10 01 2007 - A Message from the Podium and his Biography

A Message from the Podium
Dear Friends,
So much of our music, so much of our art, so much of our literature is inspired by the beauties of our land, our seas, our lakes and forests and the seasons that transform them.

Is it possible for us, as musicians, artists and all who experience the magic of the arts, to remain indifferent when so much evidence suggests the gradual destruction of our environment by human activities?

In accord with our belief that arts are not just decoration, that they can and should play a role in social change, we dedicate the 2006-2007 season to our fragile environment.

Join us and make wonderful music together for a better world.

Nurhan Arman

Music Director
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Maestro Arman has brought capacity crowds to their feet on three continents. He has appeared in France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Hungary, Portugal, Russia, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Turkey, Armenia, South Korea, Mexico and throughout the US and Canada.

Critics on both sides of the Atlantic have been unanimous in their praise. Pravda hailed Maestro Arman as a "fascinating and striking musical personality," while the Broadcast Review in Prague reported "a spirited and nobly rounded performance."

Born to Armenian parents in Istanbul, Nurhan Arman played his first violin recital at the age of 13. In 1971 he came to United States on a Disney Foundation scholarship to continue his studies at the California Institute of the Arts. He concertized from coast to coast appearing in major US cities as well as at the prestigious music festivals of Tanglewood, Spoleto, New York and Florida. After several seasons of leading US orchestras as concertmaster he began a conducting career that has expanded dramatically.

In 1982 Nurhan Arman moved to Canada to accept the post of Music Director of the North Bay Symphony and the Northern Music Festival. In 1985 he was appointed to the Royal Conservatory in Toronto as a Visiting Instructor in Conducting, and in 1987 he was named Music Director of Symphony New Brunswick which he has swiftly built into a major regional resource. In March of 1993 Maestro Arman was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Yerevan Symphony in Armenia. In May 2002 he was named Music Director Emeritus of Symphony New Brunswick.Nurhan Arman photo

In 1998 Nurhan Arman founded Sinfonia Toronto which in a short time developed to become the premier chamber orchestra in Toronto.

In Canada, Maestro Arman records regularly for CBC Radio and TV. Internationally, he has recorded for First Edition Records, Educo Records, Radio Moscow, Polish Broadcasting, Czech Radio, KBS of Korea, TRT of Turkey, Lithuanian TV, Armenian Radio and TV and PBS in the US.

Maestro Arman has served as an adjudicator on many prestigious panels, including the International Fitelberg Conducting Competition, Canada Council Conducting Competition and Heinz Unger Competition. He has taught conducting at New York's Brockport Festival, the Florida Festival, and in Canada at his own Northern Music Festival, Orford Arts Centre and the Royal Conservatory of Music.

Among many orchestras conducted by Nurhan Arman are the Deutsches Kammerorchester Frankfurt, Bellas Artes Chamber Orchestra of Mexico City, Florence Chamber Orchestra, l’Orchestra da Camera Milano Classica, Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana, Orchestra Sinfonico di Lecce, Orchestra Extremadura (Spain), State Philharmonic of Mexico, Orchestra del Teatro Olimpico (Italy), Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra, Hungarian Philharmonic, Lithuanian Philharmonic, Volgograd Symphony, l'Orchestre Regional d'Ile de France, Bohemian Festival Orchestra, Pilsen Radio Symphony, Silesian State Philharmonic, Denver Chamber Orchestra, Armenian Philharmonic, Bucharest Philharmonic, Brasov Philharmonic, Filarmonica Moldova, Filarmonica Sibiu, Slovak (Kosice) Philharmonic, Deutsches Kammerorchester on tour at the Ljubljana Summer Music Festival. Karlsbad Symphony, Rivne Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano, Grand Orchestre de l'Harmonie (Belgium), Pusan Symphony, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Orchestra London, Saskatoon Symphony, Royal Conservatory Orchestra, Bangor Symphony, Okanagan Symphony, Mansfield Symphony, Billings Symphony, Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra and many others.

In the summers of 2001 and 2002 Maestro Arman served as Director and faculty at the Royal Conservatory's Conducting Institute, an international training workshop for professionals.

Upcoming engagements include Romanian National Radio Orchestra on tour in Italy for an all-Mozart program, State Philharmonic Orchestra of Mexico, Orquesta da Madeira in Portugal, l’Orchestra da Camera Milano Classica, Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana and Orchestra da Grosetto of Italy.

