Biography
Ani and Marta Aznavoorian launched their partnership in childhood, though each pursued separate recording projects before issuing their first joint effort, Gems from Armenia, on the Cedille label in 2022. The cellist Ani and pianist Marta spent their early years in Chicago as grandchildren of an Armenian immigrant who left Turkey during World War I. While still young, the pair—occasionally billed as the Aznavoorian Sisters—secured first prize in the Illinois Bell Young Performers Competition, which brought a live broadcast with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on PBS and formally established the Aznavoorian Duo.
Further honors followed from the National Foundation for the Arts in the form of a Recognition designation and Talent Level 1 Award; these distinctions led to their selection as Presidential Scholars in the Arts and to appearances at the Kennedy Center and the White House. The sisters maintained duo performances, among them a 1988 benefit for Armenian earthquake relief, even as their training diverged: Ani Aznavoorian entered the Juilliard School to study with Aldo Parisot, becoming the youngest winner of the school’s concerto competition, while Marta Aznavoorian worked with Menahem Pressler, completing a bachelor’s degree at Indiana University and a master’s at the New England Conservatory of Music.
Independent careers have flourished alongside their joint work. In 2022 Ani Aznavoorian marked fifteen years as principal cellist of Camerata Pacifica; she has also performed with the Jupiter Chamber Players and the International Sejong Soloists and appeared as soloist with orchestras across the United States and abroad. Marta Aznavoorian helped found the Lincoln Trio, recording extensively with the ensemble, and has maintained a busy schedule as soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. Both remain committed teachers, with Marta Aznavoorian on the faculty of the DePaul University School of Music and Ani Aznavoorian teaching at the University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana as well as during summers at the Great Mountains Music Festival in South Korea.
The sisters created a foundation to support music students from underrepresented backgrounds. The Aznavoorian Duo has appeared at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and toured France, Finland, and Armenia, while commissioning new pieces from composers that include Osvaldo Golijov, Bright Sheng, and William Bolcom. Their debut album, Gems from Armenia, was released by Cedille in 2022.
Further honors followed from the National Foundation for the Arts in the form of a Recognition designation and Talent Level 1 Award; these distinctions led to their selection as Presidential Scholars in the Arts and to appearances at the Kennedy Center and the White House. The sisters maintained duo performances, among them a 1988 benefit for Armenian earthquake relief, even as their training diverged: Ani Aznavoorian entered the Juilliard School to study with Aldo Parisot, becoming the youngest winner of the school’s concerto competition, while Marta Aznavoorian worked with Menahem Pressler, completing a bachelor’s degree at Indiana University and a master’s at the New England Conservatory of Music.
Independent careers have flourished alongside their joint work. In 2022 Ani Aznavoorian marked fifteen years as principal cellist of Camerata Pacifica; she has also performed with the Jupiter Chamber Players and the International Sejong Soloists and appeared as soloist with orchestras across the United States and abroad. Marta Aznavoorian helped found the Lincoln Trio, recording extensively with the ensemble, and has maintained a busy schedule as soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. Both remain committed teachers, with Marta Aznavoorian on the faculty of the DePaul University School of Music and Ani Aznavoorian teaching at the University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana as well as during summers at the Great Mountains Music Festival in South Korea.
The sisters created a foundation to support music students from underrepresented backgrounds. The Aznavoorian Duo has appeared at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and toured France, Finland, and Armenia, while commissioning new pieces from composers that include Osvaldo Golijov, Bright Sheng, and William Bolcom. Their debut album, Gems from Armenia, was released by Cedille in 2022.
Albums