Seattle Weekly described his interpretation of Beethoven's Symphony Nr. 1 as "confident, convincing, lyrically phrased, excellent tempo, well-rehearsed and an exciting debut. Arakelyan took all four movements at a good clip."
"But many can’t imagine classical music in the Seattle area without Arakelyan.
... is known for finding unusual venues for all of his projects, from bars to cafes to homeless shelters." - Musical America Worldwide
"He has earned a high reputation in the music community as a talented musician and conductor, enriching the Washington music scene by boosting enrollment to new heights in both youth programs." - CitySoundbite
"Providing access to music education is the driving force behind Dr. Tigran Arakelyan’s work. Arakelyan also started the BIPOC composer commission, which focuses on works for piano and orchestra." - Yamaha Music USA
"But many can’t imagine classical music in the Seattle area without Arakelyan.
... is known for finding unusual venues for all of his projects, from bars to cafes to homeless shelters." - Musical America Worldwide
"He has earned a high reputation in the music community as a talented musician and conductor, enriching the Washington music scene by boosting enrollment to new heights in both youth programs." - CitySoundbite
"Providing access to music education is the driving force behind Dr. Tigran Arakelyan’s work. Arakelyan also started the BIPOC composer commission, which focuses on works for piano and orchestra." - Yamaha Music USA
Armenian-American conductor Tigran Arakelyan was named by Musical America Worldwide as one of the Top 30 Professionals of the Year and was included in the 40 under 40 honorees by Yamaha Music USA. Recognized as a "highly-esteemed conductor across the Pacific Northwest" (The Leader), Tigran is the Music Director of the Northwest Mahler Festival and the Port Townsend Symphony. Previously, he was the assistant conductor of the California Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra. Tigran conducted at prestigious venues such as the Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles) and the Benaroya Hall (Seattle), but is equally passionate about taking classical music to unconventional venues. As noted by Musical America, he is "known for finding unusual venues for all of his projects, from bars to cafes to homeless shelters." Tigran's acclaimed concert at a Seattle bar in 2009, reviewed by Seattle Weekly, marked a historic moment as it was the first time an orchestra performed at a bar in the Pacific Northwest. The program featured a regional premiere of Paul Hindemith Kammermusik no. 1, Beethoven's First Symphony and a world premiere by a young composer. Tigran received awards from The American Prize for orchestral programming, the Global Music Awards for podcasting and was honored in 425 Business Magazine's 40 under 40 list of regional leaders. He played alongside Sir James Galway during Galway's induction into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.
The Port Townsend Symphony saw unprecedented growth during his tenure. The orchestra grew the budget by six times with no reliance on grants, making it one of the few orchestras in the US to operate without any grant support. During his tenure as Music Director of the Federal Way Youth Symphony and Bainbridge Youth Orchestras, the organizations reached their highest enrollment, added multiple ensembles, premiered pieces, and collaborated with dance companies and choirs. Tigran led the Federal Way Youth Symphony on three tours to South Korea (2014, 2017, 2019), conducting in Seoul, Busan, Jeju, Daejeon, and Gwangju, among other cities. During the pandemic, Bainbridge Youth Orchestra was one of the few youth orchestras in the U.S. to continue in-person rehearsals (outdoor) and present virtual concerts.
Yamaha Music USA stated, "Providing access to music education is the driving force behind Dr. Tigran Arakelyan’s work." His profound dedication to equity and diversity is rooted in his formative experiences with equity-driven arts organizations during his youth. Tigran has established several impactful initiatives, including a BIPOC composer commission project, a free one-on-one private lessons program, a public school outreach initiative, a free masterclass series, and various scholarships, grants, and funding opportunities for underserved youth. Additionally, he has founded numerous musical projects, such as an orchestral strings festival, a chamber orchestra, young artist competitions, composer competitions, and a chamber music series. Tigran was also the founder and Music Director of the Cadence Chamber Orchestra (WA), the Youth Orchestra at Lark Musical Society (CA), and the co-founder of Campus Philharmonia at the University of Washington.
