Jivan Gasparyan’s concert impressed Vilnius fans

Jivan Gasparyan’s concert impressed Vilnius fans

15:28, 24 August, 2013

YEREVAN, AUGUST 24, ARMENPRESS: The world famous duduk player Jivan
Gasparyan is satisfied with his concert held with the
opera singer Hasmik Grigoryan on August 14 in Lithuania. Jivan
Gasparyan returned to Armenia with unforgettable impressions and
good mood. `We have a very good Armenian community in Vilnius and we
had a very good concert there. Hasmik Grigoryan
performed four songs with us. The singer has a very good voice.

Such concerts are very useful especially for the young singers’, –
said Jivan Gasparyan, as reported by Armenpress.
The concert was attended by about 1000 guests, including the members
of the Lithuanian government, deputies of the parliament,
the representatives of different organizations, prominent arts and
academic figures, journalists and the representatives of the
Armenian community. Armenian, Lithuanian and European music sounded at
the concert.

Jivan Gasparyan is recognized as the most accomplished and influential
musician in the history of the duduk. But more than a
musician, he is an icon, a living embodiment of the history of
Armenian traditional, folk music. He has become a true cultural hero
of his
culture.

Jivan Gasparyan is a musician, who during his seventy years of
professional career has earned global recognition for an unassuming
instrument, turning the shepherd’s flute into a rising star of Hollywood.

Despite his talent and commitment to world music, he has changed the
parameters of the duduk placing it with new musical connections,
thus sounding out all its possibilities and making it a universal instrument.

Jivan’s powerful music sounds like freedom with groove; it has the
message of joy, which achieves harmony through conflicts. His music
possesses tremendous emotional and intellectual depth. Its impact on
the listener is so immediate and direct that no prior knowledge of the
instrument is needed to appreciate its power.

Jivan Gasparyan was six years old, when he started to play the
instrument intuitively, without knowing any notes. His first
instrument was
the gift from the well-known musician Margar Margaryan.

Jivan was attracted by the sounds of duduk performed by the maestros
of that time accompanying the silent movies with sad or cheerful
music depending on the scenes. Duduk was looked upon as a poor
people’s musical instrument, primarily played by shepherds, at
weddings and funerals. Many years later, Jivan ‘s duduk began to
appear in many soundtracks such as “Dead Man Walking,’ `Storm and
Sorrow,’ `Onegin,’ “Calendar,’ `The Crow,’ Jerry Goldsmith ‘s “Russia
House,’ “Blood Diamond,’ `Syriana,’ `The Gladiator,’ `Siege,’
“Doctor Zhivago,’ `Frescos’ and many others. Jivan himself could have
never imagined that the instrument he got as a little boy would
make him so famous.

Many years ago, a Russian journalist asked Jivan, if he had made the
duduk famous or the duduk had made him famous…
He still doesn’t have the answer…

In 1956 Jivan Gasparyan received the first prize in his life in the
contest of duduk performers in Armenia. In 1957, he took part in an
International Music Competition in Moscow organized by UNESCO along
with 5,000 contestants from all over the world. His duduk, a simple
apricot-wood instrument that had only one octave, seemed to have no
chance at all compared to the valuable, shiny instruments. It was
even not familiar to the 46-person jury. Jivan won the first prize.
Six gold medals followed, as did four other gold medals in
international
competitions organized by UNESCO.

In 1963, he was accorded the `honorary artist’ title of the Armenian
republic. In 1977, he received the honorary title of `Armenian Folk
artist’ or `People’s artist.’ His popularity grew during the 80’s. At
52, he started studying at Yerevan Conservatory. After graduating, he
taught more than 70 students how to play the duduk, and later became a
professor at the Conservatory.

On November 24, 2008, Jivan got a symbolic sword from the Defense
Minister of Armenia, Seyran Ohanyan.

http://armenpress.am/eng/news/730356/jivan-gasparyan%E2%80%99s-concert-impressed-vilnius-fans.html