Aram Demirjian is the Music Director of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and a frequent guest conductor with leading orchestras across the United States. Winner of the 2020 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award from The Solti Foundation U.S., he is widely praised for his “rejuvenating” leadership (Washington Post), “graceful, energetic direction” (Sarasota Herald Tribune), and an engaging, “even electric” presence on the podium (San Francisco Classical Voice).

Demirjian recently signed a new four-year contract extending his leadership of the KSO through the 2029–30 season. This marks his fourth contract with the orchestra and will bring his tenure to 14 years, making him one of the longest-serving music directors in the organization’s history. Since his appointment as the KSO’s eighth Music Director, he has guided the orchestra to new artistic heights and national recognition through bold, audience-centered programming and a deep commitment to American music, living composers, and artists from historically underrepresented communities.

Under his leadership, the KSO was selected as one of four orchestras featured at SHIFT: A Festival of American Orchestras, presented by The Kennedy Center and Washington Performing Arts. In 2022, Demirjian and the orchestra were featured on PBS’s Craft in America, documenting the creation and premiere of Michael Schachter’s Violin Concerto: Cycle of Life, a joint commission with the Knoxville Museum of Art performed by Tessa Lark. The KSO is also a regular presence at the internationally recognized Big Ears Festival.

One of the signature artistic milestones of Demirjian’s tenure is 9 for 90, the KSO’s most ambitious artistic initiative to date. Created to mark the orchestra’s 90th Anniversary Season, the project commissions nine composers to create nine new works presented across the KSO’s Masterworks, Chamber, Q Series, Concertmaster, and Youth Ensemble concerts.

A passionate advocate for connecting music and community, Demirjian has championed innovative collaborations throughout Knoxville, including staged and choreographed productions with Clarence Brown Theatre and Appalachian Ballet Company, free site-integrated performances at the Knoxville Botanical Garden, and performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony incorporating American Sign Language. He also founded "KSO: UnStaged," a series of immersive concerts in nontraditional venues.

In demand as a guest conductor, Demirjian has appeared with the San Diego Symphony, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and the symphonies of Detroit, Houston, Nashville, St. Louis, and San Jose, among many others, as well as internationally with orchestras in Mexico, Switzerland, and Canada. He is also an acclaimed interpreter of Handel’s Messiah and a dedicated mentor to emerging musicians.

Demirjian holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Government from Harvard University and a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from the New England Conservatory. A native of the Boston area, he lives in Knoxville with his wife, Caraline, their daughter, Ani, and their goldendoodle, Kermit.