Polina Sharafyan is a London-based violinist whose extensive repertoire spans the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic traditions. Widely praised by both musicians and audiences, she is known for her distinctive artistic voice and her ability to create a warm, expressive, and vibrant concert atmosphere. A compelling stage performer, she establishes a natural and engaging connection with her listeners.

Alongside the core violin repertoire, Polina is a dedicated advocate of contemporary classical music and regularly performs works by modern composers. She has premiered several compositions by Armenian composers written especially for her, contributing actively to the development of new repertoire.

Polina is a recipient of the prestigious Manoukian Award and was a full scholarship holder at the Royal Academy of Music in London, from which she graduated in 2025.

 In addition to her solo career, Polina was one of the founding members of the Westminster String Quartet, established at the Royal Academy of Music. The quartet has performed internationally, including a concert tour of China in collaboration with Poly Theatre Management. The quartet has also performed extensively in Armenia, with highlights including appearances at the New Names Festival and at the AGBU Concert Hall, as well as a performance of Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro in collaboration with the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra. These performances were met with great acclaim and contributed to an ongoing artistic relationship with the festival and orchestra.

Born and raised in Armenia, Polina has been actively involved in charitable initiatives from an early age. As a child, she performed at the Children of Armenia Foundation Annual Gala in New York and has continued to participate in charitable concerts throughout her career. During the 2020 war in Armenia, she organised and performed in fundraising concerts in Yerevan in support of displaced children from Artsakh. She has also taught violin at the Sayat-Nova Music School in Yerevan.

Polina is a prizewinner of numerous international competitions and festivals, including the Mimas International Music Competition, the Delphic Games, and the Leopold Auer International Violin Competition.

Having begun her professional career at an early age, Polina has performed in major concert venues across the United States, Spain, France, Russia, China, Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Austria, Georgia, and Armenia. She has appeared as a soloist with the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra, the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, the Armenian State Chamber Orchestra, the French-Armenian Youth Orchestra, the Tibor Varga Academy Orchestra in Sion, the Klingen Orchestra in London, and numerous chamber ensembles across Europe and the United Kingdom.

Polina is also one half of the ArNor Duo, a violin-guitar duo she co-founded with Arie Dakesian in 2025 with a shared mission: to breathe new life into timeless masterpieces while highlighting contemporary works. With their shared Armenian heritage, the duo has a particular interest in Armenian music, including their fresh interpretation of Komitas’ 14 Folk Miniatures, alongside vibrant new works emerging from Armenia today.