Student Spotlight: Grigori Balasanyan

What’s it like to study at Berklee? Our Student Spotlight series asks current students all about their Berklee experience—what they’re learning in class, what kinds of projects they’re involved in onstage or behind the scenes, how they recharge, and of course, what they’re listening to. In this installment, get to know composer and pianist Grigori Balasanyan, a sixth-semester major in music composition from Yerevan, Armenia. He was named Boston Conservatory at Berklee's student commencement speaker for 2025.

Tell us about your path to Boston Conservatory at Berklee. What made you decide to come here?

My family and I moved to the US in 2020 during the COVID pandemic, after the war in Armenia came to a ceasefire. After spending the majority of my life—since the age of four—in music, whether as a piano student for 15 years or as a composer since the age of nine, and after moving the US, the logical path to continue my career as a composer and pianist was to attend one of the best musical arts institutions in the world—Boston Conservatory at Berklee. The freedom that artists get at Boston Conservatory to express themselves and showcase their work is rare in most of the performing arts colleges in the country, and after graduating in only three years, I am continuing my path as a composer and as an MM in choral and opera conducting student.

What's been your favorite class so far, and what has it taught you?

The series of Music History 1–5 has been the highlight of my time at Boston Conservatory. I have to mention the names of two incredible professors who inspired me with their knowledge of music and the arts in general. Dr. Elizabeth Seitz and Dr. Rebecca Marchand, both of whom talk about composers like Debussy, Stravinsky, Ravel, Cage, Penderecki, and many others, as if they themselves were present when these composers were writing music. Both Dr. Seitz and Dr. Marchand have been a big part of my motivation to keep my work up and never give up. They both taught me to never be afraid to ask questions and be the one to speak up.

What's a project you've worked on since coming to Boston Conservatory that you've been especially excited about?

My first opera, Silent Tears, which became one of the few fully-staged student operas in the history of the institution since 1867, was the biggest piece I have worked on in the past two years. The opera tells a story of a 13-year-old girl I met during the war in Armenia, whose parents passed a week before we met. The opera saw two premieres in a day with two full-house shows on November 16, 2024. Currently, a documentary is being made about the creation of the opera by a few Suffolk graduates in film studies and will premiere in theaters like Coolidge Corner, film festivals, and other community centers in Boston, LA, and NYC. The opera itself is going to be premiered in Indiana, LA, Armenia, London, and Paris during the 2026–2027 season.

Another highlight of my undergraduate studies was my debut recital in Carnegie Hall, where I got the offer to have a solo recital of my compositions, showcasing my peers from Boston Conservatory. At the age of 19, I became the youngest Armenian composer to ever perform at Carnegie Hall.

Watch Grigori's opera, Silent Tears, below:

How do you typically recharge or find new ideas outside of class?

I usually tend to take a long walk at night, since that’s the only free time I have. Living in Brighton gives me access to the opportunity to walk around the Reservoir, enjoy some fresh air, birds singing, and recharge my human batteries from the noisy Back Bay area, haha.

When you think about your own future, who inspires you most?

My parents have been my biggest inspiration throughout my entire mature life. Both of them sacrificed the lives they’ve built for me and my little sister to have a better future, and I owe them everything. I will know that I’ve won in life if I inherit my parents’ intelligence, courage to take risks, resilience, empathy, and love.

What's one piece of advice you'd give to your high school self?

Dear high school me, love everybody around you, care about everyone around you, but don’t forget to show an inch of love to yourself. Appreciate everything you have and never let go of those who you love the most. Be proud of who you are.

P.S. Read through the Narratives of Music History 1,2,3,4, and 5, and be ready to not sleep during midterms.

Grigori Balasanyan's Top Five Tracks

We asked Grigori to give us five of his all-time favorite songs. Here's what he said:

1. "Wicked Game," Chris Isaak

My first true love.

2. "Melody Noir," Patrick Watson

This is the song I found while exploring Boston for the first time, so every time I take a long walk around the city, this is the song that accompanies me.

3. "Lilac Wine," Nina Simone

Nina Simone is one of the most influential artists of all time, but especially has a huge impact on me as a growing artist. I look up to her and her music whenever I need to be reminded of the power of bravery and music.

4. Dido and Aeneas, Henry Purcell

This was an introduction to opera for me, which then opened my eyes to the world of choral composition and shaped me as a composer in an unimaginable way.

5. Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, Second Movement, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

I will never ever forget Dr. Elizabeth Seitz tearing up while showing us this piece in class. As I said, she has a longstanding impact on me both musically, educationally, and personally.