ARCO Chamber Orchestra
The ARCO Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1989 by Levon Ambartsumian at the world-renowned Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, where he served as Professor of Violin. Among its handpicked charter members were a few instructors, some of his students, and several recent graduates from the Conservatory. Almost immediately ARCO performances throughout Europe drew high critical acclaim and enthusiastic audience responses. The orchestra continued to receive international acclaim in subsequent years, participating in a number of important festivals, including the Festival of German Music in Russia and Germany, the International George Enescu Festival in Bucharest, the Festival of Russian Music in Siberia, Moscow Stars, and Russian Winter in Moscow. The orchestra has also premiered a number of works by contemporary Russian composers and has toured widely in several countries including the United States, Canada, Italy, Spain, Germany, Romania, France and Korea. In 1995, Mr. Ambartsumian joined the University of Georgia’s School of Music as the Franklin Professor of Violin, while remaining the artistic director and conductor of ARCO. The home base of the orchestra shifted to this hemisphere, where the ensemble has now become a talented international blend of musicians. While the ARCO Chamber Orchestra places special importance on the performance of Russian and contemporary music, the ensemble has a diverse repertoire, which includes standard chamber orchestra literature, showpieces, and world premiers. The ensemble has also released several CD’s and has recorded for broadcast on both radio and television.
