"Rising Star" - The Armenian Mirror-Spectator
Seattle Weekly described his interpretation of Beethoven's Symphony Nr. 1 as "confident, convincing,
lyrically phrased, and excellent tempo".
Seattle Weekly described his interpretation of Beethoven's Symphony Nr. 1 as "confident, convincing,
lyrically phrased, and excellent tempo".
Tigran Arakelyan is an Armenian-American conductor, podcaster and entrepreneur. He is the Assistant Conductor of the California Philharmonic and Music Director of Northwest Mahler Festival, Port Townsend Symphony, Federal Way Youth Symphony and the Bainbridge Island Youth Orchestras. He recently made his Walt Disney Concert Hall conducting debut and has played alongside Sir James Galway during his induction into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. Tigran is a prize winner in The American Prize—Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in Orchestral Programming and at the Global Music Awards. He has programmed diverse concerts with works by William Grant Still, Amy Beach, Alma Mahler, Fanny Mendelssohn, Vasily Kalinnikov and conducted regional premieres by renowned composers Paul Hindemith, Keith Jarrett and James Cohn, among others. Arakelyan has taken his orchestras to many unconventional venues, from bars and cideries to cafes, homeless shelters and gyms. As the host of Let’s Talk Off The Podium Music Podcast he has interviewed winners of Grammy Awards, the Pulitzer Prize, MacArthur Fellow, Rome Prize & the Polar Music Prize. Past guests include: Evelyn Glennie, George Walker, Mark O'Connor, Christian McBride, David Harrington (Kronos Quartet), Vijay Iyer, Roger Bobo, Diane Schuur, Jaime Martín, Melia Watras, Øystein Baadsvik, Martin Kuuskmann, Robert Aldridge, Eugene Izotov, Robert Dick, and a long list of others.
He has initiated and is a founder of the Port Townsend Chamber Orchestra, Cadence Chamber Orchestra (WA), Bainbridge Island String Orchestra Festival, PTSO Young Artist Competition, Whidbey Competition for Young Composers, the Youth Orchestra at the Lark Musical Society (CA) and numerous scholarship/grant and funding initiatives. Tigran led the Port Townsend Symphony to unprecedented financial and audience growth in the first two years of his tenure. He has grown the Federal Way Youth Symphony and the Bainbridge Island Youth Orchestra to the highest youth enrollment in history of both programs. Tigran has been instrumental in initiating innovative collaborations with composers, soloists, visual artists, dancers, and choirs.
Previously, he held assistant/associate conductor positions with the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra, Bellingham Symphony, Northridge Youth Philharmonic and the Rainier Symphony. Tigran's recent conducting engagements were with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Olympia Chamber Orchestra, Armenian Pops Orchestra, Sungji, Gujwa, Centum youth orchestras in South Korea, Juneau Symphony, Ballard Civic Orchestra, Bainbridge Symphony, Inverted Space Ensemble, Lark Orchestra (CA), Yakima Symphony Chamber Orchestra and innovative collaborations with the Olympic Performance Group and Olympic Youth Choir. Tigran has taken the Federal Way Youth Symphony on three tours of South Korea (2014, 2017, 2019), conducting in Seoul, Busan, Jeju, Daejeon, Gwangju, among other cities. Previously, he was the Music Director of Whidbey Island Orchestra (WA), University of Washington Campus Philharmonia, U.W. Summer Orchestra and the Bremerton Youth Symphony.
Tigran is a three time recipient of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) Performing Arts Fellowship, Edward Hosharian Award, and the Armenian Allied Arts Competition (1st place). He participated in the Conductors Guild Workshop, Pierre Monteux School for Conductors, Idyllwild Music Festival and Dilijan Chamber Music Series, among others. Tigran conducted in masterclasses with notable conductors David Loebel, Frank Battisti, Donald Thulean, Ennio Nicotra, David Effron and Michael Jinbo. He has worked with numerous composers and has premiered works by Iosif Andriasov, Eleanor Aversa, Michael Austin Miller, Yiğit Kolat and many others.
