International Tchaikovsky Competition, Moscow, 2011: Gold Medal
Cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan was born in 1988 in Yerevan, Armenia, into a family of musicians: his father a violinist and his mother a pianist. Described by the Washington Post as a “seasoned phenomenon”, his 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. In May 2012, Hakhnazaryan will give 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.
Hakhnazaryna’s 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.
Narek Hakhnazaryan is represented by Hannah Cooke at Intermusica, hcooke@intermusica.co.uk
2011 Biography / 382 words. Not to be altered without permission. Please destroy all previous biographical material.