Abu Dhabi City Guide , UAE
April 4 2010
Qanun Crossroads Fuses New Musical Combinations At Abu Dhabi Festival
2010 (4 April 2010)
The `Queen of Qanun’ Hasmik Leyloyan, last night graced the Emirates
Palace Ballroom with a free concert, ‘Qanun Crossroads’, staged as
part of Abu Dhabi Festival 2010, organized by the Abu Dhabi Music &
Arts Foundation (ADMAF). Joined by the Camertone Ensemble, Leyloyan
enchanted the audience with a truly magical performance of haunting
music, performed on one of the Middle East’s most treasured
instruments. Appealing to both eastern and western audiences, Leyloyan
gave an emotional performance spanning oriental Hijaz to occidental
Paganini.
The partnership of Hasmik Leyloyan and Camertone Ensemble produced a
fascinating tapestry of sound, blending elements of chamber music with
the distinctive, folk-ish sounds of the Qanun. The eclectic musical
program last night included classical works by Mozart, Paganini,
Chopin and Brahms alongside more modern pieces by George Gershwin and
Scott Joplin. There were also well known pieces by such distinguished
Armenian composers as Aram Khatchaturyan, Alexander Spendiaryan, Arno
Babajanyan, and others, as well as an Armenian national song, In
Foreign Vacant Roadway, as a tribute to Leyloyan’s home country.
HE Hoda I. Al Khamis-Kanoo, Founder of ADMAF commented:
`We are delighted to welcome Hasmik Leyloyan to the Abu Dhabi Festival
this year and to be able to hear the wonderful sounds of the Qanun,
one of the region’s most important instruments. We are passionate
about showcasing new types of music and bringing them to a wider
audience. Last night’s performance with the Camertone Ensemble
combined musical styles to produce a unique sound many of us have not
heard before. ‘
Leyloyan has been the soloist of Armenian State Philharmonic Society
since the 1970s. She has performed with the orchestras of Yerevan
National Opera House, Montreal, Toronto, Sydney, Lyon and New York,
and The National Instruments Orchestra of Moscow among others and has
collaborated with various renowned musicians.
Leyloyan has an unusual style of playing, using both right and left
hands; the left for chords and the right for arpeggios and double
chords. This allows her to play several different notes at the same
time and to play her international repertoire with great fluidity.
Camertone Chamber Music Ensemble, which is made up of violins, viola,
violoncello, contrabass and piano, was founded in 2007 by Liana
Khandkaryan, the ensemble’s first violinist and artistic director. The
group is made up of graduates of Yeveran and Moscow conservatories.
Their repertoire includes classical, contemporary and popular music.
Abu Dhabi Festival 2010
The Abu Dhabi Festival 2010 is held under the patronage of His
Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of
Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and
runs until 7 April. This year’s Festival is a feast of arts and
culture with more than 90 events over three weeks, fusing world-class
performances in traditional, classical and jazz music, drama, fine
arts, and ballet alongside rich education and community programs.
Tickets for the Festival are on sale from timeouttickets.com, Virgin
Megastores (Abu Dhabi Mall and Mall of the Emirates Dubai) and
Emirates Palace (12pm-6pm). Part of the proceeds will go to the Ewaa
Shelter for Women and Children. More information can be found at
http://www.abudhabicit yguide.com/news/news-details.asp?newsid=4412&n ewstype=Local%20News