Movses Pogossian made his American debut performing the Tchaikovsky Concerto with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall in 1990, about which Richard Dyer of the Boston Globe wrote: “There is freedom in his playing, but also taste and discipline. It was a fiery, centered, and highly musical performance…” Movses Pogossian has since performed with orchestras such as the Brandenburger Symphoniker and the Halle Philharmonic in Germany, the Sudety Philharmonic in Poland, the Tucson Symphony, the El Paso Symphony, the Scandinavian Chamber Orchestra of New York, and the Toronto Sinfonia. His recent and upcoming performances include recitals in New York, Boston, Ann Arbor, and concerts in Korea, Japan, Germany, Armenia, and Cyprus.
He is a Prizewinner of the 1986 Tchaikovsky International Competition, and the youngest-ever First Prize winner of the 1985 USSR National Violin Competition, previous winners of which included David Oistrakh and Gidon Kremer. An active chamber musician, Mr. Pogossian has performed with members of the Tokyo, Kronos, and Brentano string quartets, and with such artists as Kim Kashkashian, Jeremy Denk, Lynn Harrell, Ani and Ida Kavafian, and Rohan de Saram. He frequently collaborates with the Apple Hill Chamber Players, teaching annually at their summer music festival in New Hampshire. Movses Pogossian is the Artistic Director of the critically acclaimed Dilijan Chamber Music Series, which performs at Zipper Hall in downtown Los Angeles, and is currently in its ninth season (http://dilijan.larkmusicalsociety.com).
A committed propagate of new music, Movses Pogossian has premiered over 50 works, and works closely with composers such as G. Kurtág, T. Mansurian, A. R. Thomas, L. Segerstam, P. Chihara, V. Sharafyan, and A. Avanesov. His newly formed Duo with remarkable Japanese percussionist Kuniko Kato has commissioned several works for this unusual medium, successfully performed during the recent tour of Japan. In Los Angeles, Movses Pogossian frequently performs on Monday Evening Concerts, and is the recipient of the 2011 Forte Award from Jacaranda, given for outstanding contributions to the promotion of new music and modern music. In July of 2008, he made his debut at the Darmstadt Festival in Germany.
His discography includes “Blooming Sounds” and "In Nomine", solo violin CDs of world premiere recordings of Kurtág, Mansurian, Avanesov, Felder, Segerstam and music by Prokofiev and Hindemith, both on Albany label, as well as 2009 release of G. Kurtag’s “Kafka Fragments” for soprano and violin on Bridge label, which includes a unique video documentary on the work with the composer, and a DVD of an unedited live performance. In his review of the recording,
Paul Griffiths writes: “…remarkable is Pogossian’s contribution, which is always beautiful, across a great range of colors and gestures, and always seems on the edge of speaking—or beyond.” Upcoming releases include a Schoenberg/Webern DVD, recorded at Schoenberg’s Brentwood home (with Kim Kashkashian, Rohan de Saram, and Judith Gordon), and Complete Works for Violin by Stefan Wolpe, both for Bridge Records.
Since earning his advanced degrees from the Komitas Conservatory in Armenia and the Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Music in Moscow, Mr. Pogossian has held teaching positions at Duquesne, Bowling Green, Wayne State, and SUNY Buffalo Universities. His principal teachers were L. Zorian, V. Mokatsian, V. Klimov, and legendary Louis Krasner. Movses Pogossian is currently Professor of Violin at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. He resides in Glendale, California with his wife,
Los Angeles Philharmonic violinist Varty Manouelian, and their three children.
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Click here for for Mr. Pogossian’s latest recording: http://www.newfocusrecordings.com/catalogue/movses-pogossian-j.s-bach-six-sonatas-and-partitas-for-unaccompanied-violin/
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email: mpogossian@gmail.com
Varty Manouelian made her American Debut in 1993 with the North Carolina Symphony as First Prize winner of the Bryan International Competition. Shehas also been a prize winner at anumber of other competitions in Europe, including the Kotzian International Competition and the Wieniawski International Violin Competition. Manouelian has recorded and appeared as a soloist with numerous orchestras in the United States, Bulgaria, Russia, Armenia, Poland, Spain and Italy. Her chamber music performances include Marlboro Music Festival, Apple Hill Festival, Sebago Festival, El Paso Festival, Olympic Music Festival, among others. She has collaborated as a chamber musician with such artists as Joshua Bell, Yuja Wang, Kim Kashkashian, Rohan de Saram, Garrick Ohlsson, Nobuko Imai, Thomas Adès, and members of the Juilliard, Guarner, Tokyo, Brentano, Borromeo, and Mendelssohn string quartets.
Dedicated teacher and educator, Varty Manouelian is a Lecturer of Violin at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, teaches violin and chamber music at the Colburn Academy and CSPA, and spends summers coaching chamber music at the Apple Hill Festival in New Hampshire. She has been an active participant at LA Philharmonic’s Music Outreach programs, having taught at YOLA since its inception, as well as at the Renaissance Arts Academy.
Prior to joining the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2004, Manouelian was a member of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. In Los Angeles, she frequently performs at the Los Angels Philharmonic’s Chamber Music Society and Green Umbrella new-music series, as well as at Camerata Pacifica, Monday Evening Concerts, and the Dilijan Series. Her recording credits include archival radio recordings for the Bulgarian State Radio, and CDs on Albany and Bridge Records labels. Her recent CD of Complete Violin Works of Stefan Wolpe (jointly with Movses Pogossian) made the 2015 Top Ten list in Sunday Times (UK). Varty Manouelian holds degrees from the State Music Academy in Bulgaria and the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied with Boyan Letchev and Donald Weilerstein.
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email: varty7@gmail.com
