Constantine Orbelian

Conductor Constantine Orbelian is among the few conductors to have maintained flourishing careers in the U.S. and Russia. Orbelian began his career as a pianist. Orbelian was born in San Francisco on August 27, 1956. His parents were immigrants, his father was Armenian, and his mother was Ukrainian. His father's brother was a major Armenian composer, and both parents were passionate music lovers. As a child, Orbelian hobnobbed with such visitors as Sviatoslav Richter, Emil Gilels, and Vladimir Ashkenazy. He took up the piano and was giving public concerts by age five. At 11, ...