Christine Kharazian

Biography

Christine Kharazian is a concert violinist, a graduate of the Komitas State Conservatory and the Tchaikovsky Advanced School of Music in Yerevan, Armenia. She studied violin with Pof. Edward Dayan, a pupil of David Oistrakh and Prof. Hrachia Harutunyan, a pupil of Leonid Kongan. Her early performance experience includes 5 years with the Armenian National Opera's Symphony as a member of the first violins, and with the Sharakan Ensemble of Ancient and Medieval Music of Armenian TV and Radio, as a soloist. She has performed in concerts at the Kennedy Center, Strathmore Hall, Dumbarton House, the Gallery at The Ellipse, and various Embassies in Washington, among other venues as a soloist and with various groups. Christine is an experienced educator. An alumna of the Inspired Teaching Institute, she taught many years at Fillmore Arts Center in Washington, DC. Currently she teaches violin technique at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and Sidwell Friends. Previously she taught string orchestra at Fillmore Arts Center of DCPS and Churchill Road Elementary of FCPS. Christine is also the author and presenter of a series of interactive programs in music education. As a versatile and adventurous musician she loves exploring various styles, from Gypsy Jazz to Brazilian Choro and performs often with various ensembles including Orchester Praževica.

Christine Kharazian enjoys experimenting with the merging of various art forms, such as theater and music. She was cast as the Wind in Quotidian Theatre Company’s 2015 production of Anton Chekhov’s “A Little Trick.” and later in 2016 another production of Chekhov’s “The Lady with the Little Dog”. The director Stephanie Mumford, in crafting her adaptation of Chekhov’s short story, devised a part with Kharazian in mind: the violin-playing wife of Dmitry Gurov. In addition Christine was a 2nd prize winner of the Unsigned Only competition in 2021 for her original composition Valse Astolfi.
She serves as a Chair of Student Activities at Friday Morning Music Club, coordinating concert series for young aspiring musicians, and is a board member of Blues Alley Jazz Education Society.