A violinist who has proven the theory of self-actualization (The Strings Magazine), Dr. Nuné Melik is an emerging artist on the international stage who proves that music has no limitations. From her highly acclaimed solo debut at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium in 2016 to sharing the stage with Jimmy Buffett in 2019, Dr. Melik approaches artistry at a new level. She also appeared as an invited artist at the United Nations Headquarters in 2017 and in Walt Disney Hall in 2018. Internationally recognized as a specialist of the music of the Caucasus, Dr. Nuné Melik lectures in four languages.
Born in Siberia to a family of medical PhDs, Nuné started playing the violin at the age of six. Her first solo performance with orchestra took place a year later at the Kazan Symphony Hall. A prize-winner of numerous competitions and audience awards, Nuné has performed at the Stern Auditorium and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall at Lincoln Center, the Embassy of Estonia (New York), Bolshoy Hall, the International House of Music (Moscow, Russia), the Embassy of Russia (Copenhagen, Denmark), Chapelle Historic du Bon Pastor and Salle Claude Champagne ((Montreal), Palais Mont-Calm (Quebec city), Glenn Gould Auditorium, Toronto Arts Centre (Toronto).
Exploring the unknown repertoire since 2010, Nuné founded the ‘Hidden Treasure International Project’. It comprises research, performance, and lectures of the rarely heard music. Nuné also advocates and promotes the music of her heritage: as a specialist in music of the Caucasus, she has performed and lectured on this in venues like Columbia University (New York), Wayne State University (Detroit), University of Arizona (Tuscon), Naregatsi Arts Institute and Russian-Armenian University (Erevan). Her future engagements include the Jeunesses Musicales Canada tour, solo with l’Orchestre Symphonique de l’Estuaire, recital at Place des Arts, to mention a few. In October 2017, Nuné has launched a CD entitled “Hidden Treasure”. The album, including the unknown works by Armenian composers with original program notes by Nuné Melik, received great acclaim and was called a “love letter to Armenia’ by the CBC Radio. It was chosen as the Disc of the Week by ICI Musique and one of the “Best of 2017” by Violinist.com. Successfully funded on Kickstarter, the CD was produced at the Yamaha Artist Studio in New York and McGill University. Together with her longtime collaborator, Michel Alexandre Broekaert, the duo has launched the CD in New York, Toronto, Montreal, Boston, and Los Angeles.
Starting at the age of seven, Nuné has been performing as a soloist and chamber musician. She has played throughout Russia, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Germany, Denmark, Italy, France, and Armenia. Since 2015, Nuné Melik has held the post of Artist-in-Residence in the Miami Chamber Orchestra and Orquestra Filarmonía. She has appeared as a soloist with the Sinfonia Toronto, Senior Orchestra of New York, Orquestra Filarmonia (Mexico) Orchestra Symphonique de l’Université de Montreal, Gnessin Virtuosi, Youth Symphony Orchestra of Moscow, and Moscow State Chamber Orchestra. She has collaborated with notable musicians such as Konstantin Orbelian, Nurhan Arman, and David Gilbert.
Nuné Melik was invited to multiple musical festivals such as the Montreal Chamber Music Festival, Festival Classica (Montreal), Musical Armenia, Strad for Lunch (New York), Water Island Festival (St. Thomas), St.Barth Music Festival (St.Barthelemy) and 1000 violons de Maurienne (France). Passionate about education, she has given a series of master classes to young players of the Greater Miami Youth Orchestra (Miami, Florida) and Orquestra Filarmonía (Xalapa, Mexico).Enjoying an unconventional approach to concertizing, Nuné has performed at venues such as Tenri Cultural Institute (New York), Eden Fine Art Gallery (St.Barths), Boîte Noire Gallery (Los Angeles), Yamaha Recital Space (Toronto). Her previous collaborative work includes collaboration with artists such Mher Khach. She has appeared on numerous podcasts, including Burning Bridges with Margot Avedissian and Cafe international of Dan Rosenberg. Nune Has been featured at Strings Magazine, Huffington Post Online, Armenian Mirror-Spectator, the PopImpresska Journal among others.
Nuné Melik is a winner of the Waldo Mayo Competition (2016) and Canada Council for the Arts Competition (2015) among several other accomplishments. She won “Best Interpretation of the Quebec Piece” prize at the Prix D’Europe 2015 (Canada). She is a finalist (IV prize) at the Andrea Postacchini International Competition (2004) and I International David Oistrakh Competition (2005). She is a recipient of such grants as the AGBU Arts Fellowship (New York), McGill Graduate Excellence Fellowship, Paul and Marie Gélinas Bursary (Montreal) and Urartu Fellowship, Vladimir Spivakov Foundation (Moscow).
As a multi-talented artist who speaks five languages, in 2018 Nuné has produced and directed a documentary about Armenian composer Arno Babadjanian. She has published books of poetry in Russian, which has been translated into Armenian by the Writer’s Union of Armenia in 2016. Together with her CD, a book of French and English poetry was simultaneously released in October 2017. The book included original poetry and photographs by Nuné Melik. Nuné recently starred in the short movie “Where is Music”, directed by Serge Gabian. The film was critically acclaimed and received prizes at international film festivals including Accolade international Film Festival (California). Following her passion for the unveiling the unknown music of the Caucasus, she has started directing a documentary film in Armenia. In an effort to raise awareness for humanitarian causes, Nuné Melik was chosen as a cultural representative of Canada for the Armenian Genocide’s 100th anniversary in 2015. She was referred to as the Ambassador of Armenian Music by the Noah’s Ark Magazine (Moscow) and took part at the Responsibility 2015 International Conference (New York).
Nuné has finished the Gnessin Music College with Honors Diploma. She has studied at the Moscow State Conservatory and holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Montreal. Her teachers include Albert Markov, Vladimir Landsman with occasional consultations from Maxim Vengerov, Shmuel Ashkenasi, and Axel Strauss. She graduated with a Doctorate Degree (CUM GPA 3.95) from McGill University.
Nuné Melik plays on on a 1719 Giovanni Grancino violin and Claude Auguste Thomassin bow on the generous loan from the Group Canimex.
