The concert is co-sponsored by the Armenian Studies Program of Fresno State and the Thomas A. Kooyumjian Family Foundation.

Narek Hakhnazaryan was launched onto the international scene after winning the Gold Medal at the 2011 Tchaikovsky International Cello Competition in Moscow. Born in Armenia and educated at the Moscow Conservatory and the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, he has already performed in venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Salle Pleyel in Paris, Wigmore Hall in London, Konzerthaus in Vienna, and Konzerthaus in Berlin. Hailed as a “seasoned phenomenon” (The Washington Post) and praised for his “intense focus and expressive artistry” (The New York Times), he was recently invited to join the prestigious BBC New Generation Artists Scheme.