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Levon Chilingirian
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Levon Chilingirian was born in Cyprus to Armenian parents and was introduced to music from a very early age through his pianist mother and violinist great uncle. When the Chilingirian family immigrated to London in 1960, Levon concentrated on the violin, studying at the Royal College of Music where he is now a professor. His early influences in music were his uncle, the violinist Manoug Parikian, his teacher Hugh Bean, musicologist Hans Keller, and the Amadeus Quartet.
His long-standing partnership with Clifford Benson was launched by winning the first prizes in both the 1969 BBC Beethoven Competition and the 1971 Munich Duo International Competition. Recital appearances have taken the duo to most European countries and their recordings include works by Schubert and Frank Bridge.
From his student days, Levon Chilingirian was drawn to the wonderfully rich chamber music repertoire and, in 1971 formed The Chilingirian Quartet with three other ex-RCM students. The Quartet has held residencies at Liverpool and Sussex Universities and is currently attached to the Royal College of Music. It is one of the most active and celebrated string quartets on the international scene with tours to over fifty countries on six continents. Called ‘one of the great string quartets of our day’ (Boston Globe) and acclaimed as ‘world class from the first stroke’ (Basler Zeitung), the Chilingirian Quartet has played in all major centres in North America as well as regular visits in Europe to all the capital cities and main festivals, resulting in a strong and devoted following. They make annual appearances at London’s Wigmore Hall and have given Beethoven Cycles in London, Sydney and Melbourne, a Schubert Cycle in Paris, and premieres of works by John Tavener and Hugh Wood. The Quartet’s wide-ranging recorded repertoire includes works by Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, Beethoven, Dvorak, Bartok, Prokofiev, Tavener, Part, Panufnik, Chausson, Debussy, Ravel, Grieg, and Komitas/Aslamazian.
In addition to his work with the Quartet, Levon Chilingirian has always enjoyed recital and concerto appearances. He was invited to perform the Sinfonia Concertante on the Amadeus soundtrack by Sir Neville Marriner and performed the Brahms Double Concerto with Steven Isserlis in Yerevan. Steven Isserlis invited Levon Chilingirian to lead a performance of the Schubert Quintet to end the millenium’s music at the Wigmore Hall. He has played the Tippett Triple concerto with six different orchestras and his recording of the piece for Chandos with Richard Hickox had the enthusiastic endorsement of the composer. Other distinguished partners include Sir Andrew Davis, Tadaki Otaka, Sir Charles Groves, Jeremy Menuhin and Steven De Groote. A partnership with organist William McVicker widens his repertoire to include inspiring works by Karg-Elert and William Lloyd Weber.
Levon Chilingirian was invited to give the String Master Class for the BBC TV’s Young Musician of the Year and has appeared as soloist with the BBC Symphony, London Philharmonic, Bournemouth, Liverpool Philharmonic, Scottish Chamber, Bergen Philharmonic, Armenian Philharmonic, and Russian National Orchestras. He has received the Cobbett Medal, the Royal Philharmonic Society’s chamber music award and, in January 2000, an OBE in the Queen’s Honours List for his “services to music”.
By playing and directing the Camerata Nordica, Levon has become an important part of Swedish musical life since 1996. This highly talented young string ensemble has explored quartet music on a larger scale as well as unusual classical and contemporary pieces. In regular partnership with the pianist Per Tengstrand, three CDs of Mozart piano concertos have been recorded as well as the 29th Symphony and oboe divertimento with Gordon Hunt. Future plans include tours throughout Europe and North and South America.
In Armenia, Chilingirian has organised two competitions for young string players since 2000 and in May 2002, he invited winners to take part in an inaugural chamber music festival with Ani and Ida Kavafian, Alexander Chaushian and himself. His collaboration with Alexander Chaushian continues in the Pharos Festival in Cyprus, bringing together distinguished artists from around Europe. Levon Chilingirian is also the artistic director of the Mendlessohn on Mull Festival, encouraging the artistic development of young professionals through performances with more experienced mentors.
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