Ario Of Ashugh (from "Almast" Opera)

Born in Odessa. He graduated from the Yerevan Conservatory in 1932 and from the Moscow Conservatory in 1937. From 1932 he gave solo concerts, and in 1932-55 he performed as a member of the A. Spendiaryan Quartet. From 1939 he taught at the Yerevan Conservatory (professor from 1972). He wrote works for cello and for string quartet, and made arrangements and transcriptions of folk songs and dances. In 1968 he was awarded the title of People's Artist of the Armenian SSR. He died in Yerevan.