“(She is) a pianist of exceptionally finished technique and purity of musical impulse.”
- Richard Dyer, Boston Globe
Multi-Grammy nominated artist, Marta Aznavoorian, has performed to critical acclaim throughout the world as orchestral soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and educator. A Chicago native, she has performed in her hometowns most prestigious venues and tours extensively throughout the world. Recognized by colleagues and listeners for the expressive energy and originality she brings to new and traditional classical music, Aznavoorian is a sought after soloist and collaborator touring nationally and abroad. 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 (then Orchestra Hall) under invitation by Sir George Solti for four concerts of their series. She has won over audiences with her inspiring energy and vast musical reach, appearing as soloist with orchestras internationally including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Sydney Conservatory Orchestra, Highland Park Strings, Chicago Symphony, New Philharmonic, San Angelo Symphony, San Diego 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, Robert Hasty, Victor Yampolsky, Kirk Muspratt among others. She has won numerous awards, including first prize at the Stravinsky 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 where she met former President George W. Bush and performed as soloist at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Ms. Aznavoorian is a 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 recently celebrated their Grammy nomination for Trios from our Homelands under the Cedille Records Label. Their lates disc was recently released in 2021 called Trios from the City of Big Shoulders consisting of 2 monumental Chicago composers, Leo Sowerby and Ernst Bacon. A follow up cd titled “Chicago Now” featuring music of contemporary Chicago composers is to be released in 2022. Also to be released under Cedille Records is her debut album with her sister and cellist, Ani Aznavoorian titled “Veiled Mountain, Gems from Armenia” featuring Armenian music and a premier written for them by composer Peter Boyer and Vache Sharafyan. The Aznavoorian Duo is set to tour their album and its release in 2022.
In strong demand as a chamber musician, Ms. Aznavoorian has worked with many artists all over the world and has frequented many festivals including Tanglewood Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Marlboro Festival, Caramoor Festival, Hornby Island, Green Lake Festival, and she will be making her 9th straight season appearance at the Ravinia Festival in 2021.
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, Joan Tower, Lera Auerbach, Pierre Jalbert, Stacy Garrop, Laura Schewendinger, Shawn Okpebholo, Peter Boyer and continues to collaborate with several of the most innovative composers of our time. In 2017 she was awarded the "Standing Ovation Alumni Legend Award" for her outstanding outreach, performance and teaching mentoring to her hometown community in Chicago.
A student of the renowned teacher Menahem Pressler, Aznavoorian received her Bachelor degree and Artist Diploma at Indiana University and her Masters Degree from New England Conservatory where she studied with the late Patricia Zander. A passionate teacher and educator, Aznavoorian has taught and given masterclasses at Universities throughout the United States and abroad, and is on faculty and recently appointed Artist in Residence at the Music Institute of Chicago, and Piano and Chamber Music faculty at DePaul University School of Music. Aznavoorian records for Naxos, ARTEC label, Cedille Records and has just recently released Violin and Piano arrangements of the Music of Charlie Chaplin under the Warner Classics and Erato label with violinists Philippe Quint and Joshua Bell.
As a dedicated Educator and philanthropist, Aznavoorian has worked with many music programs to help create training pathways for students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. Her new foundation, Keynote Productions aims to help fund these students and help them achieve their full musical potential.
Marta Aznavoorian is a Steinway Artist.
Short bio
A Pianist of exceptionally finished technique and purity of musical Impulse” (Boston Globe) Armenian/American Pianist, Marta Aznavoorian is known for her inspiringly spirited playing and vast emotional reach. The multi Grammy nominated artist has performed to critical acclaim throughout the world as orchestral soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. She made her professional debut at the age of 13 performing Mozart Piano Concerto No 24, K 491 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the invitation of Sir George Solti. She then went on to engage with orchestras throughout the United States and abroad including Sydney Symphony Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Chicago Symphony and many others including an engagement with the New World Symphony as a result of an invitation from Michael Tilson Thomas who was also the conductor.
Aznavoorian has many awards and accolades including First prize in the Stravinsky International Competition and the special prize for best interpretation of the commissioned contemporary work. As a recipient of the Level 1 award in the National Foundation of the Arts talent search, Aznavoorian became a Presidential Scholar and was invited to the White House where she met former President George H.W. Bush and performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. With her expressive energy and originality she brings to new and traditional classical music, Aznavoorian has recorded extensively for Naxos, Warner Classics and Erato, and has just released her 7th album under record label, Cedille Records.
Aznavoorian is a founding member of the Grammy-nominated Lincoln Trio, which Fanfare Magazine has labeled as the “hottest Trio in the business”. Aznavoorian also performs extensively with violinist Stefan Milenkovich, and her sister, cellist Ani Aznavoorian. The Aznavoorian sister Duo is set to release their debut album in 2022 called “Veiled Mountain; Gems from Armenia” for Cedille Records. A champion and lover of contemporary music, she has recorded music and premiers by the world's leading composers of our time including William Bolcom, Osvaldo Golijov, Augusta Read Thomas, Shulamit Ran, Stacy Garrop, Joan Tower and Jennifer Higdon among others.
A student of the renowned teacher, Menahem Pressler, Aznavoorian received her Bachelor Degree and Artist Diploma at Indiana University and Masters Degree from New England Conservatory. As a dedicated educator and philanthropist, she gives lessons and masterclasses across the United States and abroad, and is on faculty at DePaul University and the Music Institute of Chicago where she is also Artist in Residence. Aznavoorian works with many programs to help create training pathways for students from traditionally under represented backgrounds. Her new foundation aims to help fund these students and help them achieve their full musical potential. Marta Aznavoorian is a Steinway Artist.