Biography

Charlotte Melkonian was born in 2013 in Germany. She began playing the cello at the age of four, receiving her first lessons at the Cello Academy Hamburg. In addition, she received training at the Komitas Conservatory in Yerevan, Armenia. Since April 2022, she has been supported in the preparatory class at the Institute for Early Promotion of Musically Gifted Students at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover under Prof. Martin Brauss. In 2023, she became a pre-college student at the Julius Stern Institute at the Berlin University of the Arts in the cello class of Prof. Jens Peter Maintz.

Charlotte has received cello instruction at the Mozarteum Salzburg and regularly attends masterclasses with renowned musicians such as Prof. Philippe Muller, Narek Hakhnazaryan, Prof. Maria Kliegel, and Prof. Jens Peter Maintz. She is a scholarship holder at the Music Academy in Liechtenstein, where she participates in the intensive weeks and activities of the academy.

Charlotte has won numerous first prizes at competitions, including the top score at "Jugend Musiziert" in the categories of cello solo, chamber music duo, and trio, the first prize and the special prize from the European Friends of Berlin at the "International Young Ludwig Competition," the first prize with distinction at the "Hamburger Instrumental Competition," and the first prize at the "International Geringas Cello Competition" in Klaipeda, Lithuania. Additionally, she was awarded the "Note um Note" chamber music advancement prize.

Her concert activities include performances as a soloist at the Laeiszhalle Hamburg with the Hanse Philharmonie Hamburg, at the Summer Music Days in Hitzacker, a concert in Ely, England, as well as solo performances with the NDR Radiophilharmonie Hannover and at the Chamber Music Days in Hohenems. At the Sion Violon Festival, she appeared as a soloist with the Sion Festival Orchestra.

Under the direction of Prof. David Geringas, Charlotte performed as a soloist at the Blackmore Festival in Berlin in 2023 and 2024. She also played with Prof. Geringas at the Maifestival in Rellingen. In May 2024, Charlotte performed Camille Saint-Saëns' Cello Concerto as a soloist with the Göttingen Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Nicholas Milton.