Armenian musician's promising career at Shen Yun Performing Arts

PanARMENIAN.Net - Stepan Khalatyan, a musician who resides in the U.S. and has performed at the most prestigious concert halls all over the world, has been working as a concertmaster of one of the orchestras of the five companies of the Shen Yun Performing Arts, as well as the principal second violin of the Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra.

''In 2013 my friend Karen Khachatryan (trombone) told me about the Shen Yun Performing Arts in New York. It is an organization comprised of 5 companies which present Chinese art via dances and 3D animations, as well as with live performance of the orchestra throughout the world. In 2014 I took part in auditions and became the concertmaster of one of Shen Yun Performing Arts orchestras, as well as the principal second violin of the Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra. This is how I found myself in the United States," violinist says.

During the last 4 years, Khalatyan has performed at the best concert halls of 37 out of 51 U.S. states: Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Center, Boston Symphony Hall, John F. Kennedy Center, etc. He gave concerts at prestigious halls in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina. The orchestra has performed 77 concerts in 4,5 months.

''There are many Armenian musicians working in other orchestras of the Shen Yun Performing Arts: Karen Khachatryan (trombone), Mher Mnatsakanyan (clarinet), Ashot Dumanyan and Arsen Ketikyan (violin), Tigran Voskanyan (double bass). Last year Vardan Hakobyan (conductor, double bass) joined us. I am very proud of such Armenian present in the Chinese orchestra. I hope that together we will be able to perform for the Armenian audience," he says.

Khalatyan has been playing violin since he was 6. His father Hakob Khalatyan is playing the kamancha and is also a painter, while his mother, Anna Khalatyan, is a cellist. He studied at Alexander Spendiaryan Music School (the class of Eduard Margaryan, then the class of Armen Jenterejyan). In 2004 he entered the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory - professor Shahen Shahinyan's class current rector of the Conservatory. He has got his master's degree here. Despite the age his professional biography is very rich. He performed at Martiros Saryan and Avetik Isahakyan House Museums as a part of a quartet. In 2006 Stepan performed (as part of the trio, quartet, quintet) with his father during a concert dedicated to the latter's 50th anniversary.