Bio

Tigran Arakelyan was born in Yerevan, Armenia. He plays many different genres ranging from classical and jazz to fusion, rock, and latin. As a young boy, he enjoyed listening to classical music. Soon after Tigran's 9th birthday, he was enrolled as a flutist in a music school in Komitas.

In 1998, Tigran and his family moved to Los Angeles where he began his studies at the Lark Conservatory in Glendale CA. In 2001 he was one of eight outstanding students chosen to appear as a soloist with the Lark Orchestra. He graduated in 2005 with a Diploma in Performance. Tigran was the first place winner of the AAAA (Armenian Allied Arts Assn.) Competition in 2002. He has also participated in Junior Bach Festival in Dominguez Hills, CA in 2004.

Tigran Arakelyan has played in masterclasses with Dr. John Barcellona, Dr. Shelly Collins and Shigenori Kudo. He has participated in Wildwood Music Institute (1999), Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival held in Alaska (2007), Long Beach flute institute (2007), Sir James Galway Flute Workshop in Hollywood (2008) and Idyllwild Music Festival (2007) where he played in the Wind Ensemble which performed at the world famous, Walt Disney Concert Hall. In November of 2007 Tigran participated in the International Youth Orchestra Festival with the Jr. Philharmonic of California, organized by Los Angles Philharmonic also held at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

He has been a member of the National Flute Association since September 2005. Tigran has played with many different orchestras, ensembles and bands including; Orange County Wind Symphony, Jr. Philharmonic of California, Latin band Salt Petal, Third Stream band Watts Ensemble, Pasadena Community Orchestra, jazz-fusion band Verticles, jazz bands Diatonic Theory and Quadrance. In addition to playing, Tigran taught privately and at music schools around Southern California.

Tigran has played at many well known venues including the Hollywood Bowl, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Shrine Auditorium, and Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach. He is currently at Cornish College of the Arts working towards a Bachelor of Music degree expected to graduate in May 2010. Tigran has studied with Paul Taub, Dr. John Barcellona, Christina Burr, Laura Osborn and Christina Badalyan. His conducting studies were with Michael Avetissian (Armenian Phil), Adam Stern (Seattle Symphony), Roger Nelson and Dr. Joan deAlbuquerque.