Cello Soloist RusLan Biryukov will appear in concert with the Huntington Beach Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Grant Sevdayan in the California premiere performance of composer Aram Khachaturian’s “Cello Concerto in E-minor.” The event is set for Sunday, March 10 at 3:30 p.m. at the Huntington Beach Central Library Theatre, located at 7111 Talbert Avenue, Huntington Beach, CA 91648.
Other repertoire on the program will include: Antonín Leopold Dvořák’s “Symphony No. 9 in E-minor, Op. 95,” subtitled “From the New World” and Léo Delibes’ Flower Duet from the opera, “Lakmé” with Sopranos, Susan Kinsey Montgomery and Grace Lee.
Presale tickets for the concert are $28 each for General Admission, $25 each for Seniors and Students, and a four ticket special for $80 which is online available online. Tickets at the door on the day of the event will be $35 each for General Admission and $28 each for Seniors and Students. For further information, please call 714-274-5524, email info@hbsymphony.org and visit the website.
“Crafted in 1946, just a year following the conclusion of World War II, Aram Khachaturian’s ‘Cello Concerto in E-minor’ endured a tumultuous fate, shrouded in the political turmoil of its time. Alongside luminaries like Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and Kabalevsky, Khachaturian faced accusations of “formalistic tendencies,” a nebulous charge often wielded by those wielding power over the Soviet cultural sphere. This period of persecution threatened the livelihoods of these esteemed composers, illustrating the capricious nature of state propaganda.
“Despite its artistic merits, Khachaturian’s concerto languished in neglect, its performances sporadic and its reception muted both in the USSR and the West. Remarkably, the piece has never graced Californian stages, nor does any record indicate its premiere in the United States.
“What irked Soviet authorities about the concerto? For one, its expansive length, spanning over 30 minutes, challenged conventional expectations. Its fusion of jazz harmonies with folk-inspired melodies, reminiscent of Armenian ashughs, clashed with the sensibilities of Moscow’s political elite, despite Stalin’s own ties to Tiflis, Khachaturian’s birthplace. During Stalin’s reign, jazz and Western music faced stringent bans, viewed as breeding grounds for individualism and dissent.
“However, the concerto’s intricate harmonies masterfully weave jazz influences into its fabric, while its melodies resonate with the rich hues of Armenian tradition and folk rhythms. The second movement, steeped in lyrical poignancy, echoes the haunting memories of World War II, painting a panoramic canvas of epic proportions. The third movement, with its spirited “Sabre Dance” rhythms, sparkles with virtuosity and verve, a testament to Khachaturian’s mastery of composition.”
RusLan Biryukov (Руслан Бирюков) is the Founder of the Glendale Philharmonic Orchestra and Los Angeles Cello Quartet and Artistic Director of Positive Motions Concert Series in Los Angeles, as well as a Professional Cellist and Educator.
Biryukov has received critical acclaim for his artistry as a cellist. Boominginla.com has written: “The evening was enhanced by Biryukov’s magnetic personality as he thoroughly charmed the audience….” The Hollywood Times has written: “Biryukov balances a deep passion for the music with a scholarly fascination… his playing is impressive beyond words….” Peter Mark, the Former Artistic Director of Virginia Opera has written, “RusLan is an extraordinary, one of kind performer. He has everything: technique, virtuosity, personality, communication, attractive and articulate presence, a great human story and background.”
Biryukov is the only cellist ever invited to perform for 10 consecutive years solo recitals at the Sundays Live Concert Series in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the longest running live radio broadcasted concert series in the United States on KUSC 91.5 FM.
Biryukov was also the only Russian cellist invited to solo with an orchestra during the inaugural season of the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Orange County. He has appeared as a Soloist the Temecula Valley Symphony, Redlands Bowl Symphony, Marina Del Rey Symphony (Summer Series), the San Bernardino Symphony, Huntington Beach Symphony, Wichita Symphony and Kansas Symphony. He has performed with world-renowned violinist Midori at Disney Hall in Los Angeles, with cellist Kirill Rodin at the Tchaikovsky Moscow Conservatory, and with members of the Ysaye Quartet. Ruslan Biryukov was a former co-host, along with the late conductor Frank Fetta, of “The Cool Classics” radio show broadcast from LA Talk Live Radio.
