Vartan melkonian biography of martin

“The orphan boy who became a great conductor” 100 Lives

A video made by 100 Lives.com https://auroraprize.com/en/Aurora Prize

Vartan Melkonian was brought up in the early ‘50s as an orphan in the Birds’ Nest Orphanage in Lebanon until the age of eight.

He then lived rough in the slums of Beirut, scouring the streets of the city.

Who could have imagined that this ‘street-slug’ – as Vartan used to be called in the gutters, with a severe speech impediment – would grow up to become a conductor of classical music, conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and other similar orchestras in London’s most famous halls and across the globe.

“…he has had no formal education or any musical training.

His life story is noting short of a miracle.”  Hallam Tennyson.

Honours

Vartan was made an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters on 21 October 2016 i Press Archive | Vartan Melkonian TUQAZ