Rafael Davidyan

Rafael Davidyan (1923–1997) was an Armenian violinist and music educator, 2nd violin in Komitas Quartet from 1947 to 1970, and People's Artist of the Armenian SSR. He graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in 1950 and soon after began his teaching career. Davidyan worked at the Moscow Conservatory since 1961, and some of his notable students include Vladimir Spivakov, Liana Isakadze, Grigory Zhislin, Oleg Kagan, Viktor Tretiakov, Gidon Kremer, Ruben Aharonian, Tatiana Grindenko, and Mikhaïl Bezverkhny. In 1966, Shostakovich Quartet was founded in his class at the Chamber Ensemble & Quartet department. Davidyan had also authored a seminal Art of Quartet (Квартетное искусство) tutorial in 1984.