Friends

The Friends of the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1999 by a group of devoted music lovers to help sustain a spectacular array of artistic and public service programs performed by the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra. It is governed by a Board of Trustees. The Board is currently chaired by the first lady Mrs. Rita Sargsyan.

For many years, thanks to the sponsorship of AGBU, the APO has been maintaining its fine quality, despite relatively modest financial resources. Today, however, this situation is becoming difficult to sustain. It would be most unfortunate to have our highly talented artists lost to the country.

The excellence of the APO has been demonstrated in the course of regular weekly concerts and international tours that brought the orchestra extraordinary success. The APO have toured the USA two times, where it played to packed houses, visited Greece, Austria, Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, Russia, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Japan releasing records on ORF, British ASV, and Swedish BIS labels. For an orchestra to maintain good shape and high quality of performances it is necessary to invite prestige concert performers, to tour and perform in major concert halls, organize festivals. This is the area, where the void should be filled. The arts have always depended on patrons – those music lovers who support and encourage the highest creative endeavors. In this respect, members of FAPO play an important role by enthusiastically providing leadership and supporting various projects and activities involving the local successful entrepreneurs and the international community.

In 2012 the APO is planning to establish the first in history of independent Armenia Endowment Foundation. With regard to this challenge the role of the FAPO may become crucial.