Movses Pogossian
Distinguished Professor of Violin; Founder and Advisor, Armenian Music Program - Music Performance, Music Performance

Movses Pogossian made his American debut performing the Tchaikovsky Concerto with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall in 1990, about which Richard Dyer of the Boston Globe wrote: “There is freedom in his playing, but also taste and discipline. It was a fiery, centered, and highly musical performance…” Movses Pogossian has since performed with orchestras such as the Brandenburger Symphoniker and the Halle Philharmonic in Germany, the Sudety Philharmonic in Poland, the Tucson Symphony, the El Paso Symphony, the Scandinavian Chamber Orchestra of New York, and the Toronto Sinfonia. His recent and upcoming performances include recitals in New York, Boston, Ann Arbor, and concerts in Korea, Japan, Germany, Canada, and Armenia. Pogossian was one of the 2016/17 Artists in Residence of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and performed the Mansurian Concerto No. 2 at their season-opening concerts, conducted by Jeffrey Kahane.

He is a Prizewinner of the 1986 Tchaikovsky International Competition, and the youngest-ever First Prize winner of the 1985 USSR National Violin Competition, previous winners of which included David Oistrakh and Gidon Kremer. An active chamber musician, Pogossian has performed with members of the Tokyo, Kronos, and Brentano string quartets, and with such artists as Kim Kashkashian, Jeremy Denk, Lynn Harrell, Ani and Ida Kavafian, and Rohan de Saram. He frequently collaborates with the Apple Hill Chamber Players, teaching annually at their summer music festival in New Hampshire. Movses Pogossian is the Artistic Director of the critically acclaimed Dilijan Chamber Music Series, which performs at Zipper Hall in downtown Los Angeles, and is currently in its fIfteenth season (https://dilijan.larkmusicalsociety.org).

A committed propagate of new music, Pogossian has premiered over 80 works, and works closely with composers such as G. Kurtág, K. Saariaho, T. Mansurian, A. R. Thomas, P. Chihara, and Gabriela Lena Frank. His recently formed Duo with remarkable Japanese percussionist Kuniko Kato has commissioned several works for this unusual medium. In Los Angeles, Pogossian frequently performs on Monday Evening Concerts, and is the recipient of the 2011 Forte Award from Jacaranda, given for outstanding contributions to the promotion of new music and modern music.

His discography includes Complete Sonatas and Partitas by J. S. Bach and solo violin CDs “Inspired by Bach”, “Blooming Sounds”, and “In Nomine”.  The 2009 release of G. Kurtag’s “Kafka Fragments” for soprano and violin on Bridge label (with Tony Arnold) includes a unique video documentary on the work with the composer, and a DVD of an unedited live performance. In his review of the recording, Paul Griffiths writes: “…remarkable is Pogossian’s contribution, which is always beautiful, across a great range of colors and gestures, and always seems on the edge of speaking—or beyond.” The recent Bridge Records CD of Complete Violin Works of Stefan Wolpe made the 2015 Top Ten list in Sunday Times (UK). Upcoming releases include a Schoenberg/Webern DVD, recorded at Schoenberg’s Brentwood home (with Kim Kashkashian, Rohan de Saram, and Judith Gordon), and a double album of Chamber Music of Tigran Mansurian, with Kim Kashkashian.

Since earning his advanced degrees from the Komitas Conservatory in Armenia and the Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Music in Moscow, Mr. Pogossian has held teaching positions at Duquesne, Bowling Green, Wayne State, and SUNY Buffalo Universities. His principal teachers were L. Zorian, V. Mokatsian, V. Klimov, and legendary Louis Krasner. Movses Pogossian is currently Professor of Violin at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, as well as Founder/Director of the UCLA Armenian Music Program. He participates in the Music for Food project, which raises awareness of the hunger problem and gives the opportunity to experience the powerful role music can play as a catalyst for change.

