2025-2026 Season Concerts
Armenian Voices American Rhapsody
Friday | March 20 2026 | 7:00 pm
Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Karén Hakobyan leads Pegasus: The Orchestra in its debut at St. Vartan Cathedral in a vibrant program bridging Armenian heritage, classical masterworks, and American innovation. Guest pianist Kiron Atom Tellian opens with a selection of Komitas’s Armenian Dances, while cellist Sergey Antonov joins Hakobyan in Saint-Saëns’s Cello Concerto No. 1 and Arutunian’s Impromptu, followed by Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise and Komitas arrangements. The concert culminates with Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, played and conducted by Hakobyan.
Location: St. Vartan Cathedral
630 2nd Ave, New York, NY
Tickets: $40 Ages 12 and under free
Discounted parking for $16 at 300 E 34 Street, New York, NY 10016
Fire, Song & Rhapsody
Saturday | March 21 2026 | 4:00 pm
Pegasus: The Orchestra returns to the TheraYouth Foundation for a third consecutive year, led by Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Karén Hakobyan. Every work on the program is heard in a new version crafted by Hakobyan for Pegasus’s eighteen-member ensemble, curated specifically for this concert. The journey moves from the sparkle of Haydn and the lyricism of Saint-Saëns to the soulful elegance of Rachmaninoff and the exuberance of Gershwin.
The evening opens with Haydn’s Symphony No. 59 “Fire”, spotlighting Pegasus’s clarity, precision, and expressive range. 2017 International Tchaikovsky Competition Gold Medalist and GRAMMY-nominated cellist Sergey Antonov then takes center stage in Saint-Saëns’s Cello Concerto No. 1, performed in an intimate, chamber-scale setting.
After intermission, Komitas’s Three Armenian Miniatures offer a graceful bridge to Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise, featuring Antonov and the ensemble. The concert culminates with Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, with Hakobyan at the piano in a vibrant finale that captures the spirit of American classical jazz.
Location: Dorothy Young Center for the Arts at the Drew University
36 Madison Avenue Madison, New Jersey
Tickets: $40-$65
New Voices - A Journey of Armenian Music
Friday | May 15 2026 | 7:30 pm
Three New York Premieres. One Powerful Finale.
Pegasus: The Orchestra’s Season Finale - New Voices - spotlights Armenian music across generations. Led by Founder and Artistic Director Karén Hakobyan, the program traces a compelling arc from song to concerto to ballet, bringing rarely heard works to the stage alongside one of the twentieth century’s most vivid orchestral voices.
The concert opens with Hakobyan’s Vocalise for Voice and Orchestra, followed by a selection of Komitas Vardapet’s songs for voice and orchestra, performed by soprano Tatev Baroyan, a rising artist currently appearing with the Metropolitan Opera.
The first half culminates in Arno Babadjanian’s Cello Concerto, a rarely performed work marked by lyric breadth and dramatic contrast, featuring Suren Bagratuni, internationally renowned cellist and Silver Medalist of the Tchaikovsky Competition.
The second half opens with Edvard Bagdasarian’s Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra, featuring Pegasus’s guest concertmaster Ruggero Allifranchini, internationally acclaimed violinist and Concertmaster of the Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center. The concert concludes with selections from Aram Khachaturian’s Spartacus and Gayaneh, bringing the season to a close with music defined by rhythmic drive, brilliant orchestration, and unmistakable vitality.
Location: Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center
129 W 67th St., New York, NY
Tickets: $35/$55
2025-2026 Season Past Concerts
Ravelations: Nicolas Namoradze in Recital
Sunday| November 16 2025 | 5:00 pm
Flatiron New York
Gotham Arts in collaboration with Groupmuse is delighted to host an intimate evening with composer & pianist Nicolas Namoradze. In celebration of Ravel’s 150th anniversary, the program features Namoradze’s own solo transcription of Ravel's Daphnis & Chloé Suite No. 2, selections from Debussy’s Préludes, and a special two-piano performance of Ravel’s Concerto in G Major with Pegasus founder and music director Karén Hakobyan.
All proceeds benefit Pegasus: The Orchestra, supporting its Young Artists Program and International Concerto Competition as the ensemble prepares for its 10th anniversary season. Additional tax-deductible gifts will be greatly appreciated.
Program
DEBUSSY Selections from Préludes
RAVEL Piano Concerto in G Major
Intermission
RAVEL-NAMORADZE Daphnis & Chloe Suite No. 2
RAVEL150: Hidden Gems and Masterworks (Season Opener)
Friday | December 5 2025 | 7:30 pm
MERKIN HALL
129 West 67th Street, New York, NY 10023
Pegasus: The Orchestra’s founder, principal conductor, and artistic director, Karén Hakobyan, launches the 2025–2026 season with a luminous tribute to Maurice Ravel’s 150th anniversary, celebrating the composer’s dazzling textures, grace, and innovation.
Pianist and composer Nicolas Namoradze, First Prize winner of the 2018 Honens International Competition, joins Pegasus for the evening’s centerpiece: Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major. Harpist Mariko Anraku, Associate Principal Harpist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and winner of multiple international competitions, is also featured as soloist in Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro (arranged by Hakobyan), a radiant and virtuosic work for harp and ensemble.
The program also features Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin, a neoclassical tribute that transforms Baroque dance forms into shimmering modern poetry. Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1, “Classical,” complements Ravel’s music with wit and elegance; while Ravel conjures French restraint, Prokofiev presents sharper contrasts and satire—yet both reveal a deep reverence for form and the past.
Finally, the second half opens with Ravel’s tender Pavane pour une infante défunte, setting the stage for a brilliant finale with his effervescent and jazz-infused Piano Concerto.
HOLIDAY SALON: Baroque & Beyond
Thursday | December 18 2025 | 6:00 pm
Machado Residence (Upper East Side)
Space is limited to 40 guests
Be our guest for a festive evening that captures the spirit of the season through music spanning centuries, from the timeless grace of Bach and Vivaldi to the charm and wit of Poulenc, the passion of Piazzolla, and the unmistakable swing of Gershwin.
Led from the harpsichord by Karén Hakobyan, Pegasus’s Founder, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, this intimate concert features Pegasus principals Ari Evan, cello, Yasmina Spiegelberg, clarinet, and Anna Urrey, flute in a program that bridges the elegance of the Baroque with the warmth and joy of the holidays. Set within a beautiful Upper East Side residence, the evening offers a rare opportunity to experience the artistry and brilliance of Pegasus up close.
Hosted by Mónica and Renée.
This evening also marks the launch of Pegasus Private Salons, a new initiative to host intimate concerts and reserve bespoke programs with Pegasus artists.
General Admission: $75 and up per person. All contributions are tax-deductible and may be made securely online by credit card or by check. Your gift helps us unlock a generous dollar-for-dollar match up to $2,500 from an anonymous donor, and higher levels of support are warmly welcomed. Join us for an unforgettable evening of music and celebration.