BELLEVUE, WA — Armenian-American conductor Tigran Arakelyan is appointed Executive Director of Music Works Northwest, one of the largest non-profit music education organizations in the Pacific Northwest.
Music Works Northwest is a nonprofit community music school, dedicated to changing lives through accessible music education and experiences. Founded in 1966 in Seattle’s Central District, Music Works relocated to Bellevue in 1999. Each year Music Works provides individual music lessons, music classes, music therapy, summer camps and free concerts to thousands of King County residents. Music Works students excel in their school music programs, winning WMEA recognition and regularly participating in award-winning area ensembles such as the Bellevue Youth Symphony, the Seattle Youth Symphony and Youth Theater Northwest. Music Works grants tuition assistance to dozens of students each year who would not otherwise be able to afford private instruction. Last year thousands of audience members attended free concerts given by Music Works students and faculty.
“I am very excited to be the new Executive Director of Music Works Northwest. This is a vibrant organization which has positively impacted the region for decades. I look forward to working with our exceptional faculty and talented students. We will be adding new classes and camps in different genres. The hope is to give our students an opportunity to explore their diverse interests in a collaborative environment. In order to reach more of our community, we will have faculty and student performances at different community spaces around Bellevue.”
–Tigran Arakelyan
About Tigran Arakelyan
Arakelyan has brought a new level of competence to the nonprofit (Port Townsend Symphony), bringing an annual chamber music program and a higher degree of passion and pride. Under the instruction of Arakelyan, the group’s sound and tone is anything but amateur…” – The Leader
Tigran Arakelyan is an Armenian-American conductor, podcaster and radio host. Tigran was the assistant conductor of California Philharmonic and made his Walt Disney Concert Hall conducting debut in 2019. He played alongside Sir James Galway during Galway’s induction into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. Tigran received awards from The American Prize and the Global Music Awards. Currently, Tigran is the Music Director of Northwest Mahler Festival and Port Townsend Symphony. Previously, he held conducting positions with the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra, Federal Way Youth Symphony, Bainbridge Youth Orchestra, and Bellingham Symphony. Tigran conducted three tours in South Korea, conducting in Seoul, Busan, Jeju, Daejeon, Gwangju, among other cities.
He conducted regional premieres by renowned composers Paul Hindemith, Keith Jarrett, Brenno Blauth and James Cohn. Since 2009, Tigran has taken orchestras to unconventional venues, from bars and cideries to cafes and homeless shelters. He is the founder of three orchestras, music festivals, competitions, and numerous scholarship/grant and funding initiatives. Invited by Maestro Ludovic Morlot, Tigran earned the Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting from the University of Washington where he was the first student in the inaugural class of David Rahbee and Morlot. He has interviewed legendary musicians: Evelyn Glennie, George Walker, Mark O’Connor, Christian McBride, David Harrington (Kronos Quartet), JoAnn Falletta, Richard Stoltzman, Sharon Isbin, Vijay Iyer, among many others.
