Aram Khachaturian

Who was Aram Khachaturian?

Aram Khachaturian was a Soviet Armenian composer. Alongside Sergei Prokofiev and Dmitri Shostakovich, Khachaturian is sometimes called one of the three "titans" of Soviet music. He is also considered "one of the major musicians" of the 20th century. Khachaturian's works were often influenced by classical European music and Armenian folk music.

Born in Tiflis to an Armenian family, Khachaturian moved to Moscow at the age of 19. He graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in 1934. Khachaturian is famous for the Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia from his ballet Spartacus, and for the "Sabre Dance" from his ballet Gayane and the adagio from the same ballet, much used in films and TV series around the world.