Born in Kuwait in 1985, Raffi Mikaelian started his music education at the age of six in Tripoli, Lebanon, where he learned to play the piano, then he attended “Hamazkayin’s P.Ganatchian Music school” in Beirut where he started his choir conducting lessons with the well-known conductor Zakar Keshishian. In 2003, he moved to Yerevan, Armenia to study at the “Yerevan State Conservatory named after Komitas'' where he obtained his Masters and Postgraduate degree in Choral conducting (Class of I.Vartanian) and a Bachelor in Orchestra Conducting (Class ofR.Asatryan) in 2010. Mikaelian moved to the USA in 2015 where he obtained his “Artist Diploma” in orchestra conducting from the “San Diego State University” in 2017 (Class of M.Gerdes). He has participated in various Masterclasses with Alexander Polyanichko, Kenneth Kiesler, Colin Metters, Peter Oundjian, Alexander Polishchuk, George Pehlivanian & Dr. Patrick Walders.
Raffi Mikaelian is well known in Armenia for his performances with the “Paros” chamber choir, “Havatamk” female choir and Armenian Orchestras. Since 2009, he has been Artistic Director of the “Paros'' chamber choir (consisting mainly of singers with physical disabilities) and has led them to four silver medals in the “World Choir Games” in Riga, Latvia (2014) and Sochi, Russia (2016). In 2016 he conducted a performance for his Holiness Pope Francis in Etchmiadzin, Armenia. Mikaelian has worked with artists such as Placido Domingo, Jeffrey Douma, Davit Karapetyan, Ani Aghabekian, Sontraud Speidel and musicians of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. He was awarded the First Prize and “Best Conductor” Prize at the “Kolozha Blagovest” Competition in Grodno, Belarus in 2014 with the “Havatamk” female choir.
Mikaelian is founder and conductor of “Voce Dell’orchestra” in Los Angeles where they mainly perform at the St.Leon Armenian Cathedral in Burbank, CA alongside the “Shnorhali” choir. He is also assistant conductor and Board member of “Musica Vitale” in Coronado, CA since 2018. Guest conducting appearances have included work with the “Open Arts Community Choir” in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the St. Petersburg Youth Orchestra in Russia. Mikaelian premiered T.Mansurian’s “Requiem” in San Diego with “Musica Vitale”. In 2019 & 2023 he led performances with the “Paros Chamber Choir” at “Les Invalides", “Eglise de la Sainte Trinité” & “La Seine Musicale” in Paris, France. Mikaelian was featured at the Classical Eurovision Young Musicians 2026 video clip Ballet performance broadcasted on Armenian & European T.V. channels.
In 2022 Raffi Mikaelian was appointed conductor at the “National Opera & Ballet Theater of Armenia" where he regularly performs every month.
International tours include: Armenia, Austria, Belarus, France, Iran, Latvia, Lebanon, Northern Ireland (UK), Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, U.A.E. and the U.S.A.
