“The third movement is much faster,” said the conductor, maestro Vatche Barsoumian. The entire orchestra took a deep breath as Barsoumian raised his baton, anticipating the “allegro brilliante” tempo that would require not only speed, but also stamina.

On Feb. 28, concert pianist Allen Dishigrikyan, a recent graduate of the Lark Musical Society in Glendale, performed Aram Khachaturian’s highly reputable Piano Concerto in D-flat Major from memory, with no music sheets to assist him, at the First United Methodist Church in Pasadena.

The three-part, 40 minute concerto featured more than 70 string, woodwind and brass instruments, all accompanying soloist Dishigrikyan. “I’ve been playing piano for 10 years and I had prepared for this day for 16 months to be exact, so there was no reason to be nervous,” Dishigrikyan said. “But the moment I went on stage, I felt the pressure of hundreds of critical eyes and a sleepless night… yet I said to myself, ‘whatever happens, the show must go on.’”

The Clark senior was the only piano soloist of the evening concert entitled Sublime Inspiration, also featuring works by Mozart and Verdi. Dishigrikyan performed on a beautiful, black grand piano, which was elevated on a platform to overlook the rest of the orchestra. His suit, complete with bowtie, helped him stand out amidst the black and white tuxedos of the other musicians.

Senior Nora Oghlian, friend and music school classmate of Dishigrikyan was moved by his performance. “I got a little teary eyed at one point, it was all so beautiful. And since I was seated in the balcony, I could hear everything; it was amazing to see all of Allen’s years at music school kind of get put together in this one moment.”

Concertgoers, despite having faced storm weather conditions, numbered well over a thousand and included several of Allen’s friends, relatives and teachers. “I think I was more excited for this than he was,” childhood friend Armen Zeitjian said. He clarified, “I’m a fan of classical music.”

The piano concerto was composed in 1936 by Aram Khachaturian, the world-renown Soviet Armenian composer of the 20th Century. The concerto’s second movement is one of the few classical pieces to feature the flexatone, a rare percussion instrument famous for its use in classic cartoons.

Dishigrikyan’s performance can be seen here.