53 Notable Alumni of Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory

Arno Babajanian

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1921-1983 (aged 62)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 1947
Occupations: composerpianistmusic educatorfilm score composer
Biography: Arno Harutyuni Babajanian was a Soviet and Armenian composer and pianist. He was made a People's Artist of the USSR in 1971.

Iveta Mukuchyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1986-.. (age 40)
Occupations: singersongwritermodeltelevision presentermusician
Biography: Iveta Roberti Mukuchyan is an Armenian singer. Born in Yerevan, Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, she moved to Hamburg, Germany, in 1992. Mukuchyan returned to Armenia in 2009 and placed fifth in the fourth season of the talent competition Hay Superstar. During this time, she received vocal training at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory. Mukuchyan also participated for season two of The Voice of Germany in 2012.

Samvel Yervinyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1966-.. (age 60)
Occupations: violinistcomposer
Biography: Samvel Yervinyan is an Armenian violinist and composer.

Niyazi

Born in: Georgia
Years: 1912-1984 (aged 72)
Occupations: composerconductorfilm score composerpolitician
Biography: Niyazi Zulfugar oghlu Taghizade Hajibeyov was a Soviet and Azerbaijani conductor and composer. People's Artist of the USSR (1959) and Hero of Socialist Labour (1982).

Alexander Spendiaryan

Born in: Ukraine
Years: 1871-1928 (aged 57)
Occupations: composerconductor
Biography: Alexander Afanasyevich Spendiarov was a Russian composer and conductor of Armenian descent, founder of Armenian national symphonic music.

Tigran Mansurian

Born in: Lebanon
Years: 1939-.. (age 87)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 1960-1965
Occupations: composerfilm score composer
Biography: Tigran Yeghiayi Mansurian is a leading Armenian composer of classical and film music, People's Artist of the Armenian SSR (1990), and Honored Art Worker of the Armenian SSR (1984). He is the author of orchestral, chamber, choir, and vocal works which have been played across the world.

Alexander Arutiunian

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1920-2012 (aged 92)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 1941
Occupations: composerpianistmusic educatorfilm score composer
Biography: Alexander Grigori Arutiunian, was a Soviet and Armenian composer and pianist, widely known for his 1950 Trumpet Concerto. A professor at Yerevan State Conservatory, he was recognized with many awards for his work, including the Stalin Prize in 1949 and People's Artist of the USSR in 1970, as well as numerous honors from his homeland of Armenia.

Konstantin Orbelyan

Born in: Russia
Years: 1928-2014 (aged 86)
Occupations: conductorpianistfilm score composercomposerjazz musician
Biography: Konstantin Aghaparonovich Orbelyan was an Armenian pianist, composer, head of the State Estrada Orchestra of Armenia.

Lusine Zakaryan

Born in: Georgia
Years: 1937-1992 (aged 55)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 1962
Occupations: opera singersinger
Biography: Lusine Zakaryan, born Svetlana Zakaryan (Armenian: Սվետլանա Զաքարյան; June 1, 1937 – December 30, 1992), was an Armenian soprano.

Nersik Ispiryan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1963-.. (age 63)
Occupations: composersinger
Biography: Nersik Ispiryan is an Armenian singer best known for his Armenian nationalistic songs.

Nune Yesayan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1969-.. (age 57)
Occupations: composersinger
Biography: Nune Martiki Yesayan, commonly known as Nune or Nouné, is an Armenian singer who began singing with an Armenian jazz band in the early 1990s before becoming a lounge singer at resorts in the Middle East.

Robert Amirkhanyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1939-.. (age 87)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 1964-1969
Occupations: composeruniversity teacherfilm score composerpolitician
Biography: Robert Babkeni Amirkhanyan is an Armenian composer and songwriter. He is a professor at the Yerevan State Conservatory. He wrote over 300 songs, vocal series, operettas.

Edvard Mirzoyan

Born in: Georgia
Years: 1921-2012 (aged 91)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 1941
Occupations: music educatorcomposer
Biography: Edvard Mik'aeli Mirzoyan was an Armenian composer.

