MUSICAL ARMENIA’S 40th CONCERT TO FEATURE ARNO MELKONYAN AND VARTAN ARAKELIAN
The Armenian Prelacy is pleased to announce the 2025 Musical Armenia Concert, scheduled for Sunday, March 9, at 2:00 PM at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. The Prelacy is especially proud to present the 40th concert in this series, launched in 1982. For 2025, our featured artists are innovative composer and pianist Arno Melkonyan and promising pianist Vartan Arakelian.
Mr. Melkonyan will perform alongside talented musicians Analuna Chahine (violin), Alisa Shin (violin), Minjun Seo (viola), Devin Connolly (cello), and Alireza Khodayari (tar).
Established by Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian, of blessed memory, with the Prelacy Ladies Guild, Musical Armenia is a program dedicated to promoting young Armenian artists and performing music by Armenian composers. Over the past forty-plus years, many of the program’s performers have gone on to establish successful professional careers in performance and music education. The Prelacy is very appreciative of the contributions that Musical Armenia’s devoted supporters have made toward these artists’ advancement.
A native of Yerevan, Arno Melkonyan has lived in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. He began composing music while attending an international high school and subsequently studied with composer David Balasanyan. His creative approach blends music from the Late Romantic period with influences from pop, jazz, and Armenian folk and chant traditions. He is currently studying composition and game scoring at Boston’s Berklee College of Music.
Vartan Arakelian began piano studies at the age of four under the direction of Lilit Karapetian-Shougarian. His achievements include an award at the 2025 Young Arts National Arts competition, second prize at the 2023 Chopin International Piano Competition, and being a finalist at the 2023 Boston Pops and Fidelity Investments Young Artists Competition. He is currently a high school junior at Buckingham Browne and Nichols School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The musicians will perform music by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann, Babajanian, and Arno Melkonyan.
Tickets are priced at $35 (orchestra) and $25 (balcony). Student and senior discounts are available through the Carnegie Hall Box Office. For tickets, call the Carnegie Hall Box Office at 212-247-7800 or visit www.carnegiehall.org.
You can make a key contribution to the development of these talented musicians by becoming a sponsor. Several levels of sponsorship are available, and your generosity will be acknowledged in the concert booklet. Diamond, platinum, and gold sponsors will receive two complimentary tickets. For more information, contact the Prelacy at 212-689-7810 or sophie@armenianprelacy.org.