Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra with Eduard Topchjan

Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra

The Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra established 92 years ago by Arshak Adamian and Alexander Spendiaryan is the national center of professional orchestral music in Armenia. Being led into the new millennium by Maestro Eduard Topchjan the ANPO is committed to promoting cultural, musical awareness in local audience regularly performing classical and operatic music in addition to national and contemporary music.

The ANPO features the works of Armenian composers and is committed to supporting the performance of new orchestral work in the programs interesting and for regular visitors, connoisseurs, tourists and young people. The ANPO serves as Ambassador of Armenian music worldwide and tours regularly. Music by Aram Khachaturian, Arno Babadjanyan, Edvard Mirzoyan, Alexander Arutiunian, Avet Terteryan and many other prominent Armenian composers is best performed by the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra featuring famous Armenian and international soloists.

Alexander Melik-Pashayev, Willy Ferrero and Valery Gergiev conducted the ANPO, the latter holding the position of Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for five years. 

Eduard Topchjan

Armenian conductor Eduard Topchjan studied conducting with Ohan Durian, receiving mentorship from Claudio Abbado, Nello Santi, and Sir Georg Solti.  He is internationally renowned for his extensive repertoire, which includes numerous commissions and premieres of works by leading composers of the present day.

As Artistic Director & Principal Conductor of the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra (2000-present), Topchjan has toured extensively worldwide, including a 15-concert tour of Japan in 2008, and performances at such festivals as the White Nights of the Mariinsky Theatre.  Under his dynamic and charismatic leadership, the orchestra received its ‘national’ status.

As a guest conductor, Topchjan enjoys working regularly with Frankfurt Oper am Main, Gulbenkian, Prague Radio Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, Seoul Philharmonic, Russian National, and the SWR Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra.  Artistic collaborations include those with Sergei Babayan, Placido Domingo, Julia Fischer, Steven Isserlis, Daishin Kashimoto, Kim Kashkashian, Sergey Khachatryan, Emmanuel Pahud, Simon Trpčeski, and Pinchas Zukerman, amongst others.

In recognition of his artistry, Topchjan holds such awards as the Gold Medal from the Armenian Ministry of Culture (2011), a Knighthood from the Italian Order of Merit for Labour (2013), and the Armenian President’s Medal for Services to the Motherland (2016).