Mikhail Moiseevich Maluntsyan (Maluntsyan, Mikhail) |

Maluntsyan, Mikhail

Soviet conductor, People’s Artist of the Armenian SSR (1956). Mikhail Maluntsyan did a lot for the development of orchestral culture in the Armenian SSR both as a performer and as a teacher. However, music lovers outside the republic are also familiar with his work. He often gave concerts in Moscow, Leningrad, Kyiv, the cities of Transcaucasia and other republics. Maluntsyan began his career in art as a cellist, and not only studied cello at the Tbilisi Conservatory (1921-1926), but also taught this specialty at the Yerevan Conservatory (1927-1931). Only after that Maluntsyan began to master the art of conducting at the Moscow Conservatory under the direction of Leo Ginzburg (1931-1936). Before the Great Patriotic War, the conductor worked in the opera studio of the Moscow Conservatory (1934-1941), and later moved to Yerevan. Here he led the Armenian Symphony Orchestra from 1945-1960 and again was its principal conductor in 1966. All this time, Maluntsyan was also engaged in pedagogical work, first at the Moscow (1936-1945), and then at the Yerevan (since 1945) conservatories, where he trained many capable musicians. Maluntsyan’s extensive repertoire includes a variety of classical and contemporary pieces. He constantly promotes the work of Armenian composers, both of the older and younger generations.

L. Grigoriev, J. Platek, 1969