PRESS KIT
BIOGRAPHIES
ONE LINE
Nathan Avakian is an internationally-acclaimed composer, producer and entertainer who brings bold, contemporary sound to film and live performance.
50 WORDS
Nathan Avakian is an internationally-acclaimed composer, producer and entertainer who brings bold, contemporary sound to film and live performance. His work encompasses a wide spectrum of genres including orchestral, pop, rock, and jazz. Recognized for his innovative approach to the theatre organ, Nathan has redefined the instrument for modern audiences.
100 WORDS
Nathan Avakian is an internationally-acclaimed composer, producer and entertainer who brings bold, contemporary sound to film and live performance. His work encompasses a wide spectrum of genres ranging from cinematic, orchestral, and choral music to electronic, pop, rock, and jazz. Recognized for his innovative approach to the theatre organ, Nathan has redefined the instrument for modern audiences through multimedia performances, unique collaborations, and original compositions. Nathan has released three genre-blending albums and performed over 200 concerts across the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Thailand. His cinematic scoring work has been featured in award-winning films, web series, and podcasts.
200 WORDS
Nathan Avakian is an internationally-acclaimed composer, producer and entertainer who brings bold, contemporary sound to film and live performance. His work encompasses a wide spectrum of genres including orchestral, pop, rock, and jazz. Recognized for his innovative approach to the theatre organ, Nathan has redefined the instrument for modern audiences through multimedia, collaborations, and original compositions.
Since winning the American Theatre Organ Society Young Organist Competition in 2009, Nathan has released three albums and performed over 200 concerts across the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Thailand. His scoring work has been featured in award-winning films, web series, and podcasts including Tiffany Day: The Gratitude Tour, Apotheosis, Makers Who Inspire, and the I Am A Creator documentary series from Kit. As fifteen-year resident organist and composer for the International Youth Silent Film Festival, Nathan created music that inspired young filmmakers around the world. He has also composed original theatre organ scores for five historic silent films for Thanhouser Company Film Preservation.
Nathan has a growing collection of piano and organ compositions to his credit. In 2020 he started a songwriting business with his sister Claire called Passing Notes, writing and producing personalized songs for customers and their loved ones.
350 WORDS
Nathan Avakian is an internationally-acclaimed composer, producer and entertainer who brings bold, contemporary sound to film and live performance. His work encompasses a wide spectrum of genres from cinematic, orchestral, and choral music to electronic, pop, rock, and jazz. Recognized for his innovative approach to the theatre organ, Nathan has redefined the instrument for modern audiences through multimedia performances, unique collaborations, and original compositions.
Nathan’s fascination with the pipe organ began at age four with a visit to the Portland Organ Grinder, a restaurant featuring popular music played live on a theatre organ with all of its mechanics exposed. He studied with Donna Parker for nine years beginning at age eleven. Jonas Nordwall was another influential teacher and mentor. Since winning the American Theatre Organ Society Young Organist Competition in 2009, Nathan has produced three genre-blending albums and performed over 200 concerts across the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Thailand.
As fifteen-year resident organist and composer for the International Youth Silent Film Festival, Nathan created music that inspired young filmmakers around the world. He helped pioneer the festival’s expansion to include regional competitions across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Nathan’s cinematic scoring work has been featured in films, web series, and podcasts including Tiffany Day: The Gratitude Tour, Apotheosis, The Creative Quarantine Sessions, Makers Who Inspire, and the I Am A Creator documentary series from Kit. He has also composed original theatre organ scores for five historic silent films for Thanhouser Company Film Preservation and several silent shorts by contemporary filmmakers.
Nathan has a growing collection of piano and organ compositions to his credit including a reharmonized arrangement of The Star Spangled Banner and At The Square, a solo organ piece commissioned to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Jersey Journal publication in 2017. In 2020 he started a songwriting business with his sister Claire called Passing Notes, writing and producing personalized songs for customers and their loved ones.
Nathan also works as a freelance theatrical lighting designer. In 2014 he received a B.F.A. degree in lighting design from Purchase College, State University of New York.
PHOTOS
VIDEOS
PERFORMANCE
FILM SCORING
MUSIC
ALBUMS & SINGLES
SONGWRITING &
MUSIC PRODUCTION
FILM SCORING & DIGITAL MEDIA
PIANO & ORGAN
COMPOSITION
MEDIA COVERAGE
"I loved being able to hear Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic,’" said Sophie Riedel, in the audience with her parents and sisters. "That made my whole night."
Fox6 Milwaukee
"When I thought it couldn’t get any cooler, Avakian finished his show with a phenomenal mashup of Queen’s most famous songs...To watch Avakian play half of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' with only his feet was truly astonishing."
Emily Pinigis, The Pitt News
"Nathan’s keyboard technique is pin-point accurate. His understanding of virtual instrumentation is complete and his artistic imagination is transcendent."
Dennis Hedberg, Theatre Organ Journal
"Normally I'm not a fan of vocals with theatre pipes, but I'll make an exception for Claire's sublime talents and Nathan's skills with combining various instrumental sounds with the Wurlitzer..."
Steve Ashley, Hot Pipes
"I enjoyed every second of this CD...It's really really absolutely excellent."
-Damon Cox, The Organist Encores
"Mr. Avakian's talent and creativity are easily placed in the highest echelons of living theatre organists."
Dennis Hedberg, Theatre Organ Journal
AUDIENCE TESTIMONIALS
"Nathan is an amazing performer. No fear, no nerves, just a joy to hear him play. Because he is relaxed, the audience is also. He was born to be on stage."
"Brought tears to my eyes. It’s breathtaking to see the instrument that we love given new life when infused with today’s technology in such a disciplined and tasteful way."
"This guy is and was amazing. We sat directly behind the organ at this concert and it was one of the most impressive musical experiences I have ever attended. Nathan is perfection at its highest of highest levels."
"Nathan took us on a journey, one that in my years of theatre pipe organ I've never been taken on before. His sense of rhythm was spectacular, he drove the Christie hard but it proved what a classy instrument it is, not faltering once but rising to the occasion and filling the auditorium with magnificent music."
"Nathan had the audience in the palms of his hand, his style is so different from that so often heard but he lifted us to the heights with his virtuosity over the organ. We were left wanting more, much much more."
"They truly 'broke the mold' when Nathan was created! His programs are absolutely top notch and beautifully conceived and performed! I am always flabbergasted when I come away from his performances."
"Nathan fully deserved the two standing ovations from an admiring audience. The whole program thrilled and delighted. Nathan's full understanding of the history and relevance of theatre organs and his talents at blending performance ingredients gives one hope that the instrument still has an important role to play in cinematic and music culture for many years to come."
CONTACT
503-347-0278
SOCIALS
