CONSTANTINE SARADJIAN (1877-1954)

Conductor/Pedagogue/music public figure/Hero of Labor of USSR/People’s Artist of RA/Professor
Worked with Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra as the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor in 1941-1945.

Constantine Saradjian was born in Derbend (North Caucasus). In 1898 he graduated from the Moscow Conservatory as violinist (with I.V.Grzhimali) and studied counterpoint (with S.I.Taneyev). From 1905 to 1906 he took master-classes in conducting with Arthur Nikisch in Leipzig. He performed in various cities of Russia conducting opera performances and symphony concerts. He was considered to be presented as perfectly knowledgeable in modern music, and as great interpreter of Miaskovsky, Prokofiev and Shostakovich. He founded a conducting class at Moscow Conservatory (among the students are G. Budaghyan, L. Ginsburg, M. Paverman, and many others). He founded and led Moscow Amateur Symphony Orchestra (1924-1935, the latter was renamed after Saradjian in 1926). Since 1935 he has lived in Yerevan being engaged in multidisciplinary activities. He has been the principal conductor of Yerevan Opera Theatre, while conducting the independent concerts of the same theatre symphony orchestra. Since 1941 he has been the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Armenia which was performing already in its new status.  Saradjian has broadly promoted the works by Armenian composers, also presented Beethoven’s all symphonies (except for the 9th). He has been the rector of Yerevan Conservatory in 1936-1937 and 1940-1954. A new generation of conductors was educated there (A.Katanyan, Yu.Davtyan, H.Voskanyan and many others).