Musician: Duduk
People’s Artist, Republic of Armenia
Professor, Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan
Biography:
Born on February 12, 1965 in Yerevan, Armenia
Education
1980 – Graduated from No. 94 Secondary School in Yerevan
1980-1984 – Studied at Romanos Melikyan Music College
1989 – Graduated from Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan in the Faculty of Duduk. Teacher, Ararat Petrosyan
1992- Graduated in Post Graduate Studies at Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan, under the leadership of Khachatur Avetisyan
Awards
1990 – Received Grand Prix at the Dushanbe international music festival “Best Eastern National Instruments”
1991-1992 – Received Grand Prize at Sayat Nova national competition
1995 – Received internationally acclaimed “Indi” special award for “Music of Armenia” CD, released in USA
2004 – Received title “Meritorious Artist of Armenia” of the Republic of Armenia, granted by decree of the President of Armenia
2005 – “Music of Duduk” project realized by “Preservation of Armenian Folk Music” NGO, under mutual leadership with Vache Sharafyan, in which in 2006 the duduk was named by UNESCO as a masterpiece of intangible cultural heritage
2009 – Awarded the title of Academician of the International Academy of Natural and Social Sciences
2009 – Granted the title of Professor
2017 – Granted title of “People’s Artist of the Republic of Armenia”
Work Activity
1980-1992 – Soloist at Akunq State Folk Ensemble. Director, M. Muradyan
1991 to present – Instructor at Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan, Faculty of Duduk
1994 to present – Soloist for 8-member “Shoghaken” folk ensemble, which has the purpose of presenting to the world folk songs and music in their pure form
1994 – Released first CD, “Music of Armenia”, in USA. Received “Indi” international special award in 1995.
2001- Participated in “The Worlds Multi-Voice” international music project in Moscow, which had the purpose of unifying folk projects from countries around the world. Performed with well known violinist Gidon Kremer at the closing of the festival
2002 – Participated in the “Smithsonian” festival in Washington D.C. The festival was organized by renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma
2002 – Played for the Iranian film “Miss Maria”. Film composer, Mejet Entezan
2002 – Chosen as duduk player for the international music program “Silk Road”. In the framework of the program, performed a series of works by composer Vache Sharafyan with world renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma and “Silk Road” musicians in noted halls such as New York’s Carnegie Hall, the large hall of the Chicago Philharmonic, the Seattle Benaroya Hall, the Brussels and Cologne Philharmonic Halls, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, as well as in Rome, Milan, Florence, Italy, Washington D.C., and San Francisco. Also performed in Amsterdam with the “Atlas” ensemble, the Komitas Quartet, the Armenian State Chamber Orchestra, the well known alto player Yuri Bashmet, and the “Moscow Soloists” Chamber Orchestra
2003-2008 – Released three CDs with the “Shoghaken” folk ensemble
2004 – Released second CD, “Miniatures”
2005 to present – Teaches at Giorgio Cini Foundation of Intercultural Studies in Music Comparison
2006 to present – Conducts master classes at the Amsterdam Conservatory
2007 to present – Recorded CD composed of the works of Komitas
with the Komitas Quartet. Has more than 50 recordings in the Gold Archives of Armenian National Radio. Collaborates with world renowned musicians such as cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Gido Kremer, saxophonist Jan Garbarek, alto player Yuri Bashmet, oudist Rabih Abou-Khalil, and many others
Played in films “Karot” (Armenia), “Ararat” (Canada), the Taviani Brothers’ film “The Lark Farm” (Italy), “Plains of Ararat” (Russian Federation), and other films
2010 to present – Special duduk school operating in Gavar, Armenia. Named after Gevorg Dabaghyan
2011-2014 – Duduk and organ combined for the first time. Presented unique samples of Armenian sacred music in different countries around the world
2012 – Performed in concerts in South America (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay
2013 – Performed in concerts in Budapest, Hungary, collaborating with different folk groups
2015 – Participated in international festival in Vancouver, Canada. Concert for duduk, kamancha, and string instrument ensemble. Composer, Mark Arman.
Published three textbooks about the duduk.
Participated in prestigious international festivals and concert projects, as well as presenting several solo concerts
Gallery
