Meet Elena
 

My heroine is Elena Yakovleva, co-founder and founder of the charitable organization Primavera Foundation, which активно operates in the field of academic music in Armenia.

Elena graduated from the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, later earned her master’s degree in London, and spent many years working in business, particularly at RusHydro and the Skolkovo Business School. Music, however, was always part of her life. During her time at RusHydro, she translated into Russian a book on the history of classical guitar in Russia and Europe in the 19th century.

“When I translated it, I thought: well, I’m a manager—why can’t I publish it?!” she says. “So I did, and then I began paying close attention to projects in the field of classical music.”

This is how Elena entered the world of classical music and music management. During this period, she became acquainted with Primavera Consulting, worked as an артист manager for the agency, and served as its representative in Russia. The non-profit charitable organization Primavera Foundation was later named after this agency. The foundation promotes academic musicians and develops various programs in the field of academic music in Armenia.

An Impulse from Within Armenia: The Creation and Work of Primavera Foundation

“When I was working at an American agency with major stars, I kept asking myself: where should I launch such a foundation? There were many options. I spoke to colleagues in different countries about my idea. At the same time, in 2019, some of my close friends moved to Armenia, and I began visiting more often, both for work and personally. What happened next? I was presenting my program in different countries, and people would say: yes, it’s important and necessary, but we’re not very interested in pursuing it right now. Then I started traveling around Armenia, meeting orchestras, and at some point I realized that everywhere I went with the same idea, people responded with: ‘Oh, who should we introduce you to? Let’s call someone else.’ That impulse that pushed me to work here—it came from within Armenia,” Elena explains.

Since its founding in September 2022, Primavera Foundation has held more than 60 events in Armenia, half of them in the regions, which is a top priority for the foundation. For example, last year world-renowned conductor Maestro Vasily Petrenko, in collaboration with the National Philharmonic Orchestra, held his first Conducting Academy. Dozens of performances took place in the regions, featuring musicians who attend the foundation’s masterclasses and study at the Conservatory, but lack sufficient stage experience. In this way, the needs of musicians and the regions are brought together.

The Armenian Musicians for Armenian Communities Program

To fully realize this vision, the program Armenian Musicians for Armenian Communities was created:

“We didn’t create it randomly. We created it after the tragedy in Artsakh. I called Tatyana Oganesyan, head of the VIVA Foundation, and said: you are going with medical and social support, and we are ready to follow with music—to give people a moment to breathe. We waited a few months, and in February she said: now is the time.”

The program proved so effective that it was first extended and then became one of the foundation’s core initiatives.

Publishing and Video Content

Primavera Foundation is also involved in translation and publishing. The foundation was “forced” into this work because most educational materials in Armenian music institutions are in Russian. A manual on chamber ensemble is already ready for publication, and one of the fundamental books—a violin textbook by Carl Flesch—is currently being translated.

“We also produce a large amount of video content, because we record most of our key events. We do this to ensure that important educational videos are freely accessible, and Armenian subtitles are gradually being added. All materials are available on our YouTube channel.

Last year we held a classical guitar competition, and this year the number of classical guitar events in Yerevan has been incredible. We’re truly happy to see such developments taking place,” Elena continues.

The Vasily Petrenko Academy

Next year, the foundation plans to hold the second Vasily Petrenko Academy.

Vasily Petrenko is among the world’s top 50 conductors. Last year, he agreed to try making Yerevan the home of his personal educational project:

“When a figure of such scale announced his project, we received applications from 15 countries in less than three weeks. Immediately. Five participants were selected, representing countries such as Mexico, China, Norway, and Russia, as well as an Iranian conductor living in Armenia. For example, a conductor from Mexico City, upon leaving Armenia, immediately asked us if we could do something about Armenia with his orchestra in Mexico. This is a project that was covered by international media. It’s a project that naturally draws attention.”

The project solves several задач at once: Armenia appears on the global academic music map, while within the country there is growing resonance, increased visibility of classical music, and greater prestige for academic musicians. Equally important, participants become cultural ambassadors of Armenia—when they leave, they ask: “Let’s share something about Armenia in Mexico, for example.”

On September 10, at the Arno Babajanyan Concert Hall, the foundation organized the concert Music Across Borders: Germany – Armenia, where Armenian musicians performed alongside renowned guitarist and professor Thomas Fellow.

Another major concert is scheduled for December 26 at the Aram Khachaturian Hall, dedicated to violin artistry and marking the release of the Armenian edition of a fundamental violin textbook.

Collaboration with Prima Classic Label
 

At the foundation’s invitation, Edgardo Vertanessian, co-owner of the American record label Prima Classic, visited Armenia in summer 2025. Now Armenian musicians have the opportunity to record in Yerevan and release their work on more than 90 global streaming platforms. Musicians under 29 can also win a competition and release a single or album for free. The first releases recorded in July 2025 are expected to come out during the 2025–2026 concert season.

Primavera Foundation currently does not receive government funding. It applies for grants and submits proposals to various institutions. The foundation has private donors and a board that covers part of its operational expenses.

Armenian Warmth as a Source of Strength

When asked about the lessons she learned in Armenia, Elena says it comes down to humanity:

“The past three years have only confirmed what I felt from the beginning. I’ve lived and worked in many countries, and my experience showed that when nations go through hardship—tragedy, war—people rarely retain warmth and kindness. And honestly, aside from Armenians, I don’t know another nation that has gone through so much and still preserved that warmth.

That’s probably the main lesson for me. It surprised me so much at first, and then I came to love it deeply. That’s what gives me the strength to continue working with the foundation.”

By Nare Bejanyan