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. In 1987, he made a recording of Khachaturian's Piano Concerto with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and conductor Neeme Järvi. Orbelian was appointed music director of the Moscow Chamber Orchestra in 1991, becoming the first American to hold a prominent music directorship with a Russian orchestra. In 1999, he and the Moscow Chamber Orchestra issued an album of tangos by Astor Piazzolla. In 2004, he was the first non-Russian artist given the Honored Artist of Russia. Since 2014, Orbelian has served as the music director of the Kaunas City Symphony. With that group, Orbelian issued a performance of Bellini's opera I Puritani in 2021. That year, he was named music director and principal conductor of the New York City Opera.