Samvel Galstian was born in Yerevan, Armenia to parents who had recently moved to the capital from the south. Growing up during the cultural renaissance of Soviet Armenia, arts and music played a big role in Samvel’s life. Upon completion of his vocal studies at the Aram Khachaturian Music School, he was recruited by ‘Hay-Hamerg,’ (a government funded cultural institution) to tour across Armenia with a large ensemble band performing contemporary pop music. Forming his own band a few years later, Samvel took up residency in Sochi, Russia becoming a local favorite during the summer months in the touristic city, as well as continued to perform at prominent clubs throughout Armenia. In 1991 shortly before the fall of the USSR, Samvel immigrated to the United States with his family, eventually settling in the suburbs of Boston. There he quickly became known as the Armenian folk voice for the tight-knit community, performing with the likes of Vardan Ovsepian, Karen Kocharyan, and others. This summer Samvel released his project Andorr, a collection of Armenian favorites retold in a contemporary jazz voice.