Heghine Rapyan is a member of the Jury in the International Online Piano & Organ Competition.

Studies

Born in the town of Gavar, Armenia, Heghine Rapyan was fascinated by the sound of the piano already in her early childhood and started to play at the age of three. She took piano lessons at the local music school with A. Zagaryan and later worked with Armen Babakhanian in Yerevan, at the Tschaikowsky Music School for talented children. Soon after, at the age of 15, she entered the Yerevan State Conservatory. There she was awarded the “Red Diploma” and graduated with the highest honours. Later, she continued her piano studies in Austria, at the University of Mozarteum in Salzburg, where she worked with Profs. Peter Lang and Rolf Plagge (piano performance) and Profs. Imre Rohmann and Tünde Kurucz (chamber music). In 2017 she graduated Mozarteum with distinction and was awarded the academic degree Master of Arts (MA).

Artistic career

Heghine Rapyan had her first concert tour in Germany, Austria and Netherlands, at the age of 16, after winning the Kawai Artist Price in 2001 at Armenian Legacy International Piano Competition in Yerevan. Since then, Heghine has given recitals internationally and participated regularly in music festivals, including performances at Megaron Hall, Athens, Rudolf Oetker Halle in Bielefeld, Shenzhen Concert Hall in China, etc.

Heghine has been a soloist with the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, Armenian National Chamber Orchestra, Female Symphony Orchestra of Austria and Salzburg University Orchestra.

She has collaborated with the Japanese conductor Hisayoshi Inoue. Her performances of Liszt 2nd Piano Concerto have been broadcasted by the Tokyo National Radio.

Awards and expertise earned by Heghine Rapyan

Heghine was awarded prizes in competitions in Armenia, Italy and Greece, including the first prize at Stephan Elmas International piano competition. She has participated in Masterclasses and worked privately with important teachers and musicians of our times: Jerome Rose, Robert Levin, Klaus Hellwig. In 2012 she met in Salzburg the great Austrian pianist Ingrid Haebler who as of then, became her main mentor and advisor. Mrs. Haebler’s coaching had a great impact on Heghine’s interpretative style and pianism.

”It is through her thoughtful and tenderly expressive music-making that she most deeply touches the emotions of audiences.
… In Rapyan’s powerful multi-layered playing, every single sound carefully fitted into the soundscapes presented with sovereign self-confidence. She makes the Piano to sound like an Orchestra”

Neue Westfälische 2011

As of 2017 she holds a teaching position of piano & art of interpretation, at Musikum Salzburg.