FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana University Jacobs School of Music is deeply saddened to announce the death of Kevork Mardirossian, James H. Rudy Professor of Music in Violin. After a brief illness, Mardirossian died in Bloomington on Tuesday, June 11th. He was 70 years old.
Mardirossian was appointed to IU Jacobs School of Music in 2008. Whether as a concert soloist, recitalist, or chamber musician, Mardirossian performed throughout Bulgaria, the former Soviet Union, and Eastern Europe before moving to Europe, where he developed an impressive solo career with tours of England, Wales, Italy, France, and the United States, including debuts in London and Carnegie Hall in 1992. He appeared as guest artist at international music festivals such as Manuel De Falla in Spain; Shanghai festival in China; in Cheltenham, England; European Cultural Months; International Chamber Music Festival in Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Czech Festival in Trento, Italy; and Sofia Musical Weeks, among others in France, Germany, Spain, Japan, China, and Korea.
“Kevork Mardirossian was an extraordinarily accomplished musician and a professor who was well beloved by his students. He was a wonderful colleague and friend to so many in our community and his absence will be deeply felt across Jacobs School of Music,” said Abra Bush, David Henry Jacobs Bicentennial Dean.
His first solo recital was at age 12, and his intensive concert career started when he won the gold medal and first prize at the Obretenov Violin Competition in Bulgaria in 1978, the gold medal at Katya Popova International Music Festival in 1979, and several international chamber music competitions in 1985-86 with his duo partner, pianist Lee Phillips.
In 1980, he became the concertmaster of the Plovdiv Philharmonic until 1988, when he moved to the United States, where he was appointed artist-in-residence at the University of Central Arkansas. There, he co-founded the Kapelle Trio with pianist Lee Phillips and cellist Felice Farrell as well as the Heber Springs Chamber Music Festival and master courses in 1998. From 1995 to 2008, he was violin professor and chair of the String Department at the College of Music and Drama at Louisiana State University (LSU).
Mardirossian was a highly respected violin pedagogue and devoted mentor to more than 100 outstanding students, many of them winners in national and international competitions. Others can be found in the world’s leading orchestras as concertmasters and principals, and as teachers in universities in the United States, Europe, and Asia.
He has served on the faculties of the International Institute at Round Top, Texas (2001-08); Aria String Academy in Massachusetts; Aurora Chamber Music festival in Sweden; Manuel De Falla International Courses in Granada, Spain; String Academy in Pontedeume, Spain; and international master courses at the Shanghai Conservatory. He presented regular master classes in Europe, Asia, South America, and the United States in many major schools and universities.