Jazz, folk, and fire: Tigran Hamasyan Brings ‘Manifeste’ to Cleveland Museum

Armenian piano virtuoso Tigran Hamasyan, known for his distinctive jazz-meets- piano compositions that combine jazz, minimalist, electronic, rock, and Armenian folk, will stop at the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Gartner Auditorium tonight, Wednesday, March 11, as part of his Manifeste Tour.

Armenian composer and pianist Tigran Hamasyan, known for his unique fusion of jazz, rock, and traditional Armenian folk music, is performing at the Cleveland Museum of Art.Wednesday’s concert features Hamasyan on piano, Yessaï Karapetian on keyboards, Evan Marien on bass, and Arman Mnatsakanyan on drums.

The Manifeste tour is based on the release of his 2025 album by the same name and subtitled “A Transcendent Journey Through Rhythm, Ritual, and Armenian Soul,” Hamasyan’s work is described as “a sonic statement infusing the deep spiritual traditions of his Armenian heritage throughout.”

Recorded between 2023 and 2025 in studios throughout the world, “Manifeste” is a personal declaration and a vivid portrait of seeking, the joy of creation, and spiritual transformation.

“Manifeste” follows Hamasyan’s 2024 “The Bird of a Thousand Voices,” which continues his exploration of ritual sequence.

"Seeking and working on yourself to find who you are…finding something that may have always been there but that you need to dig for in order for it to manifest and be born into this world," Hamasyan reflects in his “Manifeste” liner notes. "That moment when a piece of music is being born and joy fills your heart is the most precious moment for me as a musician."

Born in Gyumri, Armenia, in 1987, Hamasyan’s musical journey began in his childhood home, where he was exposed to a diverse array of musical influences leading to him playing piano at the age of three.

He performed in festivals and competitions by the time he was 11 and won the Montreux Jazz Festival piano competition in 2003. Hamasyan released his debut album, “World Passion,” in 2004 at the age of 17.

The following year, in 2005, Hamasyan won the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition (renamed in 2019 to the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition) and has won several competitions ever since then.

Hamasyan has earned praise from jazz luminaries, including Herbie Hancock, Brad Mehldau, and the late Chick Corea, while also building a dedicated following worldwide.

The concert, today, Wednesday, March 11,  runs from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Gartner Auditorium. Tickets range from $26 to $53 for CMA members; $35 to $59 for nonmembers; and $10 for students (purchase at the door; subject to availability).

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