He has programmed diverse concerts with works by William Grant Still, Amy Beach, Alma Mahler, Mieczysław Karłowicz, Florence Price, Fanny Mendelssohn, Alan Hovhaness, Arthur Bird, John Barnes Chance, Karel Husa, Vasily Kalinnikov, and Barbara Harbach. Tigran is also passionate about new music and has conducted regional and world premieres by renowned composers Paul Hindemith, Keith Jarrett, Jovino Santos Neto, Adrienne Albert, Maria Thompson Corley, Brenno Blauth, Eleanor Aversa, Adriana Figueroa Manas, Ben Thomas, Sonya Leonore Stahl, and James Cohn. He held conducting positions with the Tacoma Music Collaborative, Bellingham Symphony, Northridge Youth Philharmonic, Rainier Symphony, Whidbey Island Orchestra, and the Bremerton Youth Symphony. Tigran has conducted the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Olympia Chamber Orchestra, numerous youth orchestras in South Korea, Armenian Pops Orchestra, 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 received the Ludovic Morlot Fellowship at the Pierre Monteux Festival, is a three-time awardee of the Armenian General Benevolent Union Performing Arts Fellowship, and is the first prize winner at the Armenian Allied Arts Competition. He participated in the Conductors Guild Workshop, Monteux School and Music Festival, Idyllwild Music Festival, and Dilijan Chamber Music Series, among others. Tigran conducted in masterclasses with notable conductors David Loebel, Frank Battisti, Donald Thulean, Michael Jinbo, and David Effron. 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 Ludovic 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 David A. Rahbee and Morlot. His mentors are Victor Vener, John Barcellona, Paul Taub, and Laura Osborn. In his youth, he played in the Los Angeles Junior Philharmonic Orchestra and attended the Lark Musical Society.
Administrative work | Podcast | Radio
Tigran is the Executive Director of Music Works Northwest in Bellevue. He was the host and producer of a radio show on KPTZ (91.9 FM) called Exploring Music (2020–2022). He shared an eclectic mix of music and interviews. An active podcaster since 2012, he most recently hosted and produced Let’s Talk Off The Podium (140+ episodes). Tigran interviewed winners of the Grammy Awards, Pulitzer Prize, MacArthur Fellow, Rome Prize, and Polar Music Prize. Past guests include Evelyn Glennie, George Walker, Mark O'Connor, Christian McBride, David Harrington (Kronos Quartet), JoAnn Falletta, Richard Stoltzman, Sharon Isbin, Vijay Iyer, Christopher Theofanidis, Yolanda Kondonassis, Roger Bobo, Diane Schuur, Øystein Baadsvik, Robert Aldridge, and a long list of others.
The Port Townsend Symphony saw unprecedented growth during his tenure. The orchestra grew the budget by six times with no reliance on grants, making it one of the few orchestras in the US to operate without any grant support. During his tenure as Music Director of the Federal Way Youth Symphony and Bainbridge Youth Orchestras, the organizations reached their highest enrollment, added multiple ensembles, premiered pieces, and collaborated with dance companies and choirs. Tigran led the Federal Way Youth Symphony on three tours to South Korea (2014, 2017, 2019), conducting in Seoul, Busan, Jeju, Daejeon, and Gwangju, among other cities. During the pandemic, Bainbridge Youth Orchestra was one of the few youth orchestras in the U.S. to continue in-person rehearsals (outdoor) and present virtual concerts.
