Alexandr Karakhanyan

Alexandr Karakhanyan was born in 1982 in Yerevan (Armenia). His first foray into music came at the age of 8 when he began learning the cello at the E. Mirzoyan school of music. In 1999, he completed his studies with A. Seleznyov at the Central Moscow School of Music and started his degree at the Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan under Prof. A. Talalyan. Alexandr graduated from his studies with the highest distinction in 2004. As a young musician, Alexandr participated in a large number of competitions and festivals. He received his first award at the national Amadeus competition in 1995. In 1997, he was awarded second place and named a virtuoso at the national competition for string instruments Concours S. Aslamazyan and A. Ter-Gabrielyan. Following this, he won an award at the 3rd international competition Virtuosos of the 21st Century in 1999 in Moscow. In 2008, he came second at the Karen Kostanyan competition held by the Armenian Chamber Music Ensemble. Alexandr has regularly performed as a solo artist on the international stage since 1996, with repeat performances in Germany, France, Georgia, Iran, Russia, Austria and Switzerland. In 2006, he completed his studies with the highest distinction at the Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan under Aram Talalyan (Yale University MMus under Prof. Aldo Parisot). In 2009, he performed as the principal cellist, soloist and chamber musician at the Tbilisi Wind Festival in Georgia. This was followed by a performance as a soloist at the international benefit concert MAHAK in Tehran in 2010. During 2010 and 2011, Alexandr took on the position of soloist and principal cellist at the Second Winter Academy of Chiatura at the arts center of the same name in Georgia. In 2012, he played as a soloist at the Karlsruhe Festival of the German-Armenian Musical Union. Between 2007 and 2012, Alexandr held the position of principal cellist, soloist and chamber musician at the Henrik and Geronti Talalyan Festival for Viola and Cello. He held the same positions between 2007 and 2014 at the Return Festival and the National Gallery Festival, all of which took place in Yerevan. In 2010 and 2011, he appeared alongside Nathalia Gutman, Andreas Mustonen and Eliso Visaladze at the Telavi International Chamber Music Festival in Georgia. Alexandr played principal cellist in the orchestra that won first place at the 2010 Young Euro Classic competition in Berlin. In recognition of his outstanding achievements in the field, Alexandr was the recipient of a scholarship awarded by the Nor Anunnwe [new names] Armenian foundation for the years 1996 to 1999. Between 2000 and 2003, he was also granted a scholarship by a German artists foundation. He performed as a member of the South Caucasian Chamber Ensemble (principal cello) in Ibbenbüren, Germany, in 2006, 2007, 2016 and 2019. In the period 2012 to 2014, Alexandr was a member of the Armenian State Soloists Ensemble in Yerevan. He began his studies at the Austrian Vorarlberg State Conservatory in Feldkirch under Prof. Penelope Gunter-Thalhammer in 2014, where he graduated with a concert diploma (D3) in 2016. After his studies, Alexandr remained in Feldkirch and got involved in a number of local, regional and international orchestra as a soloist and chamber musician, including: Concentus Revensis (Switzerland), Arpeggione (Hohenems), Götzi Orchestra Association and the Liechtenstein Symphony Orchestra. Alexandr’s contributions to music are not restricted to his role as a performer. In 2013, he founded the Oda piano trio followed by the Feldkirch Montfort Chamber Orchestra in 2015.