BOSTON — The Friends of Armenian Culture Society will present the 59th annual Armenian Night at the Pops on Saturday, June 19 at 8 p.m. at Boston’s historic Symphony Hall. The evening will feature renowned pianist Armen Babakhanian who will perform the Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin, as well as an excerpt from Aram Khachaturian’s piano concerto. Music director Keith Lockhart will conduct the celebrated Boston Pops orchestra in a program which will mark the 125th anniversary of the orchestra and pay tribute to its current and former music directors.
Babakhanian is the laureate of several of the world’s most prestigious piano competitions, including the Van Cliburn, Leeds International, Gina Bauchauer, Dublin International and the World Piano Competition.
Babakhanian has given recitals in the US (including two performances in Boston), Canada, Japan, UK, Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Spain. He has appeared as soloist with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Irish National Symphony, the National Symphony Orchestra (US), the Dallas Symphony, the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic under Yuri Temirkanov, and the Moscow Philharmonic under Valery Gergiev. Festival appearances include the Aspen, Interlochen, Baalbec and the Santander music festival in Spain.
In addition to his performing career, Babakhanian has taught numerous master classes in the US and Europe and has served as jury member for several international piano competitions, including the Gina Bachauer, Maria Callas, Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff International piano competitions.
Born in Yerevan, Armenia, Babakhanian is the artistic director of the Cadence Ensemble and is currently an artist-in-residence at the Komitas State Conservatory in Yerevan, where he also received his musical education.
Tickets for this concert can be purchased online by visiting www.FACSBoston.org. As this concert is the last performance of the Boston Pops Orchestra for the 2010 Spring season, strong demand for tickets is anticipated and an early booking is encouraged. A limited number of student tickets are also available. Visit the website above for more information.
