OHAN DURIAN (1922-2011)

Conductor, composer, People’s Artist of the RA
Worked with Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra as the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor in 1960-1965 and in 1973.

Ohan Durian was born and raised in Jerusalem. From 1939 to 1945 he studied composition, conducting and organ at the local conservatory. He completed his education in Europe under the tutelage of H. Sherchen, R. Desormiere and G.Martinon. He performed with 110 world prominent orchestras. For quite a while he worked with opera and symphony orchestras of Avignon and Cape Town. From 1963 to 1968 Mr. Durian was the Music Director of the Leipzig Opera and Permanent Guest Conductor of the “Gewandhaus” Orchestra. Maestro Durian was the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Radio & TV Symphony Orchestra founded by him, the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Yerevan Opera Theater. He is the author of two symphonic suites “Komitas” and other compositions.
While his tenure with the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra Durian has been the first to perform many symphonic works by Armenian composers, in particular he premiered works by Edward Mirzoyan and John Ter-Tadevosyan (Symphonies No.1 & No.2), K.Orbelyan (Symphony No.1), Alexander Adjemian (Symphony No.2), Grigor Yeghiazaryan (“Hrazdan”). Numerous recordings of Maestro Durian have been made during his career. Durian has toured throughout former USSR republics as a guest conductor and has always promoted works by Armenian composers. Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra received the title of Honored Orchestra in the years of his tenure.