Background
Smbatyan was born in Yerevan, Armenia.
Smbatyan was born in Yerevan, Armenia.
In 2009 he graduated from both the Moscow Conservatory and the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory (where his teacher was Yuri Davtyan).
He has also performed at both the Moscow and Israel Philharmonic Orchestras as a soloist. In 2005, he founded the State Youth Orchestra of Armenia. He later became the artistic and music director of all Armenian orchestras.
In both of these capacities he gave performances in orphanages and nursing homes in Armenia and other parts of Europe.
In 2009, he also obtained a Doctor of Philosophy in fine arts from the Institute of Arts, a division of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences. In the spring of 2010, he conducted the Philharmonia Orchestra, which was attended by Prince Charles and hosted at Windsor Castle, Berkshire.
The following year, he conducted the London Symphony Orchestra along with Valery Gergiev, Colin Davis and Riccardo Muti. From 2012 to 2013 he conducted both the Dresden Philharmonic at the Dresden Frauenkirche and the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra.
In 2012 he graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in London.
As of January, 2014, he resides in London as well as in Yerevan.