Invited by Maestro Morlot, Tigran earned the Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting from the University of Washington where he was the first student in the inaugural class of Ludovic Morlot and David A. Rahbee. His mentors are Victor Vener, John Barcellona, Paul Taub, and Laura Osborn. In his youth he played in the Los Angeles Junior Philharmonic Orchestra.
He has initiated and is a founder of the Port Townsend Chamber Orchestra, Cadence Chamber Orchestra (WA), Bainbridge Island String Orchestra Festival, PTSO Young Artist Competition, Whidbey Competition for Young Composers, the Youth Orchestra at the Lark Musical Society (CA) and numerous scholarship/grant and funding initiatives. Tigran led the Port Townsend Symphony to unprecedented financial and audience growth in the first two years of his tenure. He has grown the Federal Way Youth Symphony and the Bainbridge Island Youth Orchestra to the highest youth enrollment in history of both programs. Tigran has been instrumental in initiating innovative collaborations with composers, soloists, visual artists, dancers, and choirs.
Previously, he held assistant/associate conductor positions with the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra, Bellingham Symphony, Northridge Youth Philharmonic and the Rainier Symphony. Tigran's recent conducting engagements were with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Olympia Chamber Orchestra, Armenian Pops Orchestra, Sungji, Gujwa, Centum youth orchestras in South Korea, Juneau Symphony, Ballard Civic Orchestra, Bainbridge Symphony, Inverted Space Ensemble, Lark Orchestra (CA), Yakima Symphony Chamber Orchestra and innovative collaborations with the Olympic Performance Group and Olympic Youth Choir. Tigran has taken the Federal Way Youth Symphony on three tours of South Korea (2014, 2017, 2019), conducting in Seoul, Busan, Jeju, Daejeon, Gwangju, among other cities. Previously, he was the Music Director of Whidbey Island Orchestra (WA), University of Washington Campus Philharmonia, U.W. Summer Orchestra and the Bremerton Youth Symphony.
Tigran is a three time recipient of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) Performing Arts Fellowship, Edward Hosharian Award, and the Armenian Allied Arts Competition (1st place). He participated in the Conductors Guild Workshop, Pierre Monteux School for Conductors, Idyllwild Music Festival and Dilijan Chamber Music Series, among others. Tigran conducted in masterclasses with notable conductors David Loebel, Frank Battisti, Donald Thulean, Ennio Nicotra, David Effron and Michael Jinbo. He has worked with numerous composers and has premiered works by Iosif Andriasov, Eleanor Aversa, Michael Austin Miller, Yiğit Kolat and many others.
Invited by Maestro Morlot, Tigran earned the Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting from the University of Washington where he was the first student in the inaugural class of Ludovic Morlot and David A. Rahbee. His mentors are Victor Vener, John Barcellona, Paul Taub, and Laura Osborn. In his youth he played in the Los Angeles Junior Philharmonic Orchestra.
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I have always found Tigran to be that rare individual, possessing both the passion and work ethic required to achieve goals that others might shy away from. What’s more, Tigran is a responsible and genial individual, a person who contributes openly, free of any agenda, in discussions with his colleagues. I am confident that his unmatched passion and enthusiasm will translate very successfully into any position that he feels qualified to pursue. In summary, I recommend Tigran without reservation.
- Kent Devereaux
President, Goucher College
Knowing Tigran from my work with him in the Rainier Symphony, I sought him out to lead the Mahler Festival. We needed a leader who could understand the long term and short term needs of the program we are building and could command the respect of the highly skilled musicians who play with us every year.
Tigran’s musicianship and ability to command the respect of the orchestra has been all I expected of him. He has an uncanny ability to see what is needed from those around him in a way that was lacking in many conductors we have had in the past. Last summer we performed Mahler’s demanding Symphony #5 with universally positive feedback from both the orchestra and the audience. His reputation in the Northwest has, in a very short time, put him at the helm of both adult and youth programs that have flourished under his leadership.
-Mark Lloyd
Board President, Northwest Mahler Festival
Indeed, Tigran is an extraordinarily multi-talented young musician, fluent in and passionate about modern music and ensemble work. He is kind, courteous, and sensitive to the needs of his students and associates, with whom he seeks to share his technical and theoretical knowledge, expertise, and experience.
