Mountain View Welcomes New Music Director

 For several months, MVLC searched for a person to fill the position of Music Director.  The search involved connections in the local community as well as contacts with universities and church offices throughout the country.  The search led the committee to Arizona State University and Dr. Kimberly Marshall, a professor in the School of Music.  She is known worldwide for compelling programs and presentations of organ music.  She also has connections with graduate students studying organ at ASU.

Kimberly led the committee to contact Tigran Buniatyan, a new ASU student who was coming to Arizona from Oberlin, Ohio.  The connection was timely.  MVLC was the first church to reach out to him and he was eager to learn more about the music position and Mountain View was impressed with his credentials and experiences as music director of several churches in Ohio.  He began his service as Music Director at MVLC on August 1st.  

Tigran is a native of Armenia, a small land-locked country that was at one time part of the Soviet Union before its breakup in 1992.  He grew up in Yerevan, the capital city, the son of a scientist.  As a young man he took up piano and became an accomplished pianist.  He earned awards and prizes in Armenia and in Russia before deciding to study organ.  

In 2008 Tigran enrolled in the Yerevan State Conservatory where he earned both a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degree.  During that time he taught music history.  In 2014 he served as Vice-Principal of a Music School for high school students in Yerevan.  From that experience he became an Organ Curator who traveled to many European cities to provide technical support for organists and organs.  

In 2016 he enrolled in the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin, Ohio.  He earned a Bachelor's Degree in organ performance and continued in the program to earn a Master's Degree in 2021.  During his tenure in Oberlin he served several Lutheran churches in the area as organist and music director.  He also played the Brombaugh organ and harpsichord in the Fairfield Chapel at Oberlin.  

Over the years, Tigran performed over 100 Organ, Harpsichord and Piano recitals in Armenia, the U.S., Russia, Belarus, The Netherlands, Germany, Norway, and Lituania.  His organ performances were on 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th century historical organs.  He participated in over 10 professional conferences for musicians and authored several articles in professional publications.  He maintains a YouTube channel where viewers can hear and see several of his organ performances.  

Outside of music, Tigran is an avid bicyclist and athlete.  He has competed in triathlons, an endurance multisport race consisting of swimming, cycling, and running over various distances.  Here in Arizona he continues to ride his bicycle to and from his apartment in Tempe.  

Tigran is an example of God's answer to prayer and Mountain View is blessed to enjoy his services.  He invites others to participate in the congregation's music program.  Vocalists and instrumentalists are welcome to join him in celebrating God's presence and gifts to his people.  He can be reached via email at musicdirector@mvlcaj.org.