Avet Terterian, born Alfred Roubenovich Terterian on July 29, 1929, in Baku, Transcaucasian SFSR, was a renowned Armenian composer. He was celebrated for his innovative compositions that included eight symphonies, an opera, and various chamber works. Terterian studied at the Music Academy in Baku and later at the Romanos-Melikian Music Academy, before completing his composition studies at the Komitas State Conservatory in Yerevan under Professor E. Mirzoyan.

Throughout his career, Terterian held significant positions such as the Executive Secretary of the Armenian Composers’ Union from 1960 to 1963 and Chairman of the Music Department at the Armenian Cultural Ministry from 1970 to 1974. He became a professor at the Yerevan Conservatory in 1985. His work was praised by notable composers, including Dmitri Shostakovich, who described him as "very talented" with a "great future."

Terterian was awarded the Konrad Adenauer Prize and the Khachaturian Prize in 1993. His symphonies, starting with Symphony No. 1 in 1969, marked a shift in his musical language, incorporating atonality and electronic elements. Yekaterinburg's annual music festival is named in his honor. Terterian passed away on December 11, 1994, in Yekaterinburg, Russia. His legacy continues through his students, including Vache Sharafyan, and the continued performance of his works.