Gegham Grigoryan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1951-2016 (aged 65)
Occupations: opera singer
Biography: Gegham Grigorian was an Armenian operatic tenor.

Hasmik Papian

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1961-.. (age 65)
Occupations: violinistmusicianopera singer
Biography: Hasmik Papian is an Armenian soprano. She was awarded the People's Artist of Armenia title in 2004. Papian was named a Cultural ambassador of Armenia in the World for her contributions to Armenian culture in 2005 by the Catholicos of the Holy See of St. Echmiadzin and All Armenians Karekin II and awarded the Order of Saint Sahag and Saint Mesrob and Order of Saint Mesrop Mashtots.

Ghazaros Saryan

Born in: Russia
Years: 1920-1998 (aged 78)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 1934-1938
Occupations: composermusic professor
Biography: Ghazaros Saryan (Armenian: Ղազարոս Սարյան, Russian: Лазарь Мартиросович Сарьян; 30 September 1920 – 27 May 1998) was an Armenian composer and educator.

Edgar Hovhannisyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1930-1998 (aged 68)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 1953
Occupations: music educatorfilm score composercomposer
Biography: Edgar Hovhannisyan, Hovhannisian or Oganesian was an Armenian composer, Professor of Composition at the Yerevan State Conservatory, People's Artist of the USSR (1986).

Sona Rubenyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1993-.. (age 33)
Occupations: singer
Biography: Sona Rubenyan is an Armenian singer and songwriter. She is best known for winning the fifth edition of Hay Superstar.

Sevak Amroyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1990-.. (age 36)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 2008-2015
Occupations: singer
Biography: Sevak Petrosi Amroyan is an Armenian singer, who is best known as the winner of Shant TV's folk music competition Joghovrdakan Yergich. Amroyan has released three albums so far, El Yetdardz Chka (2016), Yarkhushta (2020), and Sarvor Akhper (2022)

Svetlana Navasardyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1946-.. (age 80)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 1965-1968
Occupations: music educatorpianist
Biography: Svetlana Navasardyan, is an Armenian classical concert pianist.

Hovhannes Badalyan

Born in: Iran
Years: 1924-2001 (aged 77)
Occupations: singer
Biography: Hovhannes Hambardzumi Badalyan was an Armenian singer (tenor), People's Artist of the Armenian SSR (1961) and Professor of Yerevan State Conservatory.

Eduard Topchjan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1971-.. (age 55)
Occupations: conductor
Biography: Eduard Topchjan is an Armenian conductor, the principal conductor and artistic director of the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra.

Alla Levonyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1975-.. (age 51)
Occupations: singer
Biography: Alla Zhorayi Levonyan is an Armenian singer, who is a recipient of the Honorary Worker of Culture of the Republic of Armenia award, which is an honorary title in Armenia. In 2007, she was appointed the UNICEF Armenia Goodwill Ambassador.

Tatevik Sazandaryan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1916-1999 (aged 83)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 1960
Occupations: music educatorpoliticianopera singer
Biography: Tatevik Sazandaryan was a Soviet and Armenian operatic mezzo-soprano who became a member of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union in 1958. She performed as a soloist at the Yerevan Opera Theatre from 1937 to 1961.

Armen Movsessian

Occupations: violinistmusic educator
Biography: Armen Movsessian is a violin player.

Armen Martirosyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1963-.. (age 63)
Occupations: producercomposermusician
Biography: Armen Martirosyan is an Armenian musician and composer.

Tigran Hekekyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1959-.. (age 67)
Occupations: choir directorpedagogueconductor
Biography: Tigran Hekekyan is an Armenian conductor and music professor. He is the founder, artistic director, and principal conductor of the Little Singers of Armenia choir, as well as the founder and president of the Armenian Little Singers International Association. Hekekyan is a professor of conducting at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory. He also served as the director of the Sayat-Nova Music School until August 14, 2024.

