BABADJANIAN, Arno (1921-1983)

Hayk Melikyan is recognised internationally by classical music audiences and critics alike as one of Armenia’s most versatile and imaginative musicians and among today’s most engaging virtuoso pianists. Since winning Second Prize at the Valentino Bucchi International Piano Competition of Twentieth Century and Contemporary Music, in Rome in 2000, he has included contemporary music as a leading component of his concert programmes, with performances throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas. In 2012 Hayk Melikyan was awarded a Gold Medal by the Moscow Composers Union for his contribution and promotion of contemporary music and in 2013 the title of Honoured Artist of the Republic of Armenia. He has given premières of numerous works by contemporary composers and a number of pieces have been specially written for him. His recording of Arno Babadjanian’s complete piano works [Grand Piano GP674], released in 2014, entered the Fanfare magazine ‘Want List’, the performances described as having “power and agility to spare.”

Babadjanian spent much of his time teaching and giving concerts. His extraordinary Piano Trio was competed in 1952 and was followed in 1954 by his orchestral Poem-Rhapsody. The Sonata for Violin and Piano was produced in 1959, followed by the Cello Concerto, which was written for and dedicated to Mstislav Rostropovich. Among his last compositions were the Six Pictures for Piano (1965), the Third String Quartet (1979) and the Nocturne for piano and symphonic jazz ensemble (1981).