Ara Malikian

Ara Malikian, born in Beirut in 1968 into an Armenian family, is one of the most distinctive violinists of his generation. His father Jiraïr, a musician himself, placed a violin under Ara's chin at the age of three. At 14, he became the youngest student ever admitted to the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover; he later studied at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London. The Lebanese civil war shaped his childhood – rehearsals in basements and air-raid shelters were a daily reality. After his studies in Europe, Malikian settled in Spain, served as concertmaster of the Madrid Symphony Orchestra and built a global career: over 300 concerts, more than 40 countries and five continents. He has been invited by ensembles including the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra and the Belgrade Philharmonic, under conductors such as Mariss Jansons and Vladimir Spivakov. Performances at Madrid's Teatro Real, London's Royal Albert Hall, Buenos Aires' Luna Park and Carnegie Hall (December 2022) underline his status as an exceptional soloist. His style defies categorisation: Bach and Paganini meet flamenco, jazz and tango. With over 40 albums – including the acclaimed "The Incredible Story of the Violin" (from 2017) and "Royal Garage" (2019), featuring contributions from Andrés Calamaro, Enrique Bunbury and Serj Tankian – he has created a sound universe entirely his own. His current show "Intruso" celebrates this limitless musical journey.