Levon Chilingirian, born in Cyprus, began violin with his great uncle, Vahan Bedelian. After emigrating to the U.K., he later studied with his uncle, Manoug Parikian, Hugh Bean, and the Amadeus Quartet. Chilingirian’s partnership with the late Clifford Benson was launched by winning first prizes in the 1969 BBC Beethoven Competition and the 1971 ARD Munich Duo International Competition.

Founded in 1971, the Chilingirian Quartet continues today as one of the most celebrated string quartets on the international scene, its highly regarded recorded repertoire spanning classical to contemporary works. Chilingirian also performs as a soloist and with other chamber music partners. He has been co- artistic director of the Pharos Festival (Cyprus), director of Mendelssohn on Mull, and has coached chamber music around the world, including for El Sistema in Venezuela, and continues annually at the UK’s West Dean College Chamber Music Course as well as other courses and academies around Europe and the U.S..

Chilingirian has given master classes at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, at the Royal Danish Conservatory in Copenhagen, at the Manhattan School of Music, NYC, and the New England Conservatory in Boston. He has served on numerous international competition juries such as the Osaka and ARD competitions and acting as chair of the Trondheim String Quartet Competition. Most recently, he took part in the chamber music festival at Domaine Forget, Quebec, where the most talented young string players from North America rehearse and perform with established masters.

Levon Chilingirian received the Cobbett Medal for services to music and in January 2000, an OBE in the Queen’s Honours List. He is Professor of Violin and Chamber Music Artist in Residence at the Royal Academy of Music (London) as well as Professor of Violin and Chamber Music at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London)