Marina Manukian

At the age of 11, violinist Marina Manukian joined the Radio and Television Violin Ensemble of Armenia thus becoming the youngest professional musician in the former Soviet Union. She received her musical training from Georgi Ajemian, Alice Schoenfeld, Yehudi Menuhin, Sandor Vegh and Sidney Weiss. Marina has studied at the prestigious Mozarteum School of Music in Salzburg, Austria and is also a University of Southern California graduate with Highest Honors. Since childhood Marina has performed regularly for radio and television broadcasts and recordings. She was featured as a soloist with numerous orchestras, chamber music concerts and recitals. Her passionate artistry has been heard and embraced throughout Europe, former U.S.S.R. and the United States. Marina has performed with such renowned classical music artists as Mstislav Rostropovich, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Valeri Giergiev, Kent Nagano, James Conlon, Lynn Harell, and others. She has also shared the stage with Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Sting, Elton John, Michael Bolton, Julio Iglesias, Charles Aznavour, Neil Diamond, Bocelli and other world class jazz and pop artists. She is the winner of numerous music awards and prizes including the 1st prize for National Young Artist Competition, in former U.S.S.R., Aspen International Music Festival and Herb Alpert Music Award from A & M Records. The Los Angeles Times identifies Marina Manukian as "a violinist extraordinaire...whose virtuosity is exceeded only by her calmness and confidence, working through the intricacies with masterful grace and strength". Since 2006 Marina has been the Artistic Director and Concertmaster of The Enlightenment Chamber Music Series which present concerts performed by the selection of expert chamber musicians, soloists and recording artists from around the world. In addition to her solo and chamber music performances Marina has recorded for over 700 television and motion picture scores working with numerous composers including John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, James Newton-Howard, James Horner, Alan Silvestri and Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer and Michael Giacchino. Marina Manukian's recordings together with pianist Bryan Pezzone of "Brahms Violin Sonatas" and "Inspiration" have received critical acclaim and were chosen as the top classical CDs by several major radio stations worldwide. AMG All Music Guide writes: "listen to the radiant warmth of their tone, to the timeless stillness of the tempo, to the evanescent inwardness of their playing, to the rapt ecstasy of their ensemble: this is the soul and spirit of Brahms' music made manifest and, great as the competition is, Manukian and Pezzone express it with almost unbearable poignancy". Marina Manukian's and Bryan Pezzone's recording of Brahms Violin Sonatas and Sonatensatz has received critical acclaim and was chosen as the top classical CD by several major radio stations worldwide. AMG AllMusic Guide writes: "..listen to the radiant warmth of their tone, to the timeless stillness of the tempo, to the evanescent inwardness of their playing, to the rapt ecstasy of their ensemble: this is the soul and spirit of Brahms' music made manifest and, great as the competition is, Manukian and Pezzone express it with almost unbearable poignancy". Brahms' Violin Sonatas and Sonatensatz recording is available on Amazon, CD Baby and through other retail outlets.