For Ara Arakelyan, music has always been a way of life. He has graduated from the special music school after Sayat-Nova for gifted children with honor. Afterwards, Ara entered the Komitas State Conservatory, where he received B. A. with Honors and is pursuing his Master’s degree in Wind Instruments with specialization in Saxophone.
Since 2011, Mr. Arakelyan has launched a very successful career. He worked as a performer, Leading Saxophonist of the symphonic orchestra, and pedagogue at various teaching levels: music schools and colleges. He was also a soloist at Armenian National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet after A. Spendiaryan and Armenian State Jazz Band.
In the period of 2005 – 2012, Mr. Arakelyan performed more than 20 solo and collaborative recitals and participated in many international Competitions & Festivals in Armenia, USA, Germany, Sweden, Georgia, and Egypt. Ara is a Laureate of the “Golden Note” amateur arts festival, “Renaissance” International Competition, Kavkaz Jazz Fest. As of now, Ara Arakelyan has already recorded 3 DVDs.
Since 2013, Ara has begun to work at Sheraton Cadwell Orchestra as a leading saxophonist and running a very busy music studio.
Oxana Podoliak has been teaching woodwinds for over 25 years. She began her music education at Lviv State College of Music with further graduate studies at Lviv State Music Academy, earning her degree in Performance and Pedagogy. With a background in solo, chamber music and orchestral playing, Oxana’s passion for wind instruments has seen her engaged over the years in multiple performances.
Currently, Oxana is giving flute, clarinet and saxophone lessons to students of all RCM levels and ARCT in and around the Toronto area. Among her students, many of them are Regional RCM Gold Medal receipents and winners of local and provincial music festivals. Some of them got accepted to the music program in universities.