Alexander Chaushian

Now regarded as one of the finest cellists of the younger generation, Alexander Chaushian has performed extensively throughout the world. As a soloist with orchestra his appearances include the Vienna Chamber Orchestra at Vienna’s Konzerthaus and at the Bruchnerhaus in Linz, as well as with the London Mozart Players and the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the Royal National Orchestra of Belgium, Les Solistes Européens de Luxembourg in a gala concert conducted by Yehudi Menuhin, the Boston Pops Orchestra at Boston Symphony Hall, and the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.

Alexander has given recitals at the Harrogate Festival in England, the Kuhmo International Festival in Finland, La Jolla Festival in the USA, the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, and in Montpellier as recipient of the Beracasa Foundation Prize of the Radio-France and in Montpellier Festival. Currently he is the Artistic Director of the International Pharos Chamber Music Festival in Cyprus and the Yerevan Music Festival in Armenia.

Born into a family of musicians with rich musical traditions, Alexander Chaushian started to play the cello at the age of seven. After initial studies with his grandfather, Alexander Chaushian Sr, and Zare Sarkisian, he studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School with Melissa Phelps and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London as a student of Oleg Kogan. He then pursued advanced studies at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin with the late Boris Pergamenschikow and later with David Geringas, graduating with distinction in 2005. Alexander Chaushian won First Prize in the Premio Mozart Competition in Verona, Italy, and First Prize in the International Music Competition in Holland.

He received the Guilhermina Suggia Gift in London – a grant awarded to outstanding string players – on three occasions. He was awarded the Orchestra of New England Soloist Prize, as well as the first Summis Auspiciis Prize of Young Concert Artists in New York. He was the recipient of the Anna Instone Memorial Award sponsored by Capital Radio. In the 12th International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow Alexander Chaushian was awarded the 3rd prize, and he won the special prize given by the Munich Chamber Orchestra at the Internationaler Musikwettbewerb der ARD in Germany in September 2005.

Alexander Chaushian has collaborated with many distinguished musicians such as Levon Chilingirian, Pavel Vernikov, Yuri Bashmet, Diemut Poppen, Emmanuel Pahud, Julia Fischer and many others. Alexander’s regular chamber music partners include Ashley Wass and Yevgeny Sudbin. His recent projects include numerous concerts and recordings. He has performed highly acclaimed concerts at Wigmore Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Royal Festival Hall as soloist with the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Barbican with The Academy of St Martin’s in the Field and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Sala Verdi, Milan with the Padova Chamber Orchestra, as well making his highly successful debut at the Suntory Hall, Japan.

Alexander’s recording for the BIS label of Russian Sonatas in which he is partnered by Yevgeny Sudbin, was released to much critical acclaim. Other recordings for BIS include “Armenian Rhapsody” with the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra, which was selected as the album of the week by The Independent.