THIS GUY’S NOT OUT TO IMPRESS ANYONE

Channel News Asia
April 14 2009
Singapore

SINGAPORE : Born in Lebanon and raised in a strong Armenian culture,
Middle Eastern composer, producer and pianist Guy Manoukian has made
music his life since he started playing the piano at four years old.

His brand of music – a unique blend of Arabic, English and Greek sounds
with a modern twist – has gained much popularity around the world.

Manoukian is in Singapore for a one-night only performance at Esplanade
Concert Hall on April 14, and is looking forward to the "challenge"
of performing in front of a new crowd.

He likens this experience to his first solo concert which he held when
he was just 16. "Being here in Singapore reminds me a lot of that day,"
he said. "To be standing at the Esplanade and playing to a new crowd,
it’s really an honour and it has that kind of thrill. I really feel
challenged again."

Manoukian uses a mix of Arabic and western instruments to achieve
his unique sound, and audiences can expect "something familiar,
at the same time something very new and modern".

While you won’t find any Asian influences in his music, that will
not be the case for long.

Said Manoukian, "All the cultures have opened up to each other. Being
in Singapore today, I’m definitely going to take part of Singapore
back with me to my place and I’m sure I am going to have Asian in my
music very soon in upcoming albums."

Manoukian is his toughest critic and he told Primetime Morning that
he never intended to create music to impress anybody.

"One thing I’ve learnt from my father is that you never need to
impress anybody, just impress yourself. I’m a very difficult person to
impress … so if I’m happy with what I am doing, I will be okay. I
have fantastic musicians with me that I can count on and the energy
that we are going to have on stage, I’m sure it’s going to be enough
for me to show the crowd what I can do."

Manoukian has composed and produced a wide array of albums which have
won him awards at the Arab Music Awards and the Armenian Music Awards
among others. He has even collaborated with artistes such as Wyclef
Jean, 50 Cent, French rapper Diams, and Raul Di Blasio. But that is
not enough for the ambitious father-to-be – he wants a piece of the
movie pie too.

Manoukian has spent the last two years working producing music for
Hollywood films and even has his sights set on the Oscars.

"It’s always been a dream. I don’t come from a musical family and I
built myself alone, with the help of people who believed in me. One
thing I’ve learnt is if you can dream it, you can do it. The ability
to dream is the most important ability that God has given us," he said.

"As long as I am challenged every day, as long as I’m excited,
there’s no worry. The day that I feel I have nothing to prove any
more to myself, that’s when I’ll give up."