Austrian pianist and composer Kiron Atom Tellian currently pursues his bachelor’s degree at The Juilliard School in New York, studying with Maestro Sergei Babayan. He is a proud recipient of the prestigious Kovner Fellowship, which, among other things, covers all expenses for the entire duration of his studies.

Growing up in Vienna, Tellian started studying piano at the University for Music and Performing Arts Vienna (MDW) when he was only seven years old, going on to play his debut with orchestra at the age of nine.

Tellian is the winner of countless first prizes at national and international competitions for piano, chamber music, and composition in Austria, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Italy, Slovakia, Russia, England, the USA, and Japan.

Especially noteworthy are the first prize and Haydn prize at the prestigious 17th Ettlingen International Piano Competition in Germany, the grand prize and special prizes at the X. Savshinsky International Music Competition in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and three first prizes in three different categories at the Fifth Rosalyn Tureck International Bach Competition in New York City, USA.

As a composer, Tellian’s works span different instruments and ensembles, with many compositions winning first prizes at composers’ competitions. Recently he has been commissioned to write a piano concerto to be performed at the Vienna Musikverein.

Tellian has a deep passion for chamber music—he enjoys performing with great artists such as Benjamin Schmid, Emmanuel Tjeknavorian, Dominik Wagner, and Julia Hagen.

Some of the last seasons’ special moments were concerts with the conductor and violinist Emmanuel Tjeknavorian, involving duo recitals in the Shoe Factory in Cyprus, as part of the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany, with a live broadcast in the NDR, as well as at the Viotti-Festival in Italy.

This season, with Tellian currently focusing on works by Frédéric Chopin, he played Chopin recitals for the opening of the prestigious music festival Kulturfest im Schloss Walpersdorf as well as at the Konzerthaus Blaibach—returning to both venues next season. Another highlight was his invitation to the Verbier Festival, performing both solo and chamber music.

Next season will bring recitals in the Vienna Konzerthaus, Konzerthaus Blaibach, and festival Kultur im Schloss Walpersdorf, as well as concerts with orchestras such as the WKO Heilbronn.