-Nagy , Károly Schranz , Gabor Ormai , and András Fejér formed The Takács Quartet...
during Santander Festival in Spain was named the best chamber music performance of the festival. He has recorded for the ASV and Real Sound labels and his performances have been broadcast on BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, PBS (USA), ORF (Austria) and RAI (Italy) television networks. His recent recording of the Tchaikovsky piano sonatas has received rave reviews in the European press.
In 1999, he founded and served as Artistic Director for the Armenian Legacy International Piano Competition in Yerevan, Armenia. He has taught numerous master-classes in Russia, United Kingdom, Spain, Japan and the United States. He is currently an Artist-in-Residence at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory in Yerevan, where he also received his musical education.
During the 2001/2002 season, Armen Babakhanian appeared in concerts in 17 cities in Japan, the United States, Canada, Australia and Finland. He also he had a concert tour in France which included a recital in Lyon's famed Salle De Molliere.
During 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 seasons, Mr. Babakhanian performed in Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, USA, China, Lebanon, Syria, Japan, Israel, Lithuania and Argentina.
Armen Babakhanian has been appointed the Artistic Director of Yerevan International Piano Competition to be held in April–May 2007.
Has more than 15 CD productions.