Raffi Armenian
Encyclopedia
Raffi Armenian, CM
(born June 4, 1942) is an Armenian
-Canadian
conductor, pianist, composer, and teacher. Since 2008 he has been the director of the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal.
Armenian was born in Cairo
and had his first music lessons there, moving in 1959 to Vienna
to study piano with Bruno Seidlhofer. After graduating, he put his musical studies aside and attended the University of London
from 1962 to 1965, where he majored in metallurgy. He returned to the Vienna Academy of Music and studied from 1965 to 1969. In 1968, Armenian was one of two finalists at the International Competition for Young Conductors in Besançon, France.
Armenian emigrated to Canada in 1969 to become the assistant conductor of the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, located in Halifax
, Nova Scotia
.From 1971 to 1993, he was the Artistic Director and conductor of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony
. Under Armenian's guidance, the K-W Symphony emerged by the mid-1970s as one of the most vital in Canada.
Armenian acted as the musical director of the Stratford Festival from 1973 to 1976, and founded the Stratford Festival Ensemble (later renamed the Canadian Chamber Ensemble) in 1974.
Armenian made guest-conducting appearances with the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec
in 1974, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
and the National Arts Centre Orchestra
in 1975, and conducted Wozzeck
for the Canadian Opera Company
in 1977.
In 1986, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada
.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(born June 4, 1942) is an Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
-Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
conductor, pianist, composer, and teacher. Since 2008 he has been the director of the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal.
Armenian was born in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and had his first music lessons there, moving in 1959 to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
to study piano with Bruno Seidlhofer. After graduating, he put his musical studies aside and attended the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
from 1962 to 1965, where he majored in metallurgy. He returned to the Vienna Academy of Music and studied from 1965 to 1969. In 1968, Armenian was one of two finalists at the International Competition for Young Conductors in Besançon, France.
Armenian emigrated to Canada in 1969 to become the assistant conductor of the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, located in Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
.From 1971 to 1993, he was the Artistic Director and conductor of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony
Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony
The Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony is a Canadian orchestra based in the twin cities of Kitchener and Waterloo, Ontario. Its home venue is Centre In The Square in Kitchener, Ontario. Music Directors and Principal Conductors have included Raffi Armenian , Chosei Komatsu , Martin Fischer-Dieskau and...
. Under Armenian's guidance, the K-W Symphony emerged by the mid-1970s as one of the most vital in Canada.
Armenian acted as the musical director of the Stratford Festival from 1973 to 1976, and founded the Stratford Festival Ensemble (later renamed the Canadian Chamber Ensemble) in 1974.
Armenian made guest-conducting appearances with the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec
Orchestre Symphonique de Québec
Orchestre symphonique de Québec is a Canadian symphony orchestra based in Quebec City. Founded in 1902 as the Société symphonique de Québec, the OSQ is the oldest active Canadian orchestra. Joseph Vézina was the OSQ's first music director, from 1902 to 1924...
in 1974, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Toronto Symphony Orchestra
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario.-History:The TSO was founded in 1922 as the New Symphony Orchestra, and gave its first concert at Massey Hall in April 1923. The orchestra changed its name to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1927. The TSO...
and the National Arts Centre Orchestra
National Arts Centre Orchestra
The National Arts Centre Orchestra is an orchestra in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's capital. It is a classically-sized ensemble currently conducted by Pinchas Zukerman.-Description:Since 1998, Pinchas Zukerman has been the Music Director. Mario Bernardi C.C...
in 1975, and conducted Wozzeck
Wozzeck
Wozzeck is the first opera by the Austrian composer Alban Berg. It was composed between 1914 and 1922 and first performed in 1925. The opera is based on the drama Woyzeck left incomplete by the German playwright Georg Büchner at his death. Berg attended the first production in Vienna of Büchner's...
for the Canadian Opera Company
Canadian Opera Company
The Canadian Opera Company is an opera company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest opera company in Canada and the third largest producer of opera in North America. The COC performs in its own opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.-History:For 40 years until...
in 1977.
In 1986, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
.