Cellist NAREK HAKHNAZARYAN won First Prize in the 2008 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, bringing him two important debuts in the Young Concert Artists Series:  in New York at Carnegie’s Zankel Hall, sponsored by the Jerome L. Greene Foundation Prize, and at the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater in Washington, DC.

This season, Mr. Hakhnazaryan’s appearances include two performances in Boston’s Symphony Hall: with the Boston Pops in Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations with Maestro Erich Kunzel, and presented by Boston’s Celebrity Series, performing the Schumann Cello Concerto with conductor Hugh Wolff and the NEC Philharmonia.  He will appear in the 5^th Young Concert Artists Festival in Tokyo, gives recitals at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, for the Buffalo Chamber Music Society (NY), Ravinia’s Rising Stars Series (IL), the University of Florida, Vanguard Concerts (OH), Congregation Rodef Shalom in Pittsburgh (PA), the University of Georgia, Candlelight Concerts (MD), Missouri State University, and the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in Olympia.  He will perform as concerto soloist with the Long Bay (CA) and Fort Smith (AR) Symphonies.

Mr. Hakhnazaryan has appeared as soloist with the Westmoreland Symphony (PA), and in recitals at Saint Vincent College (PA), Lincoln County Concert Association (NC), Patrons for Young Artists (NY), The Paramount Theatre (VT), and The Colonial Theatre (MA).

He has participated in Ravinia’s Steans Institute for Young Artists and received scholarships from the Rostropovich Russian Performing Arts Fund which brought him concerts in Russia, Germany, Italy, Austria, France, Great Britain, Greece, Turkey and Canada.   His prizes include Fifth Prize at the 2007 Tchaikovsky International Competition in Moscow, First Prize in the 2006 Aram Khachaturian International Competition in Armenia, and First Place in the 2006 Johansen International Competition for Young String Players.

Mr. Hakhnazaryan was born in 1988 in Yerevan, Armenia, into a family of musicians: his father is a violinist and his mother is a pianist.  His early studies were at the Sayat-Nova School of Music in Yerevan with Zareh Sarkisyan.  At the age of 12, Mr. Hakhnazaryan began studies at the Moscow Conservatory with Alexey Seleznyov.  Working with Lawrence Lesser, Mr. Hakhnazaryan is pursuing an Artist Diploma at the New England Conservatory of Music, the only musician to be selected this year for this prestigious program.  He plays a Jean Baptiste Vuillaume cello, circa 1860, on loan to him from the Ravinia Festival.