REVIEWS

"Exciting!" "The Boccherini movements rang with lively and masterful use of dynamic shadings, convincing with precise and exciting homogeny." ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG

"A delicious performance of Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana began with Marco Betta's 'Letters from war and death' which was lovingly conducted by Nurhan Arman. It was followed by an excellent interpretation of Beethoven's First Symphony which thoroughly delighted the audience at the Villa Piccolo." IL GIORNALE DI SICILIA

"A fascinating and striking musical personality. He came impeccably prepared and knew just what he wished to achieve, and the orchestra played with zest and precision in ensemble and intonation." PRAVDA

"He had everyone dancing on the end of his baton." KITCHENER-WATERLOO RECORD

"Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor was performed in a new arrangement for string orchestra by Sinfonia's conductor Nurhan Arman, with Robert Silverman as soloist...one seldom missed full orchestral colours in Arman's arrangement." THE TORONTO STAR

"Arman was in his element here especially, coaxing perfectly balanced, delicately ironic sounds... Eyes twinkled and were on the verge of smiling at times as they moved from score to conductor. The musicians seemed alert to Arman's every move, not something that happens with many guest conductors." KITCHENER-WATERLOO RECORD

Grieg’s Holberg Suite and Dvorak’s Serenade – "both of which Arman led in an affectionate, unhurried manner, with an appreciation of their singing qualities"

"there is no better way to put an audience in a relaxed and receptive frame of mind than Conductor Nurhan Arman’s affable remarks introducing each selection"

"here’s to success for Sinfonia Toronto" THE TORONTO STAR

"Nurhan Arman and his orchestra literally conquered us..." LA SCENA MUSICALE

"Arman coaxed pianissimos of remarkable beauty and precision from his string sections in the first Wagner Prelude and maintained balanced clarity in even the brassy fortissimos of the other Prelude." THE GLOBE AND MAIL, Toronto

"A graceful conductor who kept one's attention consistently. Bravo!" THE DENVER POST

"Nurhan Arman conducted the Sinfonia Toronto with great flexibility and care. It was evident from his physical movements that the music was in his soul - at times it appeared as though he was going to dance." THE BARRIE ADVANCE

"The Pilsen Radio Symphony was led in a spirited and nobly rounded performance by the conductor Nurhan Arman from Canada." BROADCAST REVIEW, Prague

"It went like clockwork... Lusty and well-paced." THE TORONTO STAR

"Arman's touch was nimble and easy, so the music became a heavenly transport into joyous images of lightness and airiness... Arman's work was filled with integrity, grace and competency." BANGOR DAILY NEWS, USA

"Nurhan Arman's artistic persona displays an expansive ability to communicate. Arman avoids outward exhibitionism. He leads the orchestra with commanding and classically controlled motions, but without coercion, so that the musicians give themselves wholeheartedly to him, and carry the audience along with them." THE NATION, Armenia

"The orchestra obviously hit it off with guest conductor Nurhan Arman, who drew from it...a round, rich sound with both power and delicacy... But the triumph came in Haydn's Symphony No. 44... Arman set a crackling pace that swept audience and musicians away in the storm and emotion of this wonderful symphony." THE STAR PHOENIX, Saskatoon

"Arman brought out the pensive, almost melancholy Czech sound that one expects only from ensembles of Mitteleuropa. Arman gets into the meat of every piece and his rhythms are marvellous." EVENING TIMES-GLOBE

"Arman kept the attention level high and put music and energy through the roof. Arman is wild at times with his gestures, his curly hair jumping and waving as he bobs; at other times, he is as romantic and subtle as a ballet dancer." THE NEWS JOURNAL, Ohio

"A breath of fresh air... Displaying an animated and at times unorthodox podium style, Arman urged robust, cohesive ensemble work out of the DCO strings. There was energy and wit in the Britten, warmth and communicativeness in the Elgar. "ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, Denver

"Great verve and style." THE MIAMI NEWS

"Nurhan Arman led the orchestra ably through the program's three worlds-apart styles with ease, aplomb." THE NEWS LEADER, Missouri

"A first-rate artist... In full command." BOSTON MIRROR-SPECTATOR

"Arman led the orchestra with a firm hand, cutting a dignified figure on the podium. Arman coaxed a rich, well-balanced sound from the orchestra." THE NEWS JOURNAL, Ohio

"An exceptional talent!" ARAM KHACHATURIAN

"Splendid insight and expressive ideas..." ALAN HOVHANNES


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