National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia
Komitas Chamber Music Hall
Isahakian 1
375025, Yerevan, Armenia
Contact: Sona Hamalian
Tel/Fax: (374 10) 526-718
E-mail: [email protected]
YEREVAN’S OWN SUMMER OF LOVE
On the eve of the Open Music Fest debut,
a conversation with maestro Aram Gharabekian
Interview by Sona Hamalian
This summer Yerevan is poised to dazzle audiences with an
unprecedented cultural event, the debut of Open Music Fest.
The brainchild of Aram Gharabekian, artistic director and principal
conductor of the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia (NCOA), Open
Music Fest will comprise some 25 concerts and a veritable mosaic of
programs reflecting the diverse energies of Yerevan itself.
Beyond its significance as a musical watershed, Open Music Fest is
also destined to set a new standard in community collaboration and
hence civic pride. Indeed, the vision for the festival rests first and
foremost in a broad synergistic engagement of artists, businesses,
government agencies, corporate donors, and embassies, all of whose
efforts will converge on a uniquely Yerevanian expression of open
hearts and open horizons through the art of music.
We caught up with maestro Gharabekian at his Yerevan office for a
conversation about Open Music Fest 2009, a project which he considers
as much a labor of love as an abiding statement of civic faith.
Q- How did the idea of Open Music Fest come about?
A- It was in the making for many years. Let’s take it from this angle:
as a resident of Yerevan, I always thought that during summer a
certain cultural breath of fresh air was missing in the city. Of
course it is wonderful weather in summer, the spirits are high, there
is great night life, a lot of hustle and bustle till 2 or 3 in the
morning, with lots of tourists and locals, but there is this inner
void that you would like to see challenged by some artistic or
cultural impulse.
This is the need that I felt, and then I heard more or less the same
from many people, visitors and locals alike. So this idea was always
alive, as I felt that there was a need for a cultural endeavor such as
Open Music Fest, both from my personal point of view and my
interaction with others.
Q- Why Yerevan?
A- Yerevan is the heartbeat of this small, beautiful, fantastic,
magical country which we cherish and love so much. And as we’re always
striving to contribute to its growth, the idea was to offer an
undertaking that would radiate a uniquely Armenian cultural impetus
from the heart of Yerevan to the rest of the country and well beyond
it, something contagious in an absolutely, wonderfully, positive way.
That idea went on to manifest itself as a festival ` specifically, a
festival that would represent our spirit and identity, our past and
present, our rich heritage, what we create today as well as our vision
for the future.
Given such an ambitious goal and mindful of the enormous expectations
connected with it, we set out to design a festival that would have a
rock-solid musical foundation yet equally thrive on
multidimensionality.
Classical music ` as perhaps the ultimate benchmark of musical
excellence `would be at the core of the festival. A second important
area of focus would be jazz, not only for its obvious artistic merits
but because it has deep roots in Armenia and continues to resonate in
our culture today.
We decided that two of the pillars of the festival would consist of
ethnographic and folk music. Despite the fact that Armenia’s cultural
legacy is brimming with ethnographic music, today’s audiences actually
know very little about it. Amazingly enough, we have so many experts
and ensembles dedicated to ethnographic music ` researching and
unearthing material, performing, enhancing, preserving. Yet their work
is like fine wine, destined to remain in the `cellar’ and not quite be
available to the public at large. So Open Music Fest will be an ideal
conduit for sharing our ethnographic gems with big audiences.
We have a similar approach toward the inclusion of Armenian folk music
in the festival program. The folk music we usually hear these days `
on television and radio, at the cafés and restaurants we
frequent ` is to a large extent a distortion of the genuine
article. Open Music Fest will present Armenian folk in its authentic
form, as it was supposed to sound.
Another essential component of Open Music Fest has to do with the
future: our young talents, children in particular. I never cease to be
amazed by the fact that a small country such as Armenia can give birth
to so many breathtakingly talented youths. I’m so fortunate to come
across these kids and have the opportunity to work with them, not only
in Yerevan but throughout the regions of Armenia. I think it is our
responsibility and privilege to present these young talents at Open
Music Fest, and ultimately to encourage and guide them into becoming
our great artists of the future.
Last but not least, Open Music Fest will present programs devoted to
fusions of various musical genres. The concept here is to offer fresh
expressions through the innovative melding of disparate musical
traditions ` not for the sake of merely trying something different,
but in a spirit of arriving at a new artistic truth through musical
cross-pollination.
Q- What, would you say, is the significance of associating a musical
festival with a particular locale, and Yerevan specifically?
A- It’s about a place that would totally embrace what you’re trying to
achieve, that would not only encapsulate your goal but go on to fuel
it well into the future, with the ultimate result that locale and
project can grow to reflect and symbolize one another.
