Tatul Tigranovich Altunian

Born Oct. 2 (15), 1901, in Adana, Turkey. Soviet choral director and figure in the musical world. People’s Artist of the USSR (1965). Member of the CPSU since 1945.

Altunian graduated from the Yerevan Conservatory (1928, class of S. Melikian) and the Leningrad Conservatory (1934, class of A. Egorov). He is an active publicist of Armenian musical folklore. He was organizer of the State Choral Chapel of Armenia (1937), the State Ensemble of Armenian National Songs and Dances (1938), and the Chapel of the Choral Society of Armenia (1966). Altunian has been teaching at the Yerevan Conservatory since 1934. He was awarded the State Prize of the USSR in 1950 for concert and other performance activities. He was elected a deputy to the 5th, 6th, and 7th convocations of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR. Altunian has been awarded the Order of Lenin and other orders, as well as medals.