TRIO NOR

NOR Trio was formed by the accidental but fortuitous coming together of three instrumentalists whose instruments do not traditionally comprise a classical trio. NOR Trio, which is New Trio in Armenian, is based on a traditional trio with a violin, a cello, and a piano. However, in this unique trio, the cello is replaced by a saxophone. After originally rehearsing together Marc Eychenne's "Cantilene et Danse" for Violin, Alto Saxophone and Piano, the three musicians noticed that the tone quality of the alto-saxophone brought a new perspective to the music.

From then on, NOR Trio adapted a trove of compositions written for traditional piano trios. Andrei Sobchenko, classical saxophonist, digitally transcribes original scores while Sargis Karapetyan, violin maestro, and Nune Hakobyan, concert pianist, apply their vast musical knowledge to optimize the compositions' sound. An alto-saxophone's range is far shorter than a cello's, and in these compositions the saxophone playing evokes the sound of brass, strings, and other woodwind instruments. Nor Trio "NOR" produces music that is distinctive, while still retaining the traditional aspects of a piano trio.

Tenured performers

Nune Hakobyan, pianist, is a native of Armenia. Her music education was completed at Sayat-Nova Music School and Tchaikovsky Music School. Ms. Hakobyan holds a Masters Degree in Piano performance and an Artist Diploma in Collaborative Piano from the Komitas State Conservatory. In the U.S., Ms. Hakobyan has worked as an accompanist at the Boston Conservatory and Boston University SFA. She works as a pianist for Nashua Symphony Orchestra and the Palace Theater Orchestra in Manchester, NH. Ms Hakobyan performs often, both as a soloist and as an accompanist. She teaches at her private studio in Watertown and at Concord-Carlisle Music School.

Sargis Karapetyan, violinist, is a native of Armenia with a Masters Degree and an Artist Diploma in Violin Performance from the Komitas State Conservatory in Yerevan, where he was subsequently invited to join the faculty. He was Artistic Director of the Ancient Music Ensemble, concertmaster of the Children's Opera Theatre of Armenia, assistant concertmaster of the Gelikon Opera Company and Competition Winners Chamber Orchestra in Moscow, Russia. In the US since 1996, he has worked with Nigun Ensemble, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Westerly Chorus of RI, Bangor Symphony of ME, Cape Cod Symphony, Cape Cod Opera, Central Massachusetts Symphony, NH Symphony, Granite State Opera, Granite State Symphony, and Nashua Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Karapetyan has been a lecturer at Clark University of Worcester and the Boston Conservatory Special Program.

Andrei Sobchenko, a native of Russia, began his career as Principle Saxophonist with the Russian Federation Concert Band. He played with major orchestras, including the Moscow Philharmonic and the USSR State Symphony. Mr. Sobchenko appeared on National Public Radio to premier a newly commissioned sonata for Saxophone and Piano by Pulitzer prized composer John. Harbison. At the XI Congreso Mundial de Saxofon in September 1997, he premiered the trio for cello saxophone and piano "Mahler in Blue Light" by composer Larry. Bell. The "Saxophone Journal" and "Saxofonbladet" of Denmark have published his articles. Mr. Sobchenko has performed with the Longwood Symphony and with the New England Philharmonic. He completed a Bachelor's degree in Music Education and Performance at the Gnesin Academy of Music in Moscow, Russia and a Master of Music degree with Kenneth Radnofsky at Boston University. Andrei Sobchenko currently instructs woodwinds at the Instrumental Music School of Concord and Carlisle and is on the Music and Arts faculty at Austin Preparatory School.

