Loris Tjeknavorian

Born in the city of Borujerd, Iran. In 1950-54 he studied in the violin department of the Tehran Conservatory. In 1961 he graduated from the violin and composition departments of the Vienna Academy of Music. In 1970-75 he was director of the Folk Music Archive of the Iranian Ministry of Culture and its representative composer, and principal conductor of the opera theatre. From 1975 he lived and worked in Vienna, New York and London. In 1978 he founded the Institute of Armenian Music in London. From 1989 he has been active in Armenia. In 1989-98 and 1999-2000 he was artistic director and principal conductor of the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra. During his pilgrimage to Gyumri in 1991 he founded the Gyumri Cultural Centre (from 1992, honorary artistic director of its symphony orchestra), in the same year the Youth Symphony Orchestra in Yerevan, and in 1994 the Armenian Philharmonic Choir. He has written more than 70 works. Since 2010 he has been artistic director and principal conductor of the symphony orchestra of the city of Glendale, California, USA. He has been awarded numerous state orders and prizes. In 2008 he was awarded the gold medal established by the President of Austria. In 1978 he received the Saint Sahak-Saint Mesrop orders of the Armenian Church, in 1991 the title of Honorary Citizen of Yerevan, and the Republic of Armenia medals "Movses Khorenatsi" in 1996 and "For Services to the Homeland" (1st class) in 2012. He lives in Iran.