Armenian pianist Artur Bobikyan to perform in UK town

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian pianist and composer Artur Bobikyan is giving a recital called My Keys to Christmas at the Cathedral Church of St Marie in Sheffield, England on Tuesday, Dec 17, Sheffield Telegraph reports.

The program includes works and arrangements by Mendelssohn, Wade, Watts, Gruber, Tchaikovsky, Haroutunian, Khachaturian, Komitas and Bobikyan on a seasonal theme.

My Keys To Christmas is the title of an album Bobikyan recorded at the Royal College of Music in Manchester.

The concert pianist, organist and composer graduated as a pianist from Yekmalian Music School and later combined performing with compostion at the Tchaikovsky Music School.

At the age of 14 he won the title of Pianist of the Year in Armenia and was soon winning piano competitions in Armenia, Russia and in across Europe. He was the organ curator for nine years at the prestigious Cathedral of Holy Echmiadzin.

As a composer (which apparently began at the age of seven) Bobikyan’s portfolio includes piano and violin concertos, preludes for organ and piano and choral arrangements. He has even turned his hand to scores for TV advertisements and a musical. They have been performed by the BBC singers and the London Symphony Orchestra and heard on BBC Radio 4 and Classic FM.

He himself has performed at the Royal Festival Hall, Westminster Abbey, Cathedral Grant Trinity Paris, Armenian National Opera and the Aram Khachaturian Philharmonic Music Hall and in front of a variety of luminaries from Pope John Paul II to Jean-Claude Van Damme and Charles Aznavour.