Anahit Tsitsikian

Born in: Russia
Years: 1926-1999 (aged 73)
Occupations: music educatorethnomusicologistmusicologistmusic historianteacher
Biography: Anahit Tsitsikian was an Armenian female violinist. She toured around the world through more than 100 cities during the Soviet times; she taught at the State Conservatory for approximately 40 years and wrote more than 300 articles and scenarios for television and radio programs. She was also a scholar who established a new branch of Armenian musicology, history of performing art, and dedicated the last twenty years of her life to research in the field of ancient music history, becoming the founder of a new branch of Armenian musical archaeology.

Vahan Artsruni

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1965-.. (age 61)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 1989-1994
Occupations: composersingerphysicianmusician
Biography: Vahan Artsruni is a modern Armenian rock musician, singer, composer and artist.

Sona Shahgeldyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1986-.. (age 40)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 2004-2008
Occupations: singer
Biography: Sona Hovhannesi Shahgeldyan, is an Armenian singer and actress. Her first video clip was released in 2007. She is known for her roles as Sona on Domino (Armenian TV series), Ripo on North-South. She won the 2010 edition of New Wave.

Diana Adamyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 2000-.. (age 26)
Occupations: violinist
Biography: Diana Hakobi Adamyan is an Armenian violinist who won the first prize in the Senior Division of the Menuhin International Competition in 2018. In 2020, she also won the Khachaturian Violin Competition which was held online due the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tigran Mkrtchyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1978-.. (age 48)
Occupations: diplomat
Biography: Tigran Mkrtchyan is an Armenian diplomat, historian and political scientist. As of April 2022, he serves as the Ambassador of Armenia to the Hellenic Republic, to the Republic of Albania and to the Republic of Cyprus.

Willy Weiner

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1955-.. (age 71)
Occupations: composerviolinistsingerpedagogue
Biography: William Weiner is an Armenian–Israeli composer, violinist and vocalist; Meritorious Worker of Art of Armenia (2008); a member of the Israel Composers League (2013); president of the Jewish cultural center "Menorah" in Armenia (1994), and director of the Yerevan State Chamber Choir (2018).

Vache Sharafyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1966-.. (age 60)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 1990
Occupations: composer
Biography: Vache Sharafyan, (born February 11, 1966, in Yerevan, Armenia) is an Armenian composer of symphonic works, chamber music, choral music and opera. His works include 2 acts opera King Abgar, ballet Second Moon, 2 acts ballet Ancient Gods, one act ballet “the bride of the desert”.

Anahit Mekhitarian

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1969-.. (age 57)
Occupations: opera singer
Biography: Anahit Mekhitarian is an Armenian operatic soprano. A leading soloist of the National Theater of Opera and Ballet of Armenia, she was conferred the title of Honored Artist of Armenia in 2003. In 2013 on the occasion of Republic day, she was awarded medal for Merit to the Fatherland. She has won first prize at three international singing competitions: the Francesc Viñas International Singing Competition (Spain, 1990), the Vincenzo Bellini International Competition (Italy, 1991), and the Julián Gayarre International Singing Competition (Spain, 1996).

Vartan Adjemian

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1956-.. (age 70)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 1973-1981
Occupations: composer
Biography: Vartan Adjemian is an Armenian composer of orchestral, operatic, and chamber music whose works have been performed worldwide.

Geghuni Chitchian

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1929-.. (age 97)
Occupations: music educatorcomposer
Biography: Geghuni Chitchyan or Chitchian is an Armenian composer, pianist, and pedagogue. Her parents were veteran teachers; her brother, Henrikh, an established violinist.

Hayk Melikyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1980-.. (age 46)
Occupations: composerpianist
Biography: Hayk Melikyan is an Armenian pianist and composer. He is widely known as one of the best performers of 20th century and contemporary classical music.

Stepan Shakaryan

Born in: Azerbaijan
Years: 1935-2019 (aged 84)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 1954
Occupations: pianistmusic educatorcomposer
Biography: Stepan Grigori Shakaryan was an Armenian jazz and classical composer, pianist, People's Artist of Armenia (2017), and professor at Yerevan State Conservatory.

Ruben Sargsyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1945-2013 (aged 68)
Occupations: pedagogueteachercomposer
Biography: Ruben Sargsyan, also seen as Sarkisyan, was an Armenian composer, laureate of the State Award of Armenia, professor of the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory.

