JURY

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Martin Shahbazyan is a young classical and multi-genre pianist from Armenia. He has obtained his Master’s degree in classical piano performance at the Texas Christian University (USA), which he entered after graduating from the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory (Armenia) and Turku University of Applied Sciences (Finland). Martin Shahbazyan studied under the tutelage of renowned musicians such as Armen Babakhanian and Tamas Ungar.

Martin Shahbazyan started playing the piano at the age of four in Yerevan. He graduated from the Sayat-Nova Music School and the Tchaikovsky Specialized Music School. During those years he became a prize-winner at several national and international competitions and festivals. In 2014 he won the third prize at the 6th Tbilisi International Young Pianists Competition in Georgia.

In his senior year at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory, Martin Shahbazyan was awarded first prize in the Chamber Music Competition for his performance of Mendelssohn's Piano Trio in D minor. In his junior year, he distinguished himself as the first and only student from his Conservatory to win an ERASMUS scholarship, enabling him to study at Turku University of Applied Sciences in Finland.

In 2017, Martin Shahbazyan won the 4th Arno Babajanian International Competition. In the same year he premiered the piano preludes by Haro Stepanyan at the 8th Armenian Composers' Art Festival in Yerevan and composed the music score for the theatrical performance "Hovnan" by Narine Grigoryan.

In addition to his classical piano career, Shahbazyan has explored various musical genres. He has performed in numerous concerts and festivals with his prog/rock folk trio, where he serves as pianist, singer, and composer. 

In 2018, Shahbazyan won the first prize and five special prizes as an accompanist at the 6th Heghine Ter-Ghevondyan Competition in Yerevan. That year, he also gave a solo piano recital at the Sigyn Hall in Turku, Finland.

In 2020, Martin Shahbazyan performed his own composition at the "Commemoration Night Concert at Tsitsernakaberd" in Armenia. Recently, he was honored with the Grand Prix at the Harmonium Onlineplus IMC. Additionally, Shahbazyan received first prizes at both the 47th Annual Pi Kappa Lambda Honors Competition and the Franz Liszt Center International Piano Competition and the 3rd prize of the TMC’s Young Artists piano competition in San Antonio, TX.

Martin Shahbazyan has been honored with the Judith Solomon Award in Chamber Music twice, in 2022 and 2024, during his Artist Diploma program studies at TCU.

In addition to his performance career, Martin is a passionate educator. He has taught piano to students of various levels, guiding them to develop both technical proficiency and a deep appreciation for music.