Music: Cello finalists named in Khachaturian Competition in Armenia

Emil Lazarian 2018
The Strad


Event in Yerevan, Armenia, is down to last four competing for $15,000 first prize and place alongside successful former winners

Jonathan Swensen
Photo: Artyom Gevorgyan

The Khachaturian International Competition, which this year is focusing on the cello, has reached its final stage.

The finalists are:

  • Fedor Amosov (Russia)
  • Rustem Khamidullin (Russia)
  • Chae-Won Hong (South Korea)
  • Jonathan Swensen (Denmark)

The finals will take place on 12 and 13 June with a gala concert and awards ceremony on Thursday 14 June at the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall in Yerevan, Armenia.

The competition began in 2003 on the 100th anniversary of Aram Khachaturian’s birth and rotates annually through piano, violin, cello, conducting and voice categories. 

It’s previous cello editions were won by Narek Hakhnazaryan (2006) and Andrei Ioniță (2013).

Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Emil Lazarian. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.

Direct link to this article: https://www.armenianclub.com/2018/06/11/music-cello-finalists-named-in-khachaturian-competition-in-armenia/

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS