The Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra and the Keron Development Foundation Sign Memorandum of Understanding
On June 19, on the rooftop of the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall, the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra and the Keron Development Foundation signed a memorandum of cooperation. As part of this partnership, highly qualified professionals will be invited to Armenia through the foundation’s flagship Talent Pool program to live in the country long-term, join the orchestra, and contribute to the advancement of the field through their expertise.
During the signing ceremony, Norayr Nazaryan, Director of the Philharmonic, stated:
“Such initiatives are vital not only for the orchestra but for the Republic of Armenia as a whole. With this step, we continue to implement programs that carry meaning and value — programs that must be sustained over time. I’d like to thank the Keron Foundation and express my confidence that what we have planned for the next five years will be successfully realized. The invited musicians will fill current vacancies within the orchestra. In turn, we will ensure that they share their knowledge and skills with young Armenian musicians, enhancing the level of performing arts in the country and promoting it internationally.”
Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports, Daniel Danielyan, congratulated both parties on the collaboration, calling it “a successful example of public-private partnership.” He added:
“This cooperation stems from a shared vision — ensuring the development and strengthening of human capital in Armenia. We are especially pleased that this initiative is launching during the centennial year of the Philharmonic. As Mr. Nazaryan mentioned, we hope that in its second century, the orchestra will become even more distinguished and resilient in the face of global and local challenges. We thank Maestro Topchyan and the Keron Foundation for this meaningful contribution to our society.”
Concluding the event, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Eduard Topchyan said:
“The orchestra’s current performance level is quite high, but we always strive for more. Up until 2000–2005, Armenia had a very strong string school, which enabled orchestras to form solid string sections. However, the wind school has always lagged behind. Over the years, we’ve been gradually building it, because we aim to move in step with the world’s orchestras — not necessarily to compete, but at least to exist in the same sphere.
We now urgently need five soloists — piccolo flute, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, and trombone. With their arrival, our performance quality will rise even higher. They will also teach young musicians, helping to develop a new generation of talented wind players in Armenia.”
The Talent Pool program is the Keron Foundation’s leading initiative, aimed at attracting top professionals from five strategic sectors — education, culture, sports, healthcare, and territorial development — to contribute to Armenia’s sustainable progress. By bringing global expertise into the country, the foundation is nurturing a community of professionals who choose Armenia as a place to live, work, and create.
Vanane Ararktsyan, Executive Director of the Keron Foundation, added:
“Although the foundation is just a year old, our strategy focuses on creating lasting impact across our five key directions. One of these is arts and culture, and it is both an honor and a responsibility to collaborate with century-old institutions like the Philharmonic, which not only create value within Armenia but also enhance its image abroad. I am confident this partnership will bear meaningful results, and that in the years to come, we will all enjoy its outcomes.”
Since 2013, the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra has invited 29 highly skilled international musicians to collaborate on both long-term and project-based engagements. Most have been woodwind and brass instrumentalists who, in addition to raising the orchestra’s performance standards, have also taught and mentored a new generation of professionals — many of whom now perform in Armenian ensembles. This important work would not be possible without the support of the Keron Foundation, whose latest contribution will see the orchestra strengthened by five world-class brass musicians.