Biryukov has been a master teacher in music festivals in Europe and Russia. He has held teaching positions at the Ippolitov-Ivanov State Institute of Music in Moscow, Russia; the Music Academy in Lovran, Croatia; and the California Institute of Music in the United States. His creative artistic ideas are based upon the traditions he learned from esteemed artists Kirill Rodin, Mstislav Rostropovich, Daniil Shafran, Natalia Gutman, Janos Starker, Steven Isserlis, and the late Eleonore Schoenfeld (USC Thornton School of Music, Piatigorsky Chair).
Biryukov is a prominent pedagogue. Within the last decade of his teaching he has maintained leading positions within the Los Angeles music educational arena. Many of his students have become successful professional cellists and have been accepted by major universities and music conservatories with full scholarships, including USC, UCLA, CSUF and San Francisco Conservatory. He has given Cello Master Classes at major universities in the United States and abroad, including University of Austin, TX, UCLA, CalState Fullerton, Wichita University, Boulder University in Colorado, Kazakh National University of the Arts, as well as a international music festivals in Europe and Russia.
Born in Baku, Azerbaijian, Biryukov received his formal music education at the Tchaikovsky Moscow Conservatory in Russia (Master of Music, M.A.), and the USC Thornton School of Music in the United States (Artist Diploma and Graduate Certificate). He first earned international recognition by winning major awards in Azerbaijan and by the inclusion of his name in the Golden Book of Russia’s international program “New Names.” Biryukov has gone on to win numerous other awards worldwide, including the Grand Prize at the 17th Mu Phi Epsilon International Competition.
Biryukov resides in Encino, CA. He was awarded permanent residency from the U.S. government as an “Extraordinary Ability Artist.” The title means that he has “sustained national or international acclaim and the achievements have been recognized” in his field, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. In 2016 Biryukov became a naturalized citizen of United States. Additionally, Biryukov is the only professional cellist in the world granted United States Commercial Pilot license and Certified Flight Instructor Instrument single and multi-engine airplanes licenses. To learn more, please visit, the website, YouTube, and Instagram @RuslanMusicArt.
Grant Sevdayan (Founding Music Director of Huntington Beach Symphony Orchestra) grew up in Armenia, where he pursued his musical training in conducting, theory, piano and composition at various institutions. After initial studies in a music school for children with exceptional musical abilities, he entered Yerevan State Conservatory where he majored in theory, composition and choral conducting. After immigrating to the United States in 1987, he completed his studies in organ performance and orchestral conducting, with honors, at the University of Southern California.
Maestro Sevdayan has served as Music Director and Conductor of operas and musicals in Southern California as well as in Italy, Austria and France. Among them were popular productions of “La Traviata” and “Macbeth” by Verdi, “The Barber of Seville” by Rossini, “The Elixir of Love” by Donizetti, “Faust” by Gounod, and more. He has performed at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, St. Charles in Vienna, Le Madeleine and Notre Dame in Paris. Sevdayan has received high praises in concert reviews.
Locally, Sevdayan has served as Music Director with Casa Italiana, Intimate Opera Company, Inglewood Pops and the Peninsula Symphony. Along with his duties as Organist and Choir Director at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Huntington Beach, Sevdayan currently serves as Music Director of Huntington Beach Symphony Orchestra, which he founded with few other art enthusiasts in January of 2009.
Susan Kinsey Montgomery (Soprano) earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from Chapman University and a Master of Music Degree from California State University at Fullerton. She is an Adjunct Vocal Faculty member at Chapman University. She has performed at Royce Hall, UCLA, Los Angeles Music Center, the Crystal Cathedral. She has appeared with the Los Angeles Master Chorale and the Orange County Master Chorale, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Beijing Symphony, the American Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Choral Society, the New York Virtuoso Singers, the Long Island Baroque Ensemble, and as part of the Dessoff Choir Concert Series.
Grace Lee (Soprano) is a pharmacist by day, and singer by night. She has enjoyed making music with choruses across the country, such as the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Seattle Choral Company, Boston’s Chorus Pro Musica, Meritage Vocal Arts Ensemble, and Pacific Chorale. As a soloist, she has performed major works with the Cypress Masterworks Chorale, City of Yorba Linda’s annual “Messiah” Singalong, Huntington Beach Symphony Orchestra, Golden State Pops Orchestra and the Chamber Players of Los Angeles.
Huntington Beach Symphony is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of cultural opportunities in North Orange County Coastal Communities and providing musical outreach to their communities’ youth. The symphony provides enrichment through concerts of music of all genres of high artistry, a comprehensive educational outreach program and access for all. Learn more at online.