VEM Ensemble's International Tour
The VEM Ensemble has just completed its week-long tour of Armenia. Next up is “Resonances: The Music of Armenia” at the Hammer Museum on Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at 7:30
Honoring Kurtág
It was 2004 and Movses Pogossian was preparing the legendary Hungarian composer György Kurtág’s famously intricate Kafka Fragments with soprano Tony Arnold. On a whim, they contacted the composer to
Opera UCLA Presents the World Premiere of Cinematic Horror Opera Cesare, Child of Night
The Herb Alpert School of Music is proud to present film/TV orchestrator, music industry lecturer and composer Jonathan Beard’s (Respect, King Richard, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and The Mandalorian) world premiere of his

Related Members

See All Music Faculty
Jan Berry Baker
Professor of Saxophone, Vice Chair of the Department of Music, and Special Assistant to the Dean for Faculty Mentoring
Herbie Hancock
Adjunct Professor; LA Phil Guest Artist
Adam Gilberti
Lecturer - Music Education/Woodwinds
Erin Bouriakov
Lecturer - Flute Performance
William Kinderman
Elaine Krown Klein Chair in Performance Studies, Professor
James Miller
Lecturer - Trombone Performance; Associate Principal Trombone LA Phil
Peter Kazaras
Distinguished Professor - Director of Opera UCLA
Cheryl Lin Fielding
Lecturer - Vocal Diction, Vocal Coaching
Joshua Ranz
Lecturer - Clarinet Performance
Jens Lindemann
Distinguished Professor of Trumpet
Rakefet Hak
Music Director of Opera UCLA, Lecturer
John Steinmetz
Lecturer - Bassoon Performance
Ben Hong
Lecturer - Cello Performance
Kay Rhie
Assistant Professor
Lily Chen-Hafteck
Professor and Special Assistant to the Inaugural Dean for Curricular Reform
Iris Malkin
Lecturer - Vocal Coaching
Christoph Bull
Adjunct Professor - Organ Performance
Alison Deane
Associate Adjunct Professor
Theresa Dimond
Lecturer - Percussion Performance
Johanna Gamboa-Kroesen
Assistant Professor--Music Education
Che-Yen Chen
Professor - Viola Performance
Lou Anne Neill
Lecturer - Harp Performance; Harp LA Phil
Benjamin Smolen
Lecturer - Flute Performance
Jonathan Davis
Lecturer - Oboe Performance
Sarah Koo Freeman
Visiting Professor - Cello Performance
Ji Young An
Lecturer - Violin Performance
Chris Hanulik
Adjunct Professor - String Bass Performance; Principal Bass LA Phil
Vladimir Chernov
Distinguished Professor - Voice Performance
David Lefkowitz
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Music
Ian Krouse
Distinguished Professor
Lucy Yates
Lecturer - Vocal Diction, Vocal Coaching
Arturo O’Farrill
Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion; Professor
Boris Allakhverdyan
Lecturer - Clarinet Performance, Principal Clarinet LA Philharmonic
David Kaplan
Inaugural Shapiro Family Chair in Piano Performance; Assistant Professor
Amy Sanchez
Lecturer - Horn Performance
Brendan McBrien
Lecturer--Music Education
Gloria Cheng
Adjunct Professor - Contemporary Music, Performance Studies
Michael Dean
Professor - Voice Performance
Inna Faliks
Professor - Head of Piano
Hitomi Oba
Director of Contemporary Jazz Ensemble, Lecturer
Ryan Brown
Lecturer -- Voice
Varty Manouelian
Lecturer - Violin Performance; Violin LA Phil
Shahāb Pāranj
Composition – Lecturer and Postdoctoral Scholar, Contemporary concert music
Dante De Silva
Lecturer - Composition, Music Theory
Gregory Goodall
Lecturer - Percussion Performance
Nick DePinna
Adjunct Assistant Professor--Musicianship
James Bass
Professor and Chair of the Department of Music, Director of Choral Studies
Wendy Caldwell
Lecturer - Vocal Coaching
Aubrey Foard
Lecturer - Tuba Performance
Denis Bouriakov
Lecturer - Flute Performance; Principal Flute LA Philharmonic
Juliana Gondek
Distinguished Professor, Voice Performance
Travis J. Cross
Director of Bands; Professor - Conducting
Victoria Kirsch
Lecturer - Vocal Coaching

Explore Other Degrees

Conducting
Graduate study and training in choral, orchestral, or wind conducting
Ethnomusicology
The study of global musical traditions through performance training, research, and field work
Global Jazz Studies
Jazz performance and musicianship courses are paired with African American Studies
BA
Music Composition
Mentorship in the creation and realization of music for concerts, opera, and visual media
Music Education
Preparation for music educators leading to a BA and teaching credential in just four years
BA
Music Industry
A leadership-focused professional degree which prepares students to transform the creative, entrepreneurial, and executive structures of the music industry
Musicology
The scholarly study of the histories, cultures, and critical interpretations of music and music-making
Music Performance
Study and training towards professional performance careers in Western classical music