Posted on Jan 18, 2011

Pianist Nareh Arghamanyan

Twenty-one-year-old Nareh Arghamanyan, described by Musical America writer and fellow pianist Harris Goldsmith as a “major, major, major talent” who places audiences under the “spell of her magnificent artistry,” comes to Memorial Chapel on Sunday, Jan. 23 at 3 p.m. Her program includes selections by Rameau, Brahms, Rachmaninov and Liszt.

This Armenian prodigy began her studies with Alexander Gurgenov at the Tchaikovsky Music School for Talented Children at the age of eight. She is the youngest student ever to be admitted to the University for Music and Performing Arts Vienna, entering in 2004.

Arghamanyan has performed with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Mont Blanc Symphony France and Armenian Philharmonic, with planned appearances this season from Vienna to Vancouver. Winning the Montreal International Music Competition in 2008 further confirmed her place as one of today’s finest young pianists. Arghamanyan had previously earned first place wins at the 2007 Jose Roca International Competition in Valencia and the 2005 Josef Dichler Piano Competition in Vienna.

A participant at the 2009 Marlboro Music Festival, she will return again this year. Arghamanyan is no stranger to second appearances; a debut at the San Francisco Performances last season was followed by another invitation to its Young Master Series in 2011.

The Analekta label recently released Arghamanyan’s highly praised recording of the Rachmaninov 2nd sonata and Liszt B minor sonata.

Tickets for Sunday’s performance are free to the Union community; $20 general admission; and $8 for area students. For more information, call 388-6080 or visit http://www.union.edu/ConcertSeries