Michel Petrossian, passionate about art since childhood, began with painting before turning to music, studying cello, guitar, and ultimately composition. After completing his studies at the CNSMDP, where he earned an advanced diploma in composition under Guy Reibel, he also explored disciplines such as ethnomusicology and North Indian classical music. During this period, he co-founded the Cairn Ensemble, dedicated to promoting contemporary repertoire, laying the foundation for his artistic commitment.
In 2012, his piano concerto In the Wake of Ea, inspired by a Babylonian tablet, won the prestigious Grand Prize at the Queen Elisabeth International Composition Competition, marking a turning point in his career. Numerous commissions followed, including Ciel à vif for soloists, choir, and orchestra, premiered at the Théâtre du Châtelet in 2015 under Alain Altinoglu, and Amours sidoniennes (2017), a large-scale work for male choir and instrumental ensemble inspired by Greek inscriptions discovered during archaeological excavations. These works, praised for their inventiveness and grounding in historical narratives, highlight the originality of his compositional approach.
In parallel, Michel Petrossian developed a passion for ancient civilizations, learning about ten related languages, earning a master's degree in classical literature from the Sorbonne, and spending time at the French Biblical and Archaeological School in Jerusalem. These studies, enriched by extensive travels, have profoundly influenced his music, notably in works like Le Chant d’Archak (2018), an opera-oratorio premiered in Armenia and at Radio France.
His work also extends to cinema, where he composed original scores for Robert Guédiguian’s films Gloria Mundi (2019) and And the party goes on! (2023), as well as The Marching Band (2024) by Emmanuel Courcol, a Cannes-selected film that won multiple audience awards and attracted over 2,300,000 viewers. In the same year, he created the soundtrack for La pie voleuse (2025), directed by Robert Guédiguian and starring Ariane Ascaride and Jean-Pierre Darroussin. These collaborations have allowed him to explore another facet of composition, blending orchestral music with cinematic storytelling.
Michel Petrossian is regularly commissioned by international ensembles and festivals, such as the Aix-en-Provence Festival, the Dilijan Chamber Music Series in Los Angeles, and the Monte-Carlo Spring Arts Festival, where he creates a wide range of works from string quartets to ballets. In 2022, his ballet Sept, les anges de Sinjar was met with great enthusiasm, while his monographic CD Trois amours highlighted his fruitful collaboration with the Musicatreize Ensemble.
Alongside his musical career, he is also a recognized author. His book Chant d’Artsakh won the Grand Literary Prize of the Œuvre d’Orient in 2022. The following year, he became the winner of the Grand Prix Lycéen des Compositeurs for his piece L’Ange Dardaïl.
Continuously seeking new horizons, Michel Petrossian is currently working on a chamber opera, set to premiere in 2025, furthering a rich and eclectic journey that intertwines music, history, and literature.