The 2012 Music Season, an initiative of the Presidency of the Government, through the Regional Directorate of Culture, presents three cello and piano recitals by Varoujan Bartikian and Karina Aksenova on November 16, 17 and 18 at 9:30 PM.

The concerts will take place at the Main Hall of São Roque do Pico Municipality, Teatro Faialense and Ramo Grande Auditorium, respectively.

The programme features musical works of the Romantic period: F. Schubert (An die Musik), F. Mendelssohn (Song without Words, op. 109) and J. Brahms, Sonata for Piano and Cello in E Minor, op. 38. The recitals also includes one of the sonatas for piano and cello by L. van Beethoven, Sonata in G Minor op. 5, no. 2, as well as one of the most famous works for cello and piano by composer S. Rachmaninov, Vocalise op. 34, no.14.

Varoujan Bartikian was born in Armenia and began studying cello with Alexander Tchauchian at the Tchaikovsky School of Music. He continued his training at the Komitas Musical Conservatory in Yerevan. He has been distinguished in several competitions and has performed solo and chamber music concerts on a regular basis. He is a founding member of the Yerevan String Quartet that won the "Borodin" Competition. Currently, Varoujan Bartikian is the 1st cellist of Gulbenkian Orchestra.

Karina Aksenova was born in Moscow and began her studies at the Special Music School of the "Tchaikovsky" Conservatory in Moscow. She later pursued her studies in Lisbon with Tania Achot and completed her Conservatory degree with the highest classification. She graduated from the Lisbon School of Music, where she studied with Miguel Henriques. Karina Aksenova performs regularly as a pianist with Gulbenkian Orchestra and teaches piano at the Gregorian Institute of Lisbon.

Under the artistic direction of Emanuel Frazão, the 2012 Music Season is produced by MALA, Azorean Cultural Cooperative, based in Ponta Delgada