Born in 1976, Mikayel
Hakhnazaryan began his studies at the age of nine in Armenia. Upon graduation
from State Conservatory he continued his studies at the Academie de Musique
Tibor Varga in Sion with Marcio Carneiro and completed them at the Hochschule
of Musik Basel with Ivan Monighetti.
He was deeply inspired by
Steven Isserlis - attending his master classes numerous times.
Mikayel Hakhnazaryan regularly
appears as soloist and chamber musician. He was principal and guest solo-
cellist of many orchestras in the Basque National Orchestra, Luzerner
Sinfonieorchester and Camerata Bern. At the Zurich Opera, Mikayel played
under the baton of conductors such Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Franz Welser-Möst
and Christoph von Dohnányi.In the past years he was guest principal cello of
the Munich Chamber Orchestra, Kammerorchester Basel, Gstaad Festival
Orchestra and Camerata Bern.
From 2001- 2004 he played in
the Zurich String Trio. In 2004, Mikayel became member of the Basler
Streichquartett and played with them until joining the Berlin-based Kuss
Quartett in 2008, which is performing worldwide at major concert halls and
festivals such as Musikverein Wien, Carnegie Hall in New York and Wigmore Hall
in London, Rheingau Music Festival, Schubertiade Schwarzenberg, Verbier
Festival. Chamber music partners include Mojca Erdmann, Sharon Kam, Leif Ove
Andsnes, Miklós Perényi, Kirill Gerstein and Pierre-Laurent Aimard.
Mikayel is principal cellist
of the Munich Chamber Orchestra and appears regularly as guest at the Berlin
Philharmonic Orchestra.
Mikayel plays on an Andrea
Castagneri cello built in 1735.