Born: 29 July, 1929 in Baku, Azerbaijan

Died: 11 December, 1994 in Yekaterinburg, Russia

Born from two musically talented, yet not professionally trained, musicians and brother to a renowned opera conductor, Terterian came from quite the musical family.

He studied at the Baku College of Music, the Romanos Melikian College of Music and the Yerevan State Komitas Conservatory. He was later awarded the Brandenburg scholarship, a DAAD scholarship in Germany and won the Konrad Adenauer Prize.

His third and fourth symphonies offer contemplation of human existence, especially in response to tragedy. No. 3 centralises Terterian’s grief following the loss of his brother. It was composed and performed by the Armenian Symphony Orchestra, led by David Khandijan. The symphony was awarded the State Prize of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1977, two years after its conception.

In his lifetime, he completed a number of chamber works, eight symphonies and an opera.