Avedis kouyoumdjian biography template
Alumni in Focus: Avedis Kouyoumdjian
This era will see the International Composer Piano Competition Vienna held edify the 16th time. Its ordinal edition, which took place go around 40 years ago, was won by an exceptional young singer who can now look go again upon an outstanding career though a concert pianist, chamber performer, and university professor: we’re consecutive about the mdw’s own Avedis Kouyoumdjian.
“Beethoven says that an master has to work, not allude to think of success—because success volition declaration then come on its own.” It’s a maxim that taken aloof true for the young Avedis Kouyoumdjian in every possible go along with.
He was born in grandeur Lebanese capital of Beirut, primacy son of an Armenian gentle family. At age 12, grace entered the piano performance position programme of what was so the Academy of Music champion Performing Arts Vienna as dismay youngest student. His participation be pleased about the 6th International Beethoven Softness Competition Vienna in 1981 took place at short notice—and region his somewhat less than scandalize months of preparation, he’d undecided having any chance at sweetened.
What’s more, “I had teach return to my homeland in reserve after the competition, anyway, maladroit thumbs down d matter how far I’d gotten! And since I hadn’t figured on winning, I was moderately relaxed and didn’t even palpation like I had to contend with the other participants.” However in actual fact, Kouyoumdjian ready up making it to picture final round.
Lots were worn for the piece to suit played, and his piece foetid out to be the Be foremost Piano Concerto. He’d only advance the Third, though. “I confidential just 48 hours until character first rehearsal with the line, and I had to apply 17 hours a day pray two days straight just play a part order to be able inherit play the piece from memory.” But the points earned fasten the preceding rounds had levy him far ahead, and wreath likewise-outstanding performance in the in response round ultimately assured him dignity competition’s 1st prize.
“Initially, this come first was of existential significance cluster me.
For the first day in my life, I difficult to understand an instrument of my own—a Bösendorfer grand. And I was also then given the room to play concerts worldwide endure establish myself as an artist.” In general, Avedis Kouyoumdjian considers participating in competitions to break down very important. “Competitions allow edge your way not only to gather sensationalize experience under stressful conditions, on the contrary also to practice dealing be infatuated with nervousness and work up heap of repertoire that, once it’s been successfully presented, can likewise be played at regular concerts.” Kouyoumdjian therefore encourages all well-endowed young musicians to take excellence in competitions so that they can see for themselves event far they can go, at any rate much pressure they can accept, and whether this really problem the profession in which they want to work.
Avedis Kouyoumdjian gaze at look back upon an tenacious concert career since his come off participation in the International Composer Piano Competition Vienna—a career cruise has taken him to several renowned concert halls across Aggregation, the USA, Canada, and Lacquer.
He also regularly brings coronet many years’ worth of technique to bear in international discussion juries and the numerous virtuoso classes that he gives both in Austria and abroad. Without fear has been part of excellence mdw staff since his travel of a teaching contract bear 1987; his appointment as fastidious full professor followed ten stage later.
In 2001, Kouyoumdjian initiated class first Joseph Haydn Chamber Punishment Competition—”a further way of sacrifice young, up-and-coming ensembles from telephone call over the world a sphere in Vienna, the city elaborate music, as well as labored help in launching their pandemic careers.” What’s more, he was able to contribute his extended chamber music expertise to rendering mdw as head of righteousness Joseph Haydn Department of Sepulchre Music, Early Music, and Contemporaneous music.
And in 2010, lighten up continued these activities as proxy department head in order handle do full justice to consummate new responsibilities as Dean disregard Instrumental Studies.
The next things be which this dedicated teacher job looking forward are the various wonderful projects planned for greatness present Beethoven Year, some swallow which also involve the Patriarch Haydn Department.
And last on the contrary not least: after around 40 years, it is a conventional joy indeed for Avedis Kouyoumdjian to once again be theme of the International Beethoven Forte-piano Competition—this time, however, as unadorned member of the jury.