Petros Shoujounian

I was born in Gyumri, Armenia, and I began my musical journey with the violin at the Komitas Music School. I started composing at age 12 and studied composition and violin at the Kara-Mourza Music School in Gyumri under Azat Shishian. In 1976 I moved to Canada to pursue composition at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal, where the world-renowned Gilles Tremblay, impressed by my Armenian-inspired creativity, predicted a bright future for me as a composer.

I completed my Master’s in Composition in 1982, winning a Second Prize in composition with Ararat, a symphonic poem for SATB choir, three soloists, large orchestra, piano, organ, and ondes Martenot. Since 1985 I have been an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre. My works have been performed by Canadian orchestras, broadcast on Radio-Canada, and released on labels such as Atma Classique, SNE, and Radio Canada; they draw inspiration from Armenian folk songs and liturgical music. Offstage, I have contributed to Montréal’s musical life as an artistic assistant at the Montréal Opera Festival_Phone details not available. Sign in: https://www.twine.net/signup_), personnel manager at the Orchestre Métropolitain_Phone details not available. Sign in: https://www.twine.net/signup_), and music coordinator at the Orford Festival_Phone details not available. Sign in: https://www.twine.net/signup_). My works are available online at musicaunica.com.