Background: The Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra
The Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra (APO) was founded in 1925 in Yerevan, Armenia, and quickly rose to become the country’s premier symphonic ensemble.
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Over the past century, the APO has played a vital role in introducing Western classical music to Armenia, while also elevating Armenian composers, such as Aram Khachaturian, Komitas Vardapet, and Alexander Arutiunian, onto the global stage.
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The orchestra has collaborated with internationally renowned conductors and soloists, performed across Europe, Russia, and the Middle East, and represented Armenia in major cultural festivals.
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Among the figures associated with both Armenia and Iran is Loris Tcheknavarian, the Iranian-Armenian conductor and composer, who worked extensively with the APO and was instrumental in nurturing its artistic growth.
For its centennial, the APO chose Persepolis as a symbolic venue to underscore the orchestra’s commitment to cultural diplomacy and to celebrate Armenian-Iranian friendship.
