Vahan Mardirossian
Artistic Director and Principal Conductor
Born in Yerevan, Armenia, Vahan Mardirossian studied music at Alexander Spendiaryan music school (Arquhi Haroutyunyan’s piano class) later to continue his education at the Paris Conservatoire, studying piano under Jacques Rouvier. He also took chamber music lessons in Jean Mouillère's class, later creating the Mardirossian Trio together with Nicolas Baldeyrou (clarinet) and Renaud Dejardin (cello). In 1996, he graduated from the Paris Conservatoire with distinction and was awarded the First Prize for piano, The chamber music Prize, and the Conservatoire's highest diploma, gaining the opportunity to further develop his skills under Jacques Rouvier and attend master-classes held by G. Vahan Mardirossian has given recitals in a many outstanding concert halls in Germany, Israel, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Canada, Lebanon, Lithuania, Morocco, Portugal, Russia, Romania, Tunisia, Croatia, the Ukraine, France, Switzerland, Japan and elsewhere, performing with most celebrated orchestras (The Paris orchestra, Orchestre National de France, the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Portugal Symphonic Orchestra, Orchestre de Cannes, Orchestre National de Pays de la Loire, the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, the Paris International Orchestra, the Bienne Symphonic Orchestra and the like) under the baton of such distinguished conductors as K.Masur, P.Jarvi, Y.Ahronovitch, Y.Sado, J.Valcuha, S.Sanderling, P.Bender, A. He also had a successful participation in international festivals, performing with such prominent masters as Mstislav Rostropovich and Ivry Gitlis. Among Vahan Mardirossian’s solo recordings, you will find music by Bach, Händel, Schubert, Brahms, Liszt, Tanguy, Lenot, Zavaro. The recordings have been highly acclaimed by the critics, while one of his latest CDs, titled “Armenia” received the “CD of the year” award in 2007 by the “Le Monde de la Musique” Magazine. Along with his activity as a pianist, Vahan Mardirossian is simultaneously leading a promising career as a conductor. In 2005 he was invited by Kurt Masur to the Conducting Seminar in New York, where he conducted the Manhattan School Orchestra. Vahan Mardirossian is also the founder of the “Maestria” Chamber Orchestra, with whom he performed in the most prestigious concert halls in France. Vahan Mardirossian is also regularly invited to conduct the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, the “Amalgames” orchestra (composed of the finest musicians from the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra and the SWR Baden-Baden and Freiburg Symphony Orchestra), the Cannes - Province Côte d’Azur Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Opera of Toulon and the Novosibirsk Chamber orchestra. He has conducted such renowned soloists as A.Markov, X.Phillips, G. Hoffman,
J-M.Phillips-Varjabedian, N.Dautricourt, M.Coppey, E.Rozanova, R.Daugareil and others. His rich repertoire covers a large time span ranging from the baroque period to our times. From September 2010 Vahan Mardirossian is also the Principal Conductor of Caen Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Artistic Director and the Principal Conductor of the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia since 2011.
