Cello and Piano Recital

The Pharos Arts Foundation features the Gold medalist of the International Tchaikovsky Competition Moscow 2011, cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan, who has been described by the Washington Post as a “seasoned phenomenon”, in a cello and piano recital on Friday 6 July 2012 at The Shoe Factory Nicosia, 8:30pm. Narek will team up with his mother, renowned pianist Gayane Akhnazaryan, in works by Schubert, Chopin, Ysaye and Franck.

NAREK HAKHNAZARYAN / CELLO

Described by the Washington Post as a “seasoned phenomenon”, Narek Hakhnazaryan’s powerful and poetic playing propelled him to win the Cello First Prize and Gold Medal at the 2011 XIV International Tchaikovsky Competition. Throughout the competition, Hakhnazaryan impressed a distinguished jury which included Sir Clive Gillinson, Mario Brunello, David Geringas, Ralph Kirschbaum, Lynn Harrell and Krzysztof Penderecki.

Following his Gold Medal win at the XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition, Haknazaryan has been invited by Valery Gergiev to be his soloist for concerts with the Mariinsky Orchestra at the Baden-Baden Festival and the Warsaw Beethoven Festival. Over the coming season, he will give performances with the Tonkünstler Orchestra at the Grafenegg Festival, Verdi Orchestra Milan, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and at La Salle Pleyel Paris, Berlin Konzerthaus, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Suntory Hall Tokyo, NCPA Beijing, Tivoli Festival in Copengagen, Schwetzingen Festival and venues across Italy and the USA.

As First Prize winner in the 2008 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, Hakahnazaryan made his debut in the Young Concert Artists Series in New York at Carnegie’s Zankel Hall, sponsored by the Jerome L. Greene Foundation Prize, and in Washington, DC. Last May, Hakhnazaryan gave his New York concerto debut at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall as part of the Young Concert Artists gala with the Orchestra of St Luke’s.

Narek Hakhnazaryan was born in 1988 in Yerevan, Armenia, into a family of musicians: his father a violinist and his mother a pianist. His early studies were at the Sayat-Nova School of Music in Yerevan with Zareh Sarkisyan. At the age of 12, Hakhnazaryan began studies at the Moscow Conservatory with Alexey Seleznyov. Hakhnazaryan has received scholarships from the Rostropovich Russian Performing Arts Fund which brought him a range of concerts in Russia, Germany, Italy, Austria, France, Great Britain, Greece, Turkey and Canada. His prizes include First Prize in the 2006 Aram Khachaturian International Competition in Armenia and First Place in the 2006 Johansen International Competition for Young String Players. Working with Lawrence Lesser, he received an Artist Diploma from the New England Conservatory of Music in 2011.

Narek Hakhnazaryan plays a 1698 David Tecchler cello, on loan from Valentine Saarmaa, granddaughter of the renowned luthier Jacques Francais.

GAYANE AKHNAZARYAN / PIANO

Gayane Akhnazaryan graduated from the Yerevan Conservatory, where she also completed her postgraduate studies with professors E. Mamaev, K. Kostanyan and L. Mamikonyan.

During her time there she performed as a soloist and with various ensembles. She regularly performs the premieres of many chamber music compositions by Armenian composers, as well creating several transcriptions for piano duo compositions. Gayane Akhnazaryan has made a number of archive recordings and has also released a CD in the United States. She is one of the founders of the “Hakhnazaryan” Trio with whom she has performed at a number of international music festivals, including Summer International Music Festival (Sweden), Autumn Serenade (Armenia), Past and Future (Ukraine), the 18th April Spring Friendship Art Festival (Korea), Tongyeong International Music Festival 2008 (South Korea), Cherry Garden (Russia) and the 20th International Colmar Music Festival (France). Gayane Akhnazaryan has performed concert tours in Russia, South Korea, China, Japan, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Sweden, Hungary, Ukraine and many other countries. Many of these concerts she performed with her son, Narek Hakhnazaryan, with whom she is regularly performing during the 11/12 and 12/13 seasons at concert halls around the world. At the 13th International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2007 she performed as accompanist with Narek, who subsequently became a prize winner that year. Gayane Akhnazaryan is a professor at the Yerevan State Conservatory. She has also been made professor at the Academic Musical College by the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory.

Programme:
SCHUBERT: Arpeggione Sonata in A minor, D.821
CHOPIN: Introduction and Polonaise brillante in C major, Op. 3
Interval
YSAYE: Solo Cello Sonata (no piano)
FRANCK: Sonata

Tickets:
Adults: €25
Friends and Supporters of the Pharos Arts Foundation / Concessions: €20
Box Office: Tel: 7000 9304 - opening hours: 9.30 am - 11.30 am / www.pharostickets.org