Yamaha Music USA stated, "Providing access to music education is the driving force behind Dr. Tigran Arakelyan’s work." His profound dedication to equity and diversity is rooted in his formative experiences with equity-driven arts organizations during his youth. Tigran has established several impactful initiatives, including a BIPOC composer commission project, a free one-on-one private lessons program, a public school outreach initiative, a free masterclass series, and various scholarships, grants, and funding opportunities for underserved youth. Additionally, he has founded numerous musical projects, such as an orchestral strings festival, a chamber orchestra, young artist competitions, composer competitions, and a chamber music series. Tigran was also the founder and Music Director of the Cadence Chamber Orchestra (WA), the Youth Orchestra at Lark Musical Society (CA), and the co-founder of Campus Philharmonia at the University of Washington.
He has programmed diverse concerts with works by William Grant Still, Amy Beach, Alma Mahler, Mieczysław Karłowicz, Florence Price, Fanny Mendelssohn, Alan Hovhaness, Arthur Bird, John Barnes Chance, Karel Husa, Vasily Kalinnikov, and Barbara Harbach. Tigran is also passionate about new music and has conducted regional and world premieres by renowned composers Paul Hindemith, Keith Jarrett, Jovino Santos Neto, Adrienne Albert, Maria Thompson Corley, Brenno Blauth, Eleanor Aversa, Adriana Figueroa Manas, Ben Thomas, Sonya Leonore Stahl, and James Cohn. He held conducting positions with the Tacoma Music Collaborative, Bellingham Symphony, Northridge Youth Philharmonic, Rainier Symphony, Whidbey Island Orchestra, and the Bremerton Youth Symphony. Tigran has conducted the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Olympia Chamber Orchestra, numerous youth orchestras in South Korea, Armenian Pops Orchestra, 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 received the Ludovic Morlot Fellowship at the Pierre Monteux Festival, is a three-time awardee of the Armenian General Benevolent Union Performing Arts Fellowship, and is the first prize winner at the Armenian Allied Arts Competition. He participated in the Conductors Guild Workshop, Monteux School and Music Festival, Idyllwild Music Festival, and Dilijan Chamber Music Series, among others. Tigran conducted in masterclasses with notable conductors David Loebel, Frank Battisti, Donald Thulean, Michael Jinbo, and David Effron. 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 Ludovic 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 David A. Rahbee and Morlot. His mentors are Victor Vener, John Barcellona, Paul Taub, and Laura Osborn. In his youth, he played in the Los Angeles Junior Philharmonic Orchestra and attended the Lark Musical Society.
Administrative work | Podcast | Radio
Tigran is the Executive Director of Music Works Northwest in Bellevue. He was the host and producer of a radio show on KPTZ (91.9 FM) called Exploring Music (2020–2022). He shared an eclectic mix of music and interviews. An active podcaster since 2012, he most recently hosted and produced Let’s Talk Off The Podium (140+ episodes). Tigran interviewed winners of the Grammy Awards, Pulitzer Prize, MacArthur Fellow, Rome Prize, and Polar Music Prize. Past guests include Evelyn Glennie, George Walker, Mark O'Connor, Christian McBride, David Harrington (Kronos Quartet), JoAnn Falletta, Richard Stoltzman, Sharon Isbin, Vijay Iyer, Christopher Theofanidis, Yolanda Kondonassis, Roger Bobo, Diane Schuur, Øystein Baadsvik, Robert Aldridge, and a long list of others.
"Led by Arakelyan, a highly-esteemed conductor across the Pacific Northwest, the all-volunteer group will perform three classical pieces composed by Alan Hovhaness, Brenno Blauth, and Leoš Janácek. Arakelyan has brought a new level of competence to the nonprofit, bringing an annual chamber music program and a higher degree of passion and pride. Under the instruction of Arakelyan, the group’s sound and tone is anything but amateur..." - The Leader
"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
"Rising Star" - The Armenian Mirror Spectator
"Arakelyan started conducting at the age of 22, and has worked with young musicians for his entire career. He has clearly found his calling."
- Bainbridge Magazine
"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
"Rising Star" - The Armenian Mirror Spectator
"Arakelyan started conducting at the age of 22, and has worked with young musicians for his entire career. He has clearly found his calling."
- Bainbridge Magazine
