Join us at the 59th Annual Armenian Night at the POPS

About the Soloist

Armen Babakhanian

“A pianist with imagination and phenomenal pianistic know-how.”
Süddeutsche Zeitung

“An overwhelming talent…”
Piano and Keyboard

A prize-winner at several of the world’s most prestigious international piano competitions including the Leeds, Van Cliburn, Guardian Dublin, William Kappell, Gina Bachauer, and World Piano Competition, Armen Babakhanian has captured the imagination of audiences and critics alike through the intensity and honesty of his performances.

Mr. Babakhanian has given recitals in the USA, Canada, Japan, UK, Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Spain. He has appeared as soloist with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Irish National Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra (USA), Dallas Symphony, St. Petersburg Philharmonic under Yuri Temirkanov, and Moscow Philharmonic under Valery Gergiev. Festival appearances include the Aspen, Interlochen, Baalbec, and the Santander music festival in Spain where his performance of the Shostakovich Piano Quintet with the Takács Quartet 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 the BBC, PBS (USA), ORF (Austria) and RAI (Italy) television networks. His recording of the Tchaikovsky piano sonata has received rave reviews in the European press.

In addition to his performing career, Mr. Babakhanian has taught numerous master classes in the US and Europe and has served as jury member for several international piano competitions, including the Gina Bachauer, Maria Callas, Prokofiev, and Rachmaninoff International piano competitions. Born in Yerevan, Armenia, Mr. Babakhanian is the Artistic Director of the Cadence Ensemble and is currently an Artist-in-Residence at the Komitas State Conservatory in Yerevan, where he also received his musical education.

In the 2010/2011 season, Mr. Babakhanian will appear in solo and chamber music performances in the United States, United Kingdom, Greece, Japan, China, Austria, Slovenia and Italy.