Ani Aznavoorian

cello

Cellist Ani Aznavoorian has been praised by The Strad as delivering “scorchingly committed performances that wring every last drop of emotion out of the music. Her technique is well-nigh immaculate, she has a natural sense of theater, and her tone is astonishingly responsive.” An in-demand performer, she has appeared as soloist with leading orchestras worldwide, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Tokyo Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic, Finnish Radio Symphony, International Sejong Soloists, Belgrade Philharmonic, and the Juilliard Orchestra. She is currently in her nineteenth season as Principal Cellist of Camerata Pacifica.

A Presidential Scholar in the Arts, Ms. Aznavoorian performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. where she received a medal from President Bill Clinton. She is the recipient of the prestigious Bunkamura Orchard Hall Award, as well as top prizes in the International Paulo Competition, the Chicago Cello Society National Competition, the Julius Stulberg Competition, and the American String Teachers Association Competition.

At The Juilliard School, she became the youngest cellist to win the concerto competition, performing with the Juilliard Orchestra at Avery Fisher Hall. Her concert appearances include Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Ravinia Festival, Aspen Music Festival, and NPR’s Performance Today.

A dedicated educator, Ms. Aznavoorian has served on the faculty of the University of Illinois and is on the summer faculty of the Music Academy of the West. Also a champion of new music, she has premiered works by composers Lera Auerbach, Clarice Assad, Bright Sheng, and David Bruce. She records for Cedille Records and proudly performs on a cello made by her father Peter Aznavoorian in Chicago. For more information, see aniaznavoorian.com.