Yerevan Hosts the 3rd International Flute Festival

The State Philharmonic of Armenia and the international project Bridges of the Flute present the 3rd Yerevan International Flute Festival, a landmark event in Armenia’s musical landscape. The festival brings together internationally acclaimed flutists, musicologists, and students from 16 cities across nine European and Asian countries.

As the largest festival dedicated to flute performance in Armenia and the wider region, the event further strengthens Yerevan’s position as a center for international musical collaboration.

The seven-day festival features three concerts, scheduled for November 4, 5, and 7, alongside more than 100 masterclasses, lectures, and creative meetings. The concerts will take place at the Arno Babajanyan Concert Hall of the State Philharmonic of Armenia, while the remaining festival events will be held in the Philharmonic’s other concert halls.

The opening concert will be conducted by Narek Hakhnazaryan, a renowned cellist, conductor, and Honored Artist of the Republic of Armenia. Narek Avagyan, flutist and soloist with the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra, will also appear as a conductor.

The festival’s distinguished international lineup includes Vincent Lucas (France), Silvia Careddu and Riccardo Cellacchi (Italy), Felix Renggli and Evgeniya Spalinger (Switzerland), Maria Fedotova and Vasilisa Melnikova (Russia), Zsofia Lazar and Benedek Csalog (Hungary), Yerzhan Kushanov (Kazakhstan), Zara Parvanyan and Elen Virabyan (Armenia/Russia), and Narek Avagyan and Arman Abrahamyan (Armenia).

Special attention will be given to Elen Virabyan, who won third prize representing Armenia at the 2026 Eurovision Young Musicians competition. During the festival concerts, internationally acclaimed soloists will perform with the KVart Chamber Orchestra, offering audiences an opportunity to experience diverse flute-playing traditions and interpretive styles.

The festival was founded by Vardan Virabyan, who also serves as its artistic director. Elen Virabyan is the co-founder, while Narek Avagyan and Zara Parvanyan are co-organizers.

One of the festival’s distinctive features is its focus on less commonly heard flute instruments. For the first time in Armenia, audiences will have the opportunity to hear the bass flute and the Baroque traverso. The concert programs will also feature the alto flute and piccolo, while several works will receive their Armenian premieres.

This year’s festival builds on the success of previous editions, bringing together an expanded lineup of internationally renowned performers and experts and offering an extensive program of concerts and educational events.