Since Armen Donelian's 1975 recording debut as a member of Mongo Santamaria's vibrant Afro-Cuban Jazz Octet (including the hit "Mambo Mongo" and the Grammy-nominated LP Sofrito with three of his compositions), he has enjoyed an internationally acclaimed career in twenty-three countries as a pianist, composer, producer, educator and author.

A sideman with Jazz legends including Sonny Rollins, Chet Baker, Billy Harper, Paquito D'Rivera, Sheila Jordan and the group Night Ark, Armen Donelian has produced thirteen critically acclaimed albums released on Sunnyside and other record labels with Eddie Gomez, Billy Hart, Dick Oatts, Bill Stewart, Marc Mommaas, Tyshawn Sorey, David Clark, George Schuller and others.

Donelian's music contains Classical, Jazz and Armenian elements blended in such a way that “One can tell it’s a master’s work” (Metronome). His ruminative piece “Stargazer" (published in the New Real Book Vol. 2) is “An epic composition that deserves to become a standard” (Cadence). Donelian’s renditions of Armenian folk songs are noted for their “Countless exquisite moments” (Downbeat).

Armen Donelian has been called “A pianist with a crystalline touch” (New York Times) and “A poetic composer” (Montreal Gazette). Philadelphia Weekly notes: "Donelian’s got a pensive, lyrical streak a mile wide, but don’t underestimate his ability to swing hard and throw punches.”

As a child, Armen Donelian received twelve years of Classical training at the Westchester Conservatory of Music (Artists’ Certificate 1968) and graduated in 1972 from Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music. Donelian's post-graduate private studies include conducting with Carl Bamberger (Mannes College of Music), harmonic analysis with Ludmila Ulehla (Manhattan School of Music), Jazz piano with Richie Beirach (David Liebman and Stan Getz), and Schoenberg harmony and counterpoint with microtonal composer Harold Seletsky (student of Josef Schmid).

Armen Donelian is a Fulbright Senior Scholar noted for his work in Armenia, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland and Greece, and the author of Training the Ear Vol. 1 & 2 and Whole Notes, all published by Advance Music and read globally. In 1986, Donelian was invited by founding director Arnie Lawrence to join the New School Jazz faculty. Donelian is a frequent international clinician.

Armen Donelian has taught thousands of students from around the globe, including many who have achieved notable success, such as Anat Fort, Robert Glasper, Larry Goldings, Tigran Hamasyan, Justin Kauflin, Marc Mommaas, Jane Monheit, Chris Potter, Sam Sadigursky, Tyshawn Sorey and Billy Test (partial listing).

New School Presents
ARMEN DONELIAN: GENERATIONS
A retrospective celebration of four decades on the global Jazz scene and thirty years on the New School Jazz Faculty

ARMEN DONELIAN (piano, composer)
DAVID CLARK (bass, Berklee College of Music Faculty)
GEORGE SCHULLER (drums)

Special Guest VIC JURIS* (guitar)
*New School Faculty

BRADEN SMITH* (tenor saxophone)
EVAN WRIGHT* (guitar)
ARON CACERES* (bass)
DAVID JIMENEZ* (drums)
*Current New School Student

TUESDAY, APRIL 19th, 8PM

New School Jazz Performance Space
College of Performing Arts
55 West 13th Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10011
(212) 229-5896

Admission $10. (seniors and New School students free)

At the New School Performance Space on April 19th, The ARMEN DONELIAN Trio with bassist DAVID CLARK and drummer GEORGE SCHULLER, Donelian’s rhythm section for twelve years, is joined by Special Guest guitarist VIC JURIS. The concert opens with Donelian leading a group of talented New School students: BRADEN SMITH (tenor saxophone), EVAN WRIGHT (guitar), ARON CACERES (bass) and DAVID JIMENEZ (drums) who are certain to be heard from in the coming years. In this program, Donelian features his distinctive compositions and solo piano arrangements of music by 18th Century Armenian troubadour SAYAT-NOVA.