Armen Babakhanian

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1967-.. (age 59)
Occupations: pianist
Biography: Armen Babakhanian is an Armenian classical pianist. He has received prizes at various international piano competitions including the Leeds (5th prize), Van Cliburn (5th prize), Gina Bachauer (2nd prize), Guardian Dublin, William Kapell and World Piano Competition. Further, he has given recitals in the USA, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Spain.

Aram Satian

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1947-.. (age 79)
Occupations: composermusician
Biography: Aram Satyan is an Armenian classical composer and popular music songwriter.

Eduard Hayrapetyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1949-.. (age 77)
Occupations: composer
Biography: Eduard Hayrapetyan is an Armenian composer of contemporary classical music and educator.

Ani Batikian

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1982-.. (age 44)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 1998
Occupations: violinist
Biography: Ani Batikian is an Armenian violinist currently living in England.

Araxie Saryan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1937-2013 (aged 76)
Occupations: art historianmusicologistmusician
Biography: Araksi Sarian-Harutunian was an Armenian musicologist, art history candidate, professor of Yerevan State Conservatory. Honored Art Worker of Armenia (2008). Member of Composers Union of Armenia (1966).

Kariné Poghosyan

Occupations: pianist
Biography: Kariné Poghosyan is an Armenian pianist residing in New York City. She made her orchestral debut at the age of 14 playing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1, and her solo Carnegie Hall debut at 23, and has since gone on to win numerous awards as well as perform in some of the world's most prestigious concert halls.

Raffi Besalyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1972-.. (age 54)
Occupations: pianist
Biography: Raffi Besalyan is an Armenian-American Concert Pianist. Besalyan studied at the Tchaikovsky Special Music School for Gifted Children in Yerevan, and received Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from Yerevan State Musical Conservatory. He received an additional master's degree from Rowan University, and studied at the Manhattan School of Music with legendary American pianist Byron Janis.

Gevorg Sargsyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1981-.. (age 45)
Occupations: conductor
Biography: Gevorg Sargsyan is an Armenian conductor.

Ara Torosyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1972-.. (age 54)
Occupations: composerrecord producer
Biography: Ara Arshaki Torosyan ((Armenian: Արա Արշակի Թորոսյան; born 10 May 1972), known in the Armenian music industry by his pen name Murzo, is a music arranger and record producer. He is widely recognized to be one of the best music arrangers in his native country of Armenia. Torosyan arranged music and produced records for Andre, Tata Simonyan, Eva Rivas, as well as Armenian folk music stars Inga and Anush Arshakyan. He is a permanent member of the jury panel for the hit music television show Two Stars that airs on Armenia 1. Torosyan arranged and produced Eva Rivas's song "Apricot Stone", which was the Armenian entry for the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest held in Oslo, Norway.

Sar Sargsyan

Born in: Azerbaijan
Years: 1981-.. (age 45)
Occupations: singer
Biography: Saribek Edvardi Sargsyan born 19 March 1981 in Hadrut, Nagorno-Karabakh, is an Armenian baritone singer.

Siranush Gasparyan

Born in: Georgia
Years: 1978-.. (age 48)
Occupations: opera singer
Biography: Siranush Gasparyan is an Armenian dramatic soprano.

Tigran Maytesian

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1970-.. (age 56)
Occupations: violinist
Biography: Tigran Maytesian is an Armenian-born Russian-Belgian classical violinist, Doctor of Arts. He is a soloist and chamber musician, a professor, past artistic director of the International Festival des Minimes in Brussels, the International Festival Sint Carolus Borromeuskerk in Antwerp and the International Festival at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille de Lille, France, and currently artistic director of the Festival St Andrieskerk in Antwerp, Festival Catharina and Festival Chapel for Europe in Brussels, a scientific researcher and consultant who resides and works in Belgium.

Ara Aloyan

Born in: Armenia
Years: 1981-.. (age 45)
Enrolled in Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory: Studied in 1998-2003
Occupations: prose writerpoetjournalistpedagogue
Biography: Ara Aloyan is an Armenian poet, writer, musician, pedagogue, journalist, and member of Armenian writers' union of Gegharkunik region.