Armen Mandakunyan

He was born in Yerevan. He studied in the violin department of the Tchaikovsky Music School in Yerevan. In 1942 he entered the Yerevan Choreographic College, and at the same time learned to play the kamancha. In 1949 he entered the Romanos Melikyan Music College, and in 1955 the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory. In 1957 he formed the regional Song and Dance Ensemble of Yeghegnadzor; taking part in the 6th World Festival of Youth, the ensemble won a gold medal. In 1955–1974 he was a member of the Union of Composers of the USSR. In 1966 he led the State Orchestra of Television and Radio. In Soviet times Mandakunyan's songs were banned in Armenia. Since 1974 Mandakunyan has lived and worked in the USA. In 1976 he founded the Spendiaryan Music Academy in Hollywood, and in the same year he established an Armenian folk orchestra in Los Angeles. Since 1977 he has been a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).