DR. SARKIS BALTAIAN has gained an international reputation as a concert pianist, chamber musician, recording artist and pedagogue. He has been praised by critics for his “beautiful tone and ability to project even the most delicate pianissimos” and compared to George Gershwin and Oscar Levant for his performance of Gershwin’s Concerto in F. Dr. Baltaian made his Carnegie Hall Debut in 1999 and has performed extensively both as recitalist and concerto soloist with major orchestras throughout the United States, Europe and Australia.
Dr. Baltaian has been a top prize winner of various national and international competitions and has appeared as guest artist in numerous festivals including the Aspen International Music Festival, Holland Music Sessions, Bad Bertrich Klaviersommer, Pan Pacific Music Festival and Plovdiv International Chamber Music Festival. Dr. Baltaian has made recordings for Television and Radio Stations and has been featured in live concerts and interviews on NBC, NPR, KUSC- Los Angeles, K-Mozart- Los Angeles, WMFT-Chicago, Bulgarian National Radio, Classic FM-Bulgaria among others.
A dedicated teacher, Dr. Baltaian’s students have won various national and international competitions and continue to establish themselves as respectable musicians. He is a fierce advocate for the music education of young musicians and has served on the piano faculty at the Pan Pacific Music Festival in Sydney, Australia and as a chamber music coach for the Junior Chamber Music Series in Los Angeles. Dr. Baltaian is in demand as clinician and regularly presents Master Classes at Universities across the United States. He is frequently invited to adjudicate for such organizations as the Music Teachers National Association, Music Teachers Association of California, Junior Bach Festival and Southwestern Youth Music Festival.
Dr. Baltaian began to study piano at the age of four with Rositza Ivancheva at the “Dobrin Petkov” Music High School for gifted students in his native Bulgaria. He continued his education at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles where he received the Bachelor of Music, Masters of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts Degrees under the direction of renowned pedagogue and concert artist John Perry who describes Dr. Baltaian as “a musical talent of genius quality”.
From 2002-2006, Dr. Baltaian served as the teaching assistant to Professor John Perry at the University of Southern California and was also a member of the piano faculty at the California State University, Los Angeles from 2005-2008.
Currently, Dr. Baltaian is an Assistant Professor of Music (Piano) at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