With this in mind, the right venue for Open Music Fest was of critical
importance. We have performed many outdoor concerts in the past but
none of the spaces had that special touch. Furthermore, each presented
a problem that was beyond our control.
Then, during a casual conversation with some friends, one of them
suggested the long-forgotten Kino Moskva open-air theater as a
possible venue for Open Music Fest. `That’s such a fantastic idea,’ I
remember exclaiming.
Imagine the festival happening right in the heart of Yerevan,
literally in the epicenter, and during summer no less, when the city
is so full of life. I think Kino Moskva is a beautiful space which is
ideal for summer concerts, and I absolutely love it as the venue for
Open Music Fest.
Q- Do you envision Open Music Fest to become an annual event, a
tradition?
A- Certainly. I’m a strong believer of endeavors which have
continuity, which grow and evolve to become great traditions in their
own right, leaving their own indelible imprint on the path of a
culture.
Q- In terms of musical offerings, what will be some of the defining or
unique elements of the Open Music Fest programs?
A- True to the vision of a multidimensional festival, we have designed
programs with specific musical themes. Examples include `Komitas 140,’
`Musical Game,’ `Almost Bach,’ and `Vivaldi Meets Duke Ellington.’
Tailoring these programs has entailed quite a few challenges, because
the point is not just to come up with a chic theme and a fancy name,
but to have a particular theme actually rise to the occasion,
pleasantly surprise audiences and enchant them, in terms of musical
fidelity and innovation alike. In other words, these themes must
translate into totally convincing musical experiences.
Q- Will the festival feature any performers, local or international,
in addition to the NCOA?
A- Yes. Open Music Fest will feature a great many guest performers `
soloists and ensembles ` from Armenia and throughout the world. At
each concert of the festival, several soloists will perform, enabling
us to play around and be creative with a given musical theme through
the solo performers’ unique approaches to the material at hand.
Open Music Fest will also provide musicians of various genres with a
great opportunity to interact, collaborate, and learn from one
another. I think the presence of musicians from abroad will bring the
festival a special touch and spirit, resulting in a fascinating
experience for everyone involved: local musicians, performers from
overseas, and our audiences.
Q- A key aspect of Open Music Fest will be the high level of civic
engagement it seeks to engender. What has your experience been like in
this respect?
A- It is so amazing that from the moment that this festival was
initiated it was met with a great surge of grassroots energy which
became contagious. Our appeals for community engagement were responded
to swiftly and with heartwarming genuineness. People from all walks of
life and in so many positions ` artists, designers, printers, business
owners, sponsors, general volunteers ` embraced the idea at the
get-go, committing their services and resources to the project.
This tells me there was a true need for a festival of this
kind. Therefore I feel extremely privileged to work with so many
dedicated supporters in helping launch this project, which ultimately
belongs to them and the great City of Yerevan. In this sense, I’m very
proud to say that Open Music Fest will not only be a celebration of
music, but a symbol of Yerevan’s spirit of togetherness.
Q- In seeking out local public support as well as assistance from the
international community, what are some of your essential needs and
requirements?
A- When recently we initiated the Open Music Fest idea, we had an
abundance of determination and hope but nothing in terms of actual
material resources. And while the people of Yerevan responded to the
project with an overwhelmingly positive attitude, three local
corporations, VivaCell, Converse Bank and Hye Post, provided the seed
support needed to launch the festival. These two companies, our
corporate guardian angels, did not even need convincing to lend a
helping hand. Rather, in keeping with their philosophy of corporate
social responsibility and community give-back, they simply gave us
their unconditional approval, thus enabling us to get to work in
earnest.
We were also blessed to receive major assistance from Mr. Hovig
Kurkjian, a prominent diaspora benefactor. Mr. Kurkjian is a visionary
individual committed to the ideals of civic engagement, international
friendship and cultural excellence. It is thanks to his timely
contribution that we were able to secure a top-notch, German-made
sound system for Open Music Fest. His enthusiasm for this project, the
faith and trust he has placed in our endeavor, will help us create an
outstanding concert experience for thousands.
Today, while Open Music Fest is well underway, it still requires
considerable financial assistance for making good on the vision of
excellence it was inspired by. Accordingly, we are appealing to a
broad pool of prospective supporters, stressing the idea of meaningful
participation rather than mere monetary help.
For instance, we’re urging foreign embassies to sponsor artists from
their own countries to perform at Open Music Fest, consequently
fostering artistic exchanges between their respective homelands and
Armenia; we’re encouraging international organizations operating in
Armenia to sponsor specific guest artists or a particular festival
concert of their choosing, as part of their mandate to promote
Armenia’s cultural and economic development; and we’re encouraging
donors in Armenia and abroad to become the founding benefactors of
Open Music Fest, to have a stake in the present and future success of
this extraordinary endeavor.
For more information about Open Music Fest 2009 or the National
Chamber Orchestra or Armenia, visit ncoa.am.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
