Peter Oundjian

Peter Oundjian is one of a growing number of highly successful instrumentalists who largely abandon their chosen instrument in favor of a conducting career. In Oundjian's case the change was necessitated by a repetitive motion injury. He began as a violinist, a high-profile one at that, serving as the first violinist with the famed Tokyo String Quartet. From 1995, he turned his focus to the baton and soon was guest-conducting performances with some of the leading American orchestras, including the Saint Louis (1998) and Houston Symphony (1999). As the music director of the Tor...