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Levon Chilingirian - Artistic Director and Violin - was born in Cyprus to Armenian parents and introduced to music from a very early age through his pianist mother and violinist great uncle. When the Chilingirians immigrated to London in 1960 Levon concentrated on the violin, studying at the Royal College of Music where he is now a professor. His early influences in music were his uncle, the violinist Manoug Parikian, his teacher Hugh Bean, musicologist Hans Keller, and the Amadeus Quartet. His long-standing partnership with Clifford Benson was launched by winning the first prizes in both the 1969 BBC Beethoven Competition and the 1971 Munich Duo International Competition. Recital appearances have taken them to most of Europe and recordings include Schubert and Frank Bridge. In 1971 Levon formed the Chilingirian Quartet with three other ex-RCM students.
The Quartet has held residences at Liverpool and Sussex Universities and is currently attached to the Royal College of Music. Celebrated on the international scene with tours to over fifty countries on six continents as “one of the great string quartets of our day” (Boston Globe), the Quartet has also been acclaimed as “world class from the first stroke” (Basler Zeitung). It has played in all major centres in North America as well as regular visits in Europe to all the capital cities and main festivals. It makes annual appearances at London’s Wigmore and Queen Elizabeth Halls and premieres works by John Tavener and Hugh Wood. The Quartet’s recorded repertoire includes works by Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, Beethoven, Dvorak, Bartok, Prokofiev, Tavener, Part, Panufnik, Chausson, Debussy, Ravel, Grieg, and Komitas / Aslamazian.
Levon Chilingirian has always enjoyed recital and concerto appearances - performances with the Sinfonia Concertante on the Amadeus soundtrack by Sir Neville Marriner and the Brahms Double Concerto with Steven Isserlis in Yerevan. Steven Isserlis invited Chilingirian to lead a performance of the Schubert Quintet to end the millennium’s music at the Wigmore Hall. He has played the Tippett Triple Concerto with six different orchestras and recorded it for Chandos with Richard Hickox to the enthusiastic endorsement of the composer. Other distinguished partners include Sir Andrew Davis, Tadaki Otaka, Sir Charles Groves, Jeremy Menuhin and Steven De Groote. A partnership with organist William McVicker widens his repertoire to include inspiring works by Karg-Elert and William Lloyd Webber.
By playing and directing the Camerata Roman, Levon has become an important part of Swedish musical life since 1996. This highly talented young string ensemble has explored quartet music on a large scale as well as unusual classical contemporary pieces. Other partnerships have been with the pianist Per Tengstrand and oboist Gordon Hunt.
In Armenia, Chilingirian has organized two competitions for young string players and, in May 2002, he invited winners to take part in an inaugural chamber music festival with Ani and Ida Kavafian, Alexander Chaushian and himself. His collaboration with Alexander Chaushian continues in the Pharos Chamber Soloists, a group containing some of Europe’s best young players.
Amongst many outstanding honours, Levon has received a Cobbett Medal, the Royal Philharmonic Society’s chamber music award, and, in January 2000, an OBE in the Queen’s Honours List for his “services to music”.
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