"Besalyan
is a true heir of the mainstream of the Russian Pianism, like Horowitz."Chopin Magazine, Japan
As a winner of
the Artists International Competition, Armenian-born pianist Raffi
Besalyan was presented in his New York debut in Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital
Hall in 2003 receiving highest acclaim from the audience and the press. New
York Concert Review described his performance as "Technically brilliant…
Besalyan played with a great deal of temperament, speed and power… audacious
spirit and poetic substance, deeply felt tenderness…"
Mr. Besalyan
was subsequently invited to perform at Merkin Concert Hall on the Artists
International "Outstanding Alumni-Winners" series. Among his other competition
awards are top prizes in the Josef Hofmann International Piano Competition,
the New York Frinna Awerbuch International Competition, and the MTNA
National Piano Competition.
The flourishing
career of Mr. Besalyan takes him to many important music venues worldwide. His
performances as a recitalist, chamber musician and soloist with orchestra have
been heard throughout North and South America, Europe, Russia and Asia. He made
solo appearances with the Osaka Symphony Orchestra (Japan), Orchestra
Sinfonica Del Festival Di Chioggia in Venice (Italy), Yerevan Symphony
Orchestra (Armenia), Belgorod, Symphony (Russia), Kharkov Symphony
(Ukraine), New Jersey Festival Orchestra, S. Orange Symphony and
Moscow Chamber Orchestra. Critics have praised Mr. Besalyan's performances
for its virility, passion and extraordinary technical command, especially in the
Romantic and 20th century repertoire. The Armenian reporter Int'l – New York
stated that "Standing ovation and cries of "Bravo" and "Encore" went to
pianist Raffi Besalyan…mesmerized the audience with his gracious, delicate yet
powerful presentation of Rachmaninoff's Concerto No.3."
the entire hall
was devoured by Besalyan's glorious touch and crystalline sound…Besalyan was not
just playing the piano, he was creating wonderful art, and treated the piano
with his love for the music."
Sotokuan Press (Osaka, Japan). The publication AZG (Yerevan, Armenia)
said "Besalyan's magnetic presence, so necessary for the audience, was
evident throughout the entire Liszt Sonata in B minor…"
After a highly
successful tour of Japan in 2001, Mr. Besalyan was invited back each year by
Tokyo IMC and MAS management for concerts and master classes. He is also on the
roster of Yamaha (Japan) as a Guest Artist/Teacher. Articles on Mr. Besalyan
appeared in the Chopin magazine, Asahi, Sankei, Kobe, Nikkei and
Yomiuri newspapers.
Among some of
the recent highlights of Mr. Besalyan's performances are solo/duo recitals with
distinguished pianist Sara Davis Buechner for "Keyboard Karma" series in
Vancouver, Canada, "Yamaha Pianos" presented by Yamaha Corporation of
America in New York City, also, a concert tour and master classes in Japan,
including a performance of Rachmaninoff's 3rd Concerto with Osaka
Symphony and a solo recital in Izumi Hall for "Vivace" concert
series in Osaka; appearances with the Jasper Quartet for BFCM in
New York and, with Metropolitan Opera tenor Jon Garrison for NATS.
In 2006 Mr.
Besalyan recorded a CD of complete two piano works of Bach-Busoni with Sara
Davis Buechner for Koch International Classics.
Mr. Besalyan
received his Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees
from Yerevan (Armenia) Komitas Conservatory, where he studied with Sergey
Barseghyan. He also received a Master of Music degree from Rowan
University as a student of Veda Zuponcic, and studied at the Manhattan School
with legendary American pianist Byron Janis and Sara Davis Buechner. His studies
at the Moscow State Conservatory included classes with Alexei Nasedkin, Victor
Merzhanov and Naum Shtarkman.
In August of
2008 Dr. Besalyan joined the Piano Faculty of the University of
Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where he is Artist/Teacher-Assistant Professor of
Piano. Former faculty member of Rowan University in New Jersey, he also served
on the faculties of Festival Musica in Laguna in Venice, Italy, and the
International Summer Music Festival at Rowan. Mr. Besalyan maintains a fairly
large studio of gifted pre-college students, members of which have been winners
and prizewinners of several auditions and competitions such as NJMTA Young
Artist Competition, NJMTA Concerto Competition, Young Pianist Competition of NJ
(Solo and Concerto division), Young Artist International Competition in
Washington D.C., and the Philadelphia Orchestra Greenfield Competition among
others.
