Constantine Garrievich Orbelian, Jr., born on August 27, 1956, in San Francisco, California, is an esteemed American conductor and pianist of Armenian and Russian descent. He is named after his paternal uncle, Konstantin Orbelyan, a notable Armenian composer. Orbelian's early life was marked by his prodigious talent, making his debut with the San Francisco Symphony at the age of 11. He pursued his musical education at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York.

Orbelian's career as a pianist saw him performing with major symphony orchestras across the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and the Soviet Union. His recording of the Khachaturian piano concerto with conductor Neeme Järvi earned him the "Best Concerto Recording of the Year" award in the United Kingdom.

In 1991, Orbelian made history as the first American to be appointed music director of the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, a position he held until 2010. He also served as the music director of the Philharmonia of Russia and founded the annual Palaces of St. Petersburg International Music Festival. Since 2014, he has been the principal conductor of the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra in Lithuania. In 2016, he became the general and artistic director of the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater in Yerevan, Armenia, where he introduced new productions and brought international artists to Armenia.

Orbelian has been a champion of Russian-American cultural exchange, earning the title "Honored Artist of Russia" in 2004, the first non-Russian to receive this honor. He was awarded the Russian Order of Friendship Medal in 2012 and the Order of Friendship of Armenia in 2015. His contributions to cultural diplomacy were further recognized with the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2001.

As a conductor, Orbelian has collaborated with renowned artists such as Renée Fleming and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, producing numerous acclaimed recordings. His work includes historic live telecasts from Moscow’s Red Square, viewed by millions worldwide. In 2021, he was appointed music director and principal conductor of the New York City Opera, marking a significant step in reviving the company's performance profile. In 2025, he was elected as the music director of the Israel Sinfonietta Beer Sheva.