BIOGRAPHY                                    BIOGRAPHY                                    BIOGRAPHY One of the leading Armenian composers of his generation, Edward Manukyan has recently gained considerable international reputation for his chamber works and instrumental pieces. Born and raised in Armenia (then USSR) in 1981, Manukyan did not develop his interests in music until his late teens. In 1997 he won state scholarship to study languages and psychology at the University after V. Brusov in Yerevan and at the same time he began studying music, concentrating on composition and songwriting. Advancing his skills rapidly and with a devotion, he soon appeared as a permanent member with local orchestras and chamber groups, writing material for their repertoires. Upon moving to the United States in 2002, Manukyan studied with Rowan Taylor and later continued his studies at the California State University, Los Angeles (2005-2007), earning a Master of Music degree in composition. The wind-orchestra version of Manukyan's Symphony No. 1 (written in commemoration of the 15th anniversary of Armenia’s independence from the Soviet Union), was performed by CSULA Wind Ensemble upon his graduation, conducted by Abel Ramirez. Since his student years, Manukyan's works have been featured by orchestras, chamber groups and solo musicians throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas, publicized by TV, newspapers, and other media. Manukyan's style is based on Armenian folklore elements and contemporary compositional techniques. Although he never presents quotations of actual folk songs, the glorification of folk music and its synthesis with modern trends is the very essence of all his work. His fast-growing catalog includes both orchestral and chamber works, as well as music for solo instruments and over one hundred songs. During the recent years, the composer has been dedicating a considerable part of his music to scientists and public intellectuals, in his ongoing attempts to promote wider appreciation for science among the music-loving audiences and the general public. These efforts were put into a unique project of the composer's creation called "Musical Tribute to Scientists," which honors some of the world's greatest minds in concerts throughout the United States and Europe. Recently Manukyan's famous friend Noam Chomsky, widely considered to be the world's leading intellectual, was honored with a concert in Boston, which Chomsky attended with dozens of family, friends and colleagues. Manukyan is a member of the American Society of Composers and Publishers (ASCAP) and currently lives in Los Angeles. He often travels to be present at concerts of his music around the world, occasionally providing opening speeches and brief lectures on science and music.