Concert/Composer Mirzoyan at 90 – February 18

• Armen Ghazaryan, violin
• Nune Hakobyan, piano
• Ani Hovsepian, piano
• Haig Hovsepian, violin [young performer]
• Levon Hovsepian, Piano
• Lillit Karapetian, piano
• Rouben Karapetyan, piano [young performer]
• Sargis Karapetyan, violin
• Armenoui Keheian, violin
• Lilit Muradian, viola
• Knarik Nerkararyan, soprano
• Nara Shahbazian, cello
• Andrei Sobchenko, saxophone

Born in Gori, Georgia [1921], Mirzoyan moved to Armenia with his parents in 1925 and at age 7 was enrolled in the Spendiarov Music School which at the time was part of the Yerevan Conservatory. His first teachers were A.M. Mnazakanian and O.A. Babasian. By age eight he had already composed a march for piano; in 1932 he composed “Murderous Sunday” and in 1935 “Song Without Words.”

In 1936 Edward Mirzoyan entered the Yerevan State Conservatory’s Composition Department studying with professors S.V. Barkhudarian and V.G. Talian. In 1946 government of Armenia sent him to Moscow to further his art. Here composer Aram Khachaturian had a big influence on his creative nature as exemplified in “Symphonic Dances” and “Overture.”

In 1949 Mirzoyan began teaching at the Yerevan State Conservatory’s School of Composition and during his long career educated several generations of Armenian prominent composers among them Ter-Tatevosian, Orbelian, Terterian, Dgerbashian, Nagdian, Gevorkian, Avetisian and others.

In 1963 Edward Mirzoyan toured the United States and Canada together with Komitas Quartet performing in more than 40 cities. During this visit he had the opportunity to meet with President John Kennedy as well as Composer Igor Stravinsky and Conductor Eugene Ormandy.

In 1958 he received the standing of the Honored Artist of the USSR and in 1963 was given the honorary title of People’s Artist of Armenia. Over the years Mirzoyan has held several official positions in Armenia including Secretary of the Composers Union; Chairman of Armenian Department of Music Fund; Chairman of the Composers Union; head of the composition department at the Yerevan State Conservatory and since 1977 Chairman of Peace Fund of Armenia.