Armen Babakhanian
{{short description|Armenian pianist}}
{{Infobox musical artist
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| image = Armen-Babakhanyan 09.jpg
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| caption = Armen Babakhanian
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|10|09|df=y}}
| birth_place = Yerevan, Armenian SSR, Soviet Union
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| genre = Classical music
| occupation = Pianist
| instrument = Piano
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| label = {{hlist|ASV Records|Real Sound|Signum Classics}}
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Armen Babakhanian ({{langx|hy|Արմեն Բաբախանյան}}; born 9 October 1967) is an Armenian classical pianist. He has received prizes at various international piano competitions including the Leeds (5th prize), Van Cliburn (5th prize), Gina Bachauer (2nd prize), Guardian Dublin, William Kapell and World Piano Competition.{{Cite web |title=Armen Babakhanyan |url=https://anmmedia.am/en/musician/armen-babakhanyan/10 |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=Armenian National Music}} Further, he has given recitals in the USA, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Spain.{{Cite web |title=Armen Babakhanian (piano) |url=https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/a.asp?a=A3590 |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=Hyperion Records |language=}}
Career
Babakhanian studied at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory, where he received his musical education under Professor Anahit Bogdanyan.{{Cite web |title=Chamber Jury |url=https://www.elevatopiano.com/jury-2021 |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=Elevato Piano |language=}} He later continued his studies under the guidance of Claude Frank and Vera Gornostayeva.
In February 2004, Babakhanian was a founding member of the Cadence Ensemble, notable for performing the music of famous Argentine nuevo tango composer Astor Piazzolla.{{Cite web |title=Cadence Ensemble on Hyperion Records |url=https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/a.asp?a=A3589 |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=Hyperion Records}}{{Cite web |title=Cadence Ensemble |url=https://signumrecords.com/product-category/artists/cadence-ensemble/ |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=Signum Records |language=en-US}}
He has appeared as soloist with various orchestras worldwide, including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Irish National Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, Utah Symphony, with Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra under Yuri Temirkanov, with Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra under Valery Gergiev, Russian Philharmonic Orchestra under Yurovsky, Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra and Israel Philharmonic Orchestra among others.{{Cite web |title=Armen Babakhanian |url=https://www.leedspiano.com/competitor/armen-babakhanian/ |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=The Leeds International Piano Competition}}
Babakhanian has appeared at music festivals in Aspen, Interlochen and Baalbeck, while also earning recognition for his chamber music performance with the Takács Quartet at the XIII Paloma O'Shea International Piano Competition.https://www.chandos.net/chanimages/Booklets/SIG129.pdf Babakhanian has recorded for ASV Records, Real Sound and Signum Classics. His performances have been broadcast on BBC, PBS, ORF and RAI television networks.
In addition to his performing career, Babakhanian has served as jury member for international piano competitions and taught masterclasses in Russia, the United Kingdom, Spain, Japan, China, Iceland and the United States.
In 2008, Babakhanian was awarded the Gold Medal by the Ministry of Culture for "Strengthening Cultural Ties Between Armenia and the Diaspora". In 2009, he was awarded the title Artist Emeritus by the President of the Republic of Armenia.{{Cite web |title=Հանրապետության նախագահի հրամանագրերը - Փաստաթղթեր - Հայաստանի Հանրապետության Նախագահ |url=https://president.am/hy/decrees/item/49 |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=president.am |language=hy}}
Babakhanian also served as professor at the Komitas State Conservatory in Yerevan.{{Cite web |title=About - Ikita |url=https://www.ikitamalaysia.com/about |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=Ikita Malaysia}} In 2012, he became Dean of the Piano Department at the Yerevan State Conservatory.
Discography
- Babadjanyan: Heroic Ballade & Nocturne; Tjeknavorian: Piano Concerto - with Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra under Loris Tjeknavorian, ASV Records, 1998.{{Cite web |title=Records International Catalogue April 1998 |url=https://www.recordsinternational.com/archive/RICatalogApr98.html |access-date=2024-01-14 |website=www.recordsinternational.com}}
- Discovering Composer Stephan Elmas - with Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra under Alexandre Siranossian, N.A.B Productions, 2000.{{Cite web |last=Dougall |first=Matthew |date=2020-04-22 |title=Music Review: Stephan Elmas: Piano Concerto No:3 in E minor |url=https://number9reviews.blogspot.com/2020/04/music-review-stephan-elmas-piano.html |access-date=2024-01-14 |website=Number 9}}
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Piano Sonata In C Sharp Minor Op.80, Grand Sonata In G Major Op.37 - Real Sound, 2001.{{Cite web |last=Distler |first=Jed |title=Tchaikovsky Sonatas/RS C |url=https://www.classicstoday.com/review/review-7626/ |access-date=2024-01-14 |website=Classics Today}}
- Sayat Nova - Arrangements for Piano, Hamazkayin, 2005.{{Cite web |title=Hamazkayin Music Committee - Parsegh Ganatchian |url=https://www.ganatchian.com/composers/01_Parsegh%20Ganatchian/files/menu/Miavor_English.pdf |access-date=2024-01-14 |website=www.ganatchian.com}}
- Komitas - Piano Works, Hamazkayin, 2006.{{Cite web |title=Komitas - Piano Works |url=https://www.abrilbooks.com/music/komitas-3198.html |access-date=2024-01-14 |website=Abril Books}}
- Aram Khachaturian - Solo Piano Works, Hamazkayin, 2007.{{Cite web |title=Khachaturian / Armen Babakhanian – Solo Piano Works |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/9865693-Khachaturian-Armen-Babakhanian-Solo-Piano-Works |access-date=2024-01-14 |website=Discogs}} Winner of Best Classical Album - Armenian Music Awards, 2007.
- Espressia - Tangos & Fantasies - with Cadence Ensemble, Signum Classics, 2007.{{Citation |title=Espressia - Tangos & Fantasies |url=https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_SIGCD140 |access-date=2024-01-14 |language=en}}
- Espressia - Armenian Metamorphoses - with Cadence Ensemble, Signum Classics, 2007.{{Citation |title=Espressia - Armenian Metamorphoses |url=https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_SIGCD129 |access-date=2024-01-14 |language=en}}
- Anthology of Armenian Piano Music, Volume 1 - TM Production, 2012.{{Cite web |title=Babakhanian, Anthology of Armenian Piano Music |url=http://www.tmproduction.am/web/index.php/post/115 |access-date=2024-01-14 |website=TM Production}}
References
External links
- [https://anmmedia.am/en/musician/armen-babakhanyan/10 Armen Babakhanian - Armenian National Music]
- [https://www.youtube.com/@armenbabakhanian4018/videos Armen Babakhanian] on YouTube
- [https://signumrecords.com/product-category/artists/cadence-ensemble/ Cadence Ensemble - Signum Classics]
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Category:Prize-winners of the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition
Category:Prize-winners of the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition