Seattle Sounders Honor Armenian Conductor Tigran Arakelyan

During their June 28 home match against Austin, MLS club Seattle Sounders presented conductor Tigran Arakelyan with the Community Assist Award for his contributions to music education and civic engagement. The Armenian-American musician was named Hero of the Match and received special recognition at the stadium and on the club's social media platforms.

Arakelyan actively works with youth, organizes music programs, and strives to make classical music accessible to all. He performs not only in concert halls but also in unusual venues such as bars, cafés, and homeless shelters. His mission is to inspire a new generation and make music a part of everyday life.

Tigran is the music director of the Northwest Mahler Festival and Port Townsend Symphony. He has previously worked with orchestras in California and Los Angeles and has conducted in prestigious venues such as Walt Disney Concert Hall and Benaroya Hall.

Seattle Sounders have long supported local leaders who strengthen the community. This award to Tigran is further proof of that commitment.

Born in Yerevan, Tigran studied at a traditional post-Soviet music school, where he began playing flute and studying classical music from an early age. At age 11, he moved to the U.S. with his family.

In 2016, he earned a doctorate at the University of Washington with a dissertation titled "Armenian Orchestral Music", focusing on the history and cataloging of works by Armenian composers that unite the diaspora and the homeland.

Learn more at www.TigranArakelyan.com