Emmanuel Tjeknavorian - successful US debut

Photo: Lukas Beck

An unexpected change of conductor at the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington led to a special moment: Emmanuel Tjeknavorian stepped in at short notice for Christoph Eschenbach and conducted the planned Beethoven -Program at the Kennedy Center – with great success.

The Washington Classical Review wrote enthusiastically about Tjeknavorian's performance:

"The 30-year-old Armenian-Austrian conductor, who only began conducting three years ago, made a remarkable US podium debut. He knows exactly what he is doing and got the orchestra to play with verve, enthusiasm, and precision. His movements are energetic and precise, without ever being distracting."

The critics particularly highlighted how fresh and vibrant Tjeknavorian made the well-known Beethoven The performance featured works – the Egmont Overture and the Seventh Symphony. The balance between the orchestral sections, the transparency of the sound structures, and the suspenseful composition were described as particularly successful.

Even minor matters of taste – such as the desire for a bit more unrestrained energy in the finale – did not detract from the overall positive impression. The Washington Classical Review summarized that the performance possessed that "thrilling, dance-like energy" which Richard Wagner had once described as the "apotheosis of dance."

A brilliant start to Emmanuel Tjeknavorian's career on the big stages of the USA!