Maestro
Arman has brought capacity crowds to their feet on
three continents. He has appeared in France, Germany, Austria, 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. 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.
In 1998 Nurhan Arman founded the Sinfonia Toronto
which he swiftly built into one of Canada's finest chamber orchestras. 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 Sinfonica
Giacchino Rossini,
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 and many others.
Upcoming engagements
during the 2008-2009 season
include numerous dates in Italy, Spain, Austria, Slovenia and the Czech Republic as
well as
a four-concert tour with l’Orchestra
da Camera Milano Classica.
Visit Nurhan Arman's website
REVIEWS
The incandescent baton of Maestro Nurhan Arman and the
Orchestra of Teatro Olimpico in great form
(headline) Eva Purelli
IL GIORNALE DI VICENZA April 2009
Conductor makes magic (sub-headline)
Mikolaus Frey FULDAER ZEITUNG November 2008
In the five movements shaped with perfecting
care Nurhan Arman provided his standing ensemble with conducting gestures
that were sharp-edged, soft, flowing and always playful. With a joyful
sprint with the witty score he served Dvorák as a lighthearted, feel-good
package. Agility, verve and temperament, full of feeling in the quieter
lyrical sections pulsated this reading with life and made it clear that
Sinfonia Toronto was an ensemble of world class.
Albrecht Schmidt
RUSSELHEIMER ECHO November 2008
Conductor Nurhan
Arman directed and guided his musicians through the idiosyncratic and
challenging score with almost boundless energy. The interpretation we heard
was the result of intensive rehearsals paying attention to inner details and
it was sensitive, committed and well thought-out.
Peter Ernst WESTFALLEN BLATT
November 2008
In the Suite for String Orchestra by Leos
Janacek and in the Serenade for strings by Antonin Dvorak - there was ample
momentum and passion, they were played with perfect string sonority and
technique and were propelled forward by a spirited conductor.
FLORSHEIM ZEITUNG
November 2008
"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" THE TORONTO STAR
"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" THE TORONTO STAR
"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
