Sergey Smbatyan, the Founding Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra and the Principal Conductor of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, has been appointed as the newest UNICEF National Ambassador.
Sergey Smbatyan is an Armenian conductor. He is the Founding Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, Principal Conductor of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Artistic Director of the Khachaturian International Competition.
In 2015, Smbatyan became the youngest person to receive the title of Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, awarded by the Minister of Culture and Communication of France. In recognition of his significant contribution to the formation of the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra and his work promoting Armenian music and culture, in 2016, Smbatyan was awarded the title of Honoured Artist of the Republic of Armenia by the President of the Republic of Armenia.
Alongside his conducting work in Armenia and Malta, Maestro Smbatyan has an accomplished international career, including guest conducting engagements with Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonia Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Russian National Orchestra, Dresden Philharmonic, Sinfonia Varsovia, and many others.
With the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, Smbatyan has championed Armenian cultural heritage and contemporary music with festivals, including Khachaturian International Festival, Armenian Composing Art Festival, “Contemporary Classics” Composers’ Festival, and “Armenia” International Music Festival.
Maestro Smbatyan is an active advocate for cultural education. He founded the “Music for Future” Cultural Foundation (M4FF) in 2019 and has been the President of its Board of Trustees since then․ In 2018, he launched ‘DasA’ program with the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, delivering classical music education and access to orchestral concerts to 28,000 students from 65 high schools.
In 2022, Maestro Smbatyan and UNICEF, in collaboration with the Public Television of Armenia, developed a special parenting master class on the influence and importance of music on children’s development.