Guest performers

Sylvie Zakarian Bulgarian-born percussionist Sylvie Zakarian, a winner of international music competitions, has performed at Weill Recital Hall and Town Hall Theater in New York; the Wilshire Ebell theater in Los Angeles; the Regis College Theater; and the Berklee Performance Center in Boston. She has also been a soloist and premiered new works with the National Academy of Music orchestra in Bulgaria, The Ensemble for Contemporary Music at the Royal College of Music in London, Quincy Symphony, Orchestra and Melrose Symphony Orchestra in Boston. She made her British radio debut on the BBC's "Classic FM" and a year later performed on BBC Radio 3's "Young Artist's Forum." Ms. Zakarian holds degrees with honors in Percussion and Marimba Performance from The Royal College of Music in London and The Boston Conservatory. Ms. Zakarian has held Master classes at the Purcell School of Music, Royal College of Music, and Berkshire Young Musician's Trust in the UK. Also, she has led music clinics in Bulgaria with the State Conservatory and the Varna Summer Music Festival. Currently, Ms. Zakarian is on the faculty of the Winchester Community Music School and a percussion teacher for the Harvard Department for the Arts.

Victoria Avetisyan Soon after her dazzling debuts with the Caramoor International Music Festival as Gluck's Orfeo and as soloist at the Washington's Kennedy Center with Bobby McFerrin, Victoria Avetisyan was honored with Caramoor's Young Vocal Artist of the Year award.

A native of Yerevan, Armenia, Avetisyan completed her academic training at the Komitas State Conservatory in Yerevan, Armenia, graduating in 1996 with the master's degree in vocal performance. She began her singing career as a principal artist at the National Opera Theater of Armenia, where she sang numerous roles including Paranzem and Shoushan in Choukhajian's operas Arshak II and Karine; the mother's role in Armen Tigranian's beloved opera Anoush; Azucena and Emilia in Verdi's Il Trovatore and Otello, respectively, and Rossini's Cenerentola and Rosina.

In 1999 Ms. Avetisyan was selected to join Boston University's internationally recognized Opera Institute where she received her Artist's Diploma following two years of intensive studies with Sharon Daniels. Ms. Avetisyan returned to Caramoor to sing Fedora in the highly touted world premiere of Donizetti's Elisabeth. The versatile mezzo made her company debut with the Boston Lyric Opera as Princess Sophia Korchagin in the Boston premiere of Tod Machover's Resurrection, followed by her Boston Symphony Hall debut as soloist in Verdi's Requiem. In the 2007-2008 season Ms. Avetisyan, began with a solo performances in Zoltan Kodaly's Te Deum,and Croation Mass by Igor Kuljerik (US premiere) with Eugene Symphony Orchetra And the Release of a CD album Trchei Mtkcov Tuon with her husband, tenor Yeghishe Manucharyan.

In September 2008,she was soloist in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra, and in November, Ms. Avetisyan was presented the Key to the City of Worcester by the Honorable Mayor Konstantina B. Lukes. Other recent engagements have included recital and concert performances as guest soloist on both coasts: debut appearance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra as alto soloist in Beethoven's Symphony No.9 and Handel's Messiah; as soloist in Beethoven's Missa Solemnis with the Eugene Concert Choir; Mozart's Requiem and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with Boston Landmarks Orchestra, and Dvorak's Stabat Mater with Masterworks Chorale. Ms. Avetisyan's other operatic roles include: Carmen in Bizet's Carmen; Fenema in Verdi's Nabucco; Armelinde in Viardot's La Cendrillon Zita in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi; Marcellina in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, and Ursula in Beatrice et Benedict by Hector Berlioz.

A recipient of numerous distinctions, Victoria Avetisyan is the winner of the Andrew & Anne Pinto Award at Connecticut's Opera Guild Scholarship Competition. She has also earned the Gerda Lissner Foundation Award and the second prize in the Liederkranz Vocal Competition. Other awards include the 2003 Festival Marjorie Carr Adams Young Vocal Artist Award, Second Prize winner of the 2002 Queens Opera Vocal Competition and was a regional (New England) finalist at The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Her radio and television appearances include Armenian National Television.,Armenian National radio, WGBH classical Radio.