Levon Ichkhanian

Who is Levon Ichkhanian?

Levon Ichkhanian is a Toronto-based guitarist/world stringed instruments specialist, versed in Jazz, World and Traditional music.

Ichkhanian was born in 1964 in Beirut, Lebanon, of Armenian descent. He is the son of Edouard Ichkhanian, renowned Musical Director of Middle Eastern artists, nephew to Professor Joseph Ichkhanian, founder of the classical guitar program at the Beirut Conservatory of Music, and cousin of Hovannes Darbinian, the world leading scholar and performer of the Armenian Tar. As a youngster, Levon lived in and traveled to Jordan, Cyprus and Isfahan. In 1977, his family immigrated to Canada during the Lebanese Civil war.

Ichkhanian performing his first professional gig at the age of 13 with Adiss Harmandian. At age 17 he won a scholarship to study on the jazz programme at the University of Toronto. Since then, he has become a recording and touring artist, composer and producer.

He has released 3 solo CDs, played on over 100 commercially released and diverse recordings, performed on soundtracks for the likes of Atom Egoyan and David Suzuki, and is an orchestra member in theatre stage productions.