Marta Aznavoorian to Perform World Premiere of Stacy Garrop’s ‘Invictus’ Piano Concerto October 18 with Chicago Philharmonic

Written for Aznavoorian by the acclaimed Chicago composer,
‘Invictus’ mirrors the pianist’s personal journey
through adversity

Performance is part of Chicago’s 2025 Ear Taxi Festival

CHICAGO, October 3, 2025 — Grammy-nominated pianist Marta Aznavoorian, international concert and recording artist, will be the soloist in the world premiere of composer Stacy Garrop’s “Invictus” piano concerto with the Chicago Philharmonic, conducted by Scott Speck, on October 18, 2025, at Chicago’s Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park. 

The event is part of Chicago’s fall 2025 Ear Taxi Festival of contemporary music. 

“Invictus,” Garrop’s first piano concerto, was commissioned by and written for Aznavoorian. 

The Armenian American pianist commissioned “Invictus” in the wake of a profoundly difficult period in her personal life. 

“I wanted to commission a work that would inspire others to persevere and overcome daunting challenges,” Aznavoorian says. “In this concerto, the piano soloist becomes the protagonist who ultimately triumphs over adversity.” 

Aznavoorian, who studied philosophy as well as music as an undergraduate, initially considered the Greek myth of Sisyphus as a model. Keeping this theme in mind, and after several discussions, composer Garrop, a fellow Chicagoan, suggested a different source: “Invictus,” the late 19th-century poem by William Ernest Henley. “Invictus” is Latin for “unconquerable” or “undefeated.” 

Henley, who lost a leg to bone disease and endured further surgeries to save the other, wrote “Invictus” as a declaration of strength and perseverance. Its opening four lines form the structure of Garrop’s concerto, with movements titled “Out of the night that covers me,” “Black as the pit from pole to pole”, “I thank whatever gods may be,” and “For my unconquerable soul.” 

For Aznavoorian, the work vividly reflects her own journey of resilience. “Performing or listening to music can be a cathartic experience,” she says. “I hope my performance offers a moment of inspiration — even for just one person in the audience.” 

She adds that the concerto also captures Garrop’s deep understanding of her physical style at the keyboard, channeling both power and intensity into the music.   

With its message of perseverance and triumph, “Invictus” stands as both a personal statement and a universal call to courage, one that Aznavoorian says she is eager to share with audiences. 

Aznavoorian is a founding member and pianist with the Lincoln Trio, whose members reside in the Chicago area and whose album “Trios from Our Homelands” (Cedille Records) earned a Grammy nomination in the category of Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance. She is one-half of the Aznavoorian duo with her cellist sister, Ani. Their critically acclaimed debut album “Gems from Armenia” (Cedille Records) showcases music by composers from their ancestral homeland. She shared billing with violinists Philippe Quint and Joshua Bell on the 2017 Warner Classics album “Chaplin’s Smile: Song Arrangements for Violin & Piano.” 

Aznavoorian has performed worldwide as a soloist, chamber musician, and educator. 

She made her professional debut at 13 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Sir George Solti. 

She has since collaborated with conductors including Michael Tilson Thomas and performed with major orchestras, including the Sydney and San Diego Symphonies. 

As an educator, she serves as a piano faculty member and interim piano coordinator at DePaul University and as Artist in Residence at the Music Institute of Chicago. 

She is a Steinway Artist. 

Aznavorian established Keynote Productions, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation to foster educational opportunities through music for talented students from underserved communities. Through the foundation, she donates piano instruction and instructional materials to further their music education. 

Garrop is an award-winning, internationally recognized freelance composer based in the Chicago area. She has received numerous awards and grants including an Arts and Letters Award in Music from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a Fromm Music Foundation Grant, Barlow Prize, and three Barlow Endowment commissions. Notable commissions include works for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Omaha Symphony, the U.S. Navy Band, Chicago Opera Theater, The Crossing, Chanticleer, and the Kronos Quartet.

For concert tickets and information, visit https://chicagophilharmonic.org/events/ear-taxi-festival-performance-2025/?l=L1&ri=0.

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