As a winner of the Artists International Competition he was presented in his New York debut in Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall in 2003 receiving highest acclaim from the audience and the press. New York Concert Review described his performance as "Technically brilliant… Besalyan played with a great deal of temperament, speed and power… audacious spirit and poetic substance, deeply felt tenderness… The Liszt Mephisto Waltz…was hair-raising. One could not help but admire the opening and the famous treacherous octave leaps later on." Mr. Besalyan was subsequently invited to perform at Merkin Concert Hall on the Artists International "Outstanding Alumni-Winners" series.
The flourishing career of Mr. Besalyan takes him to many important music venues worldwide. His performances as a recitalist, chamber musician and soloist with orchestra have been heard throughout North and South America, Europe, Russia and Asia. He made solo appearances with the Osaka Symphony Orchestra (Japan), Orchestra Sinfonica Del Festival Di Chioggia in Venice (Italy), Yerevan Symphony Orchestra (Armenia), Belgorod, Symphony (Russia), Kharkov Symphony (Ukraine), New Jersey Festival Orchestra, S. Orange Symphony and Moscow Chamber Orchestra. Critics have praised Mr. Besalyan's performances for its virility, passion and extraordinary technical command, especially in the Romantic and 20th century repertoire. The Armenian reporter Int'l – New York stated that "Standing ovation and cries of "Bravo" and "Encore" went to pianist Raffi Besalyan…mesmerized the audience with his gracious, delicate yet powerful presentation of Rachmaninoff's Concerto No.3."
"the entire hall was devoured by Besalyan's glorious touch and crystalline sound…Besalyan was not just playing the piano, he was creating wonderful art, and treated the piano with his love for the music." Sotokuan Press (Osaka, Japan). The publication AZG (Yerevan, Armenia) said "Besalyan's magnetic presence, so necessary for the audience, was evident throughout the entire Liszt Sonata in B minor, where he displayed his highest skill in mastery of unity of the developing musical drama."
After a highly successful tour of Japan in 2001, Mr. Besalyan was invited back each year for concerts and master classes by Tokyo IMC, MAS management and The Takatsuki Music Teacher's Association of Osaka. Recently, he has been added to the roster of Yamaha (Japan) as a Guest Artist/Teacher.
Among some of the recent highlights of Mr. Besalyan's performances are solo/duo recitals with distinguished pianist Sara Davis Buechner for "Keyboard Karma" series in Vancouver, Canada, "Yamaha Pianos" presented by Yamaha Corporation of America in New York City, also, a concert tour and master classes in Japan, including a performance of Rachmaninoff's 3rd Concerto with Osaka Symphony and a solo recital in Izumi Hall for "Vivace" concert series in Osaka; appearances with the Jasper Quartet for BFCM in New York and, with Metropolitan Opera tenor Jon Garrison for NATS.
In 2006 Mr. Besalyan recorded a CD of complete two piano works of Busoni with Sara Davis Buechner for Koch International Classics.
Mr. Besalyan received his Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from Yerevan (Armenia) Komitas Conservatory, where he studied with Sergey Barseghyan. He also received a Master of Music degree from Rowan University as a student of Veda Zuponcic, and studied at the Manhattan School with legendary American pianist Byron Janis and Sara Davis Buechner. His studies at the Moscow State Conservatory included classes with Alexei Nasedkin, Victor Merzhanov and Naum Shtarkman.
In August of 2008, Mr. Besalyan will begin his appointment of Artist/Teacher-Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He is currently on the faculty of Rowan University in New Jersey, and also, served on the faculties of Festival Musica in Laguna in Venice, Italy, and the International Summer Music Festival at Rowan. Mr. Besalyan maintains a fairly large studio of gifted pre-college students, members of which have been winners and prizewinners of several auditions and competitions such as NJMTA Young Artist Competition, NJMTA Concerto Competition, Young Pianist Competition of NJ (Solo and Concerto division), Young Artist International Competition in Washington D.C., and the Philadelphia Orchestra Greenfield Competition among others.
