Edward Avedisian

Edward Avedisian (June 23, 1937 – December 7, 2022) was an American clarinetist, private investor, and philanthropist. He performed as a musician with the Boston Pops Orchestra and the Boston Ballet Orchestra for several decades. Through self-taught investing, Avedisian amassed a fortune that he dedicated to educational initiatives in the United States and Armenia.

He is one of the namesakes of the Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, following a $100 million donation he made to the university in 2022.

Early life and education Avedisian was born on June 23, 1937, in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. His parents, Khoren and Shooshanig Avedisian, were survivors of the Armenian genocide. He grew up in an immigrant neighborhood and attended Pawtucket public schools, graduating as the president of his high school class in 1955.

Avedisian earned a bachelor's degree in 1959 and a master's degree in 1961, both in music, from the Boston University College of Fine Arts. In the United States, he was the principal benefactor for the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) headquarters in Belmont, Massachusetts. He also funded the Zvart Onanian School of Nursing at Rhode Island College and endowed chairs in the Boston Ballet Orchestra. Avedisian died from pulmonary health issues on December 7, 2022, at his home in Lexington, Massachusetts, at the age of 85.