About this Artist
In November 2016, pianist ARMEN GUZELIMIAN made his second guest appearance at Walt Disney Concert Hall on the LA Phil's Chamber Music series. He enjoys national and international acclaim for his distinguished career and versatility as a top-ranking collaborative artist, a first-rate soloist, and much sought-after master vocal coach.
For one of his previous performances of chamber music on the series, Los Angeles Times music critic Mark Swed wrote, "Guzelimian was understated but superbly detailed and magisterially musical...he is a chamber music master who contributed just the kind of support that makes everyone sound better. He has the discipline and authority that makes freedom possible and responsible, that makes the best chamber music serve as a grand model for society."
Guzelimian has appeared with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Michigan Philharmonic Orchestra, the Nebraska Chamber Orchestra, and the American Youth Symphony. In June of 2014 he made his debut as soloist with the Pasadena Symphony/Pops Orchestra with Michael Feinstein conducting.
The pianist's chamber music successes have been with such groups as the Rossetti String Quartet, the Spokane Quartet, Los Angeles String Quartet, Camerata Pacifica, Dilijan Chamber music concerts, members of Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and the Aspen Festival and Music School. His chamber music partners have included Ani and Ida Kavafian, Viktoria Mullova, Thomas Zehetmair, Kim Kashkashian, and Michelle Zukofsky. He has collaborated in recital (and recording) with such luminaries as Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Thomas Hampson, Lucia Popp, Peter Schreier, Rod Gilfry, Florence Quivar, Plácido Domingo (on The Tonight Show), Marni Nixon, and others.
Guzelimian has had the privilege and honor of working with such great composers as Aram Khachaturian, Alan Hovhaness, Tigran Mansurian, Witold Lutoslawski and most recently with the young Artur Avanesov. In all these cases, he was coached by and performed in the presence of these composers. Thomas Pasatieri and Byron Adams have both dedicated solo works for the pianist: a piano sonata and Illuminations, respectively.
The pianist has diverse recordings on the EMI. Angel, Teldec, Nonesuch, Delos, Crystal and Orion labels. His latest recording of Armenian Piano Music is now available on CD Baby and Amazon. Many of his performances have been heard nationally on NPR and other public radio networks, and he can be seen performing and narrating in the Peter Rosen-produced documentary: Shadows in Paradise, which was aired throughout Europe on Arte in 2008 and on PBS. He can also be seen regularly on the Classic Arts Showcase. Guzelimian made his silver screen debut in Robert Altman's film Short Cuts.
A passionate and inspiring educator, Guzelimian has been on the faculties of the Music Academy of the West (8 years), USC Thornton School of Music (17 years), with guest residencies at the Eastman School of Music, Loyola University in New Orleans, University of Maryland, College Park, Aspen Music School. He is in demand for master classes across the nation, and as adjudicator for both piano and vocal competitions.
For more information please refer to armengpianist.com.