ABOUT || individual bios: ruhstrat :: cunliffe :: aznavoorian
Marta Aznavoorian
PIANO
Marta Aznavoorian has performed to critical acclaim throughout the world as orchestral soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. A Chicago native, she has performed in her hometown’s most prestigious venues and tours extensively throughout the world. She made her professional debut at the age of 13 performing Mozart Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor K.491 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Center in four concerts of their series. She has won over audiences appearing as soloist with orchestras internationally including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Sydney Conservatory Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Chicago Civic Orchestra, Aspen Festival Orchestra, San Angelo Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Northwest Indiana Symphony, and the New World Symphony which resulted from a personal invitation from Michael Tilson Thomas who also was her conductor.
Aznavoorian has worked with such renowned conductors such as the Late Sir George Solti, Michael Tilson Thomas, Lukas Foss, Henry Mazer, Francesco Milioto, Kirk Muspratt among others. She has won numerous awards throughout her life, including top prize in the Stravinsky International Competition where she was also lauded the special prize for best interpretation for the commissioned contemporary work. As a recipient of the 1990 Level 1 award in the National Foundation for the Arts Recognition and Talent search, Ms. Aznavoorian became a Presidential Scholar and was invited to the White House and to perform as soloist at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Ms. Aznavoorian is founding member of the Lincoln Trio which Fanfare Magazine has labeled as “one of the hottest young trios in the business.” The Grammy nominated trio tours regularly throughout the world, and just celebrated their most recent Cedille records release of all the chamber works of Spanish composer, Joachim Turina.
In strong demand as a chamber musician, Ms. Aznavoorian has worked with such artists as the Pacifica Quartet, Julian Rachlin and friends, Ilya Kaler, Colin Carr, Roberto Diaz, Miriam Fried and many others. She has performed as soloist and collaborator in many festivals including Tanglewood Festival, Aspen Festival, Caramoor Festival, Hornby Island, Green Lake Music Festival, and she will be making her 8th straight season appearance at the Ravinia Festival in 2016.
A champion and lover of new music, Ms. Aznavoorian has worked with the worlds leading composers including William Bolcom, Osvaldo Golijov, Jennifer Higdon, Shulamit Ran, Augusta Read Thomas, Marta Ptaszynska and continues to collaborate with several of the most innovative composers of our time.
Aznavoorian records for Artec Label and extensively for Cedille Records and has multiple recordings with her trio including the 2013 NAXOS release of Annelies, based on the Diary of Anne Frank.
A student of the renowned teacher Menahem Pressler, Aznavoorian received her bachelor degree at Indiana University where she was also awarded the prestigious Artist Diploma. Other influential teachers include Lev Vlassenko, Evelyn Brancart, Patricia Zander and Carolyn McCracken.
She continued on to get her Masters degree from New England Conservatory where she studied with the late Patricia Zander. A passionate teacher, Aznavoorian has given masterclasses at several schools and Universities throughout the United States and abroad, and is on faculty at the Music Institute of Chicago and Artist in Residence at the Merit School of Music in Chicago, and is on Adjunct Faculty at the DePaul University School of Music.