- Vatsche Barsoumian
Director of Lark Musical Society
Tigran worked with us for 3 summers, excelling at every component of the program. He has an uncanny ability to grasp complex ideas and develop creative solutions for difficult problems. He charts his own course in his endeavors, which allows him to not only prove his talent and ability, but to stand out from the crowd. As you are aware, in the competitive nature of the arts, this unique gift of his is something to be both treasured and nurtured. He was able to expertly prepare himself for the job, and was able to coach the orchestra like a
seasoned professional.
- Victor Vener
Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, California Philharmonic
I have had the opportunity to see and hear Tigran's rehearsing and leading an orchestra in performance of Ludwig van Beethoven's 1st Symphony, as well as in premiere of "Torch #1" by young contemporary composer Arshak Andriasov. In both works Mr. Arakelyan demonstrated confidence, ability to easily communicate with orchestra both verbally and with baton, and instrumental knowledge. It is also quite a joy to hear Tigran Arakelyan play flute - he is an accomplished and imaginative instrumentalist
- Victor Romasevich
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, 1st violinist
California Chamber Players, violinist, founding member
Tigran’s knowledge of music and good technique were matched by his organizational skills, charismatic manner on the podium and clear passion for the music. His combination of talent, skills and interests has made him into a musician with curiosity, responsibility and
a growing artistry.
- Paul Taub
Executive Director, Seattle Chamber Players
Professor of Music, Cornish College of the Arts
- Kent Devereaux
President, Goucher College
Knowing Tigran from my work with him in the Rainier Symphony, I sought him out to lead the Mahler Festival. We needed a leader who could understand the long term and short term needs of the program we are building and could command the respect of the highly skilled musicians who play with us every year.
Tigran’s musicianship and ability to command the respect of the orchestra has been all I expected of him. He has an uncanny ability to see what is needed from those around him in a way that was lacking in many conductors we have had in the past. Last summer we performed Mahler’s demanding Symphony #5 with universally positive feedback from both the orchestra and the audience. His reputation in the Northwest has, in a very short time, put him at the helm of both adult and youth programs that have flourished under his leadership.
-Mark Lloyd
Board President, Northwest Mahler Festival
Indeed, Tigran is an extraordinarily multi-talented young musician, fluent in and passionate about modern music and ensemble work. He is kind, courteous, and sensitive to the needs of his students and associates, with whom he seeks to share his technical and theoretical knowledge, expertise, and experience.
- Vatsche Barsoumian
Director of Lark Musical Society
Tigran worked with us for 3 summers, excelling at every component of the program. He has an uncanny ability to grasp complex ideas and develop creative solutions for difficult problems. He charts his own course in his endeavors, which allows him to not only prove his talent and ability, but to stand out from the crowd. As you are aware, in the competitive nature of the arts, this unique gift of his is something to be both treasured and nurtured. He was able to expertly prepare himself for the job, and was able to coach the orchestra like a
seasoned professional.
- Victor Vener
Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, California Philharmonic
I have had the opportunity to see and hear Tigran's rehearsing and leading an orchestra in performance of Ludwig van Beethoven's 1st Symphony, as well as in premiere of "Torch #1" by young contemporary composer Arshak Andriasov. In both works Mr. Arakelyan demonstrated confidence, ability to easily communicate with orchestra both verbally and with baton, and instrumental knowledge. It is also quite a joy to hear Tigran Arakelyan play flute - he is an accomplished and imaginative instrumentalist
- Victor Romasevich
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, 1st violinist
California Chamber Players, violinist, founding member
Tigran’s knowledge of music and good technique were matched by his organizational skills, charismatic manner on the podium and clear passion for the music. His combination of talent, skills and interests has made him into a musician with curiosity, responsibility and
a growing artistry.
- Paul Taub
Executive Director, Seattle Chamber Players
Professor of Music, Cornish College of the Arts
"Maestro Arakelyan is following his rousing audition concert last April with a concert entitled A Night at the Ballet, Opera and Symphony."
- Port Ludlow Voice
- Port Ludlow Voice