Pianist Hripsime Aghakaryan won the first prize of the “Armenia” International Competition. She was the best among the 48 pianists from 14 countries. Hripsime graduated from the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory, currently working at Saryan Art School and the Conservatory.

She has been playing piano since she was 6. Hripsime told Panorama.am that her mother is also a pianist and while hearing her playing Hripsime wanted to continue her mother’s path. 

She had some doubts whether to participate in the “Armenia” competition or not. She has been deciding and refusing for many times. Finally, she made a decision and became the winner.

She chose her program according to her interests. “Maybe the compositions I presented were composed at the same period and had a similar style, but I wanted to perform pieces by Ravel, Scriabin, Shostakovich, Rachmaninoff and Shor (the latter was compulsory). It was like a solo concert. I was not expected to win. I was just thinking about my performance and nothing else. I was concentrated on playing well, enjoying myself and amusing the audience,” Hripsime Aghakaryan noted.

The pianist had heard the performances of her competitors and said that their level of the performance was very high.

The pianist said that she had talked with the jury members and they had told her that they especially appreciated the honesty of her performance.

Hripsime noted that it was an honor that due to her the 1st prize of the “Armenia” stayed in Armenia. Now she is getting ready to participate in Malta International Piano Competition 2018. The prize fund of the latter is 200 000 euros.

She is ready to have a “solo concert” within the Malta competition, the same as she had within the “Armenia”. Thus, she will concentrate on her performance and not the prize. Hripsime said that it was helpful.

While teaching, Hripsime advises her students to play with honesty and tries to deprive them from the fear of the stage. “I want them to perform more and to enjoy their performance, to love the piano”.

Each musician has a favorite composer. Hripsime said it was hard to distinguish, to choose any composer. However, she mentioned that compositions by Bach were very dear to her.

Hripsime sees her future in music. “I always want to perform, to have concerts,” she added.

To remind, the organizers of the 1st “Armenia” International Festival and Competition were the State Youth Orchestra of Armenia and European Foundation for Support of Culture. It was held with the support of the Armenian Ministry of Culture and under the high patronage of the first lady of Armenia Rita Sargsyan.