About
Bio
Artashes Kartalyan (born 1961; Yerevan, Armenia) is the composer of numerous symphonic and chamber works, as well as film and television scores. Kartalyan is also a jazz musician with an academic background (Doctor of Musical Arts in music composition). His compositions abound in melodic and rhythmic elements drawing inspiration with their sources in Armenian folk music. He inclines toward the subtle and delicate style of expression peculiar to European classical chamber music. He is the leader of one of the first jazz trios in Armenia, known as the “Kartalyan Jazz Trio,” As a leader, he made his recording debut in1986 at “Melodia” records with his trio release (folk jazz Project) and has appeared in well-known jazz festivals all over world. The trio was also featured in an edition of LA Weekly as "the jazz pick of the week" (Nov. 1991). His jazz CD's were nominated and won awards at the Armenian music awards in 2000. A prolific arranger, master orchestrator, and brilliant pianist, Kartalyan is the Music Director for various bands and orchestras based in California
Education
1976 – 1980 Studied Musicology (B.A.)
at STATE MUSIC COLLEGE NAMED
AFTER ROMANOS MELIKYAN of Yerevan.
Under the tutelage of:
Eduard Bagdasarian (composition)
Eduard Pashinian (theory)
Janna Gavchian (piano)
1980 – 1985 Studied Master of Music (M.Mus.) in Composition at
Komitas State
Conservatory of
Yerevan. Under the tutelage of:
Eduard Mirzoyan (composition)
Eduard Abramian (piano)
Avet Terterian (orchestration)
Gayane Chebotarian (counterpoint)
1985 –1988 Studied Doctor of
Musical Arts
(DMA) in
Composition at
Komitas State
Conservatory of
Yerevan.
Early Career
1988 – 1991 Head of the jazz department at Arno Babajanian College of Music
1981 – 1991 Music Director of Yerevan State
Chamber Theatre (Կամերային)
Performance
1981 – 1991 in Chamber Theater with jazz trio
1983 – 1991 Jazz Festivals in Armenia
1985 Autumn Rhythms Festival in Leningrad (Saint Petersburg), where the Kartalyan Trio was called "the discovery of the year" by Sovetskaya Melodya magazine (советская мелодия) on Feb. 22, 1986
1986 Jazz Festival in Tbilisi
1987 – 1991 Concert tours in Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, France, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Syria and USA
1991 (Oct. and Nov.) Catalina Bar & Grill (rated “The Jazz Pick of the Week” by LA Weekly in Nov. 1991)
1991 (Oct.) KPFK 90.7 FM live performance
1992 (Jan.) USLA Jazz Festival Prelude Concert Series
1991 – present: Various clubs and venues (including the Greek Theatre, Gibson Amphitheatre, Microsoft Theater, Kodak Theatre, Dolby Theatre, Alex Theatre), and tours in Europe, Asia, North and Central America, the Middle East, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and beyond.