Armen Nalbandian

Bio submitted by Armen Nalbandian
Armen Nalbandian was born on April 6th, 1978 in Manchester, England to Armenian parents, Rafael and Aida. Armen Nalbandian’s love for music developed in a home with an array of diverse being played, ranging from Opera to Motown to Armenian music. By the age of 13, Armen had chosen the piano, and dedicated his life to Jazz music.

Mr. Nalbandian spent his high school years winning accolades and awards as both a featured soloist in the Clovis West Jazz Big Band and the first leader and founder of the small Jazz Ensemble (a first in the school’s history.) At the age of 16, Armen composed his ambitious first composition, an extended piece for a sextet entitled, The Dr. King Suite. In the spring of 1996, Armen premiered his first big band piece, Beloved, inspired by the Toni Morrison book of the same name. Armen was awarded the Louis Armstrong award for outstanding achievement by a high school jazz musician.

http://www.armennalbandian.com 

In 1996, Armen Nalbandian became one of the first musicians inducted on full scholarship to the Henry Mancini Institute for Jazz Studies on the campus of CSULB. During Armen’s years in Long Beach he studied with Cecilia Coleman, his very first piano teacher as well as performing in over 20 different ensembles.

Subsequent years saw Armen co-lead a jazz trio with Richard Giddens and Sean Aldrette. Mr. Nalbandian’s short but accomplished career has been full of playing and learning experiences with such jazz greats as Billy Higgins, Art Farmer, Britt Woodman, John Hicks, Kenny Kirkland, Carl Allen, Kenny Garrett, Charlie Haden, Horace Silver, and John Hendricks.

Armen Nalbandian’s most recent activities have led to the most prolific period of his career. Arranged the Gershwin composition, Summertime, as the centerpiece for the Concord Blue Devils 2004 Field Show which also featured the music of Wynton Marsalis, and Duke Ellington. In October 2004, Armen performed and arranged the music for Fresno Philharmonic’s “Music of Mexico” Concert. Armen Nalbandian currently holds the position of Musical Director/Resident Artist at the Fresno Art Museum, where he composes full concerts inspired by the work of the exhibiting artists, as well as highlighting the music of jazz greats.

In addition to performing & composing, Mr. Nalbandian also conducts master classes and clinics for all ages, as well as teaches privately. In Spring 2005, Armen made an educational/performance tour of retirement communities of central California. Nalbandian has also been a guest lecturer on Jazz at the Fresno Adult School.

In March 2005 Armen performed alongside member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Ted Nash & Odeon, as Armen’s first guest artist in his concert programming. As of 2005, Armen Nalbandian has composed over 200 jazz works. Armen Nalbandian is the Producer of the Rhythms of Art Concert Series, and the Artistic Director of the Fresno Jazz Society.

Nalbandian’s humanitarian efforts have also brought him a great deal of notoriety. He has been an instrumental force in volunteering performances for Multi-Cultural Day festivities for Clovis, California schools, as well as Nalbandian donating concert proceeds to help cancer research and support the American Cancer Federation and Relay for Life.