|
A Year of Musical Breakthroughs (Post 3/15) Year 2011-2012 Unlike the challenging year before, 2011 began on a high note. I was accepted as a conducting fellow with the California Philharmonic, giving me an inside look at a regional professional orchestra. This opportunity also allowed me to conduct a rehearsal when the Music Director was unexpectedly taken to the ER. Additionally, I was accepted into a master’s program at California State University, Northridge. This wonderful opportunity enabled me to work with both the college orchestra and the youth orchestra in Northridge. I also collaborated with fellow graduate students who were composers, premiering several new pieces. One of the key reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in a major city is the abundance of external opportunities, and the Los Angeles area offered many. Lastly, I revisited a special place from my teenage years, the Lark Musical Society (more on this fantastic institution in a separate post). Here, I began teaching and founded a small youth orchestra, which was a new addition to the institution and an excellent opportunity for me to learn and grow. Tigran Arakelyan, conductor, symphony, orchestra, Armenian, American  Conducting a rehearsal with the California Philharmonic (2011)
0 Comments
A year of self discovery: failure, regret, and lost opportunities (Post 2/15) Year 2010-2011 The year 2010-2011 was a period of profound self-discovery that significantly impacted my approach to work and planning in the subsequent years. During this time, I learned to maintain my drive, ask important questions, and uncover the reasons to continue on this path. In my urgency to find a graduate school, I made a quick and uncalculated decision. I believed that attending graduate school for conducting was the ultimate goal, not realizing that creating and conducting an orchestra offered a greater educational opportunity. I ended up at a school in a small college town, hours away from any major city—an environment I was unaccustomed to, with limited opportunities. I managed to complete a semester there. Although this was a significant educational moment, it was ultimately a wrong decision that could have been avoided. I spent most of my time at the school regretting the move, missing the orchestra I had built, and feeling discouraged by the lost opportunities. Eventually, I left the small-town college, moved back to California to live with my parents, and reevaluated my future plans. Adjusting to being back home was tough. I had to come to terms with not only failing to identify the right next steps, questioning my career path, but also losing valuable opportunities and a supportive community I had created. Musically, it was largely insubstantial. However, I did conduct at a composer/conductor festival, which provided an opportunity for a premiere by a young composer and allowed me to study with Don Thulean. Tigran Arakelyan, conductor, music director, orchestra, symphony, Armenian, American  A rare picture from the week-long festival/masterclass (Fall 2010). |
Author
Archives |
RSS Feed