NEWS

Levon Ambartsumian

Levon AmbartsumianAlbert Christ-Janer Award 2007

Levon Ambartsumian, Professor of Music, fills four distinct but complementary roles at UGA: violin performer; conductor of the ARCO Chamber Orchestra — an ensemble in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music; dedicated teacher; and highly prolific recording artist. Ambartsumian brings international distinction to the university in all four areas. His former students, many of whom now work as professors at major universities and play in symphony orchestras around the world, have won national and international competitions. Since 1995, Ambartsumian has released 14 compact discs featuring world premiere music recordings from the 18th century to the 21st century, all of which received excellent reviews. His performance skills, well-represented in his recordings of standards by composers such asVivaldi, Brahms and Wienawski, compare favorably with professional violinists worldwide, yet it is his enthusiastic support of contemporary music that sets him apart.