‘I miss the stage, the audience’: Cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan on pros and cons of quarantine
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YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. World renowned Armenian cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan has already returned back to his house after staying under quarantine in one of the hotels in Yerevan since April 7. The musician passed coronavirus testing, and the result is negative.
In an interview to ARMENPRESS, Narek Hakhnazaryan told about the negative and positive sides of self-quarantine, emphasized the importance of support of relatives, as well as introduced his future plans.
-People overcome the current difficult situation in different way. Some are posting funny videos with their families on social media, some sing, dance, etc. What was your way of overcoming that situation during quarantine?
-I haven’t yet made videos with my family, but maybe one day I will make interesting musical projects with the participation of my mother and father. I enjoyed the 14-day quarantine because I was sleeping a lot, which is a rare phenomenon in my life especially in past several years, I was also reading books, watching films. I also held a virtual concert which was live streamed on the Armenian government’s Facebook page. I have many ideas connected with online performances.
-You also performed at a reception hall of the hotel, expressing gratitude to doctors for their work. Many artists state that no virtual concert can replace the real concerts where musician or actor are directly communicating with the audience…
-If there is a choice between a live concert and a performance before a camera, of course, I will choose the real performance, the communication with the audience, the real energy, but in these conditions the online concert is the only mean to share your music with them which allows to give good moments to music-lovers.
I miss the stage, the performances in stage a lot, but if these virtual concerts didn’t exist, the situation would be much harder.
-You talked about books, movies. I think it will be interesting to your fans to know what are your preferences in this sphere?
-During this period I read The Suitcase by Sergei Dovlatov and Pavel Sanaev’s Bury Me Behind the Baseboard. I mainly love reading Russian literature, but I also like Shakespeare. I know English well, but have not tried yet to read his works in original, because the Shakespeare English is different, and I would have to use dictionary.
As for movies, I watched the Curb Your Enthusiasm. It’s a fantastic comedy shot in 2000s. I enjoyed watching it.
-During quarantine people revalue what they have, appreciate what they do not pay so much attention in the normal life. Did you think about this?
-When you are alone, and caring people stand by you, for whom you are important, you more appreciate them and value the communication with them. This is one of the positive sides of this situation. Being in Yerevan I miss the natural and simple things which I didn’t pay attention before the self-quarantine. I miss walking, the cafes, listening to jazz with friends in clubs. The absence of all of these is noticed, but as a musician, who is constantly travelling and has a busy schedule, I also saw the positive side in all of these. I had a chance to relax and think without any hurry. It’s a fantastic feeling when you are thinking about tomorrow and understand that you have no place to go, do not have to do anything, can do what you wish.
I feel myself very good in Armenia. I am very happy for being at home now and having an opportunity to run, visit a store.
-Delayed concerts, uncertainties. Do you see a light in the end of the tunnel?
-Yes, I see a light, but the problem is that I do not imagine the length of that tunnel.
According to the preliminary arrangement, some postponed concerts should take place in September. All my concerts are almost postponed until September and were moved to the next year. I hope the borders in different parts of the world will gradually open and the concerts will take place.
As I said, this situation is difficult for a musician also from financial perspective, but the lack of communication with the audience from the stage is more difficult. Music, stage, concerts are key parts of my life, and I do not imagine my life without them, therefore, the shorter the tunnel, the better it will be.
I urge everyone to be cautious, seriously accept this situation and do not undermine this virus. I met with people who consider this as something invented, but I also know dozens of people who got infected, I know two people who died from coronavirus and I also know that the hospitals in Italy, US have no other place, and people are dying by not receiving any medical care because the resources are not enough. We should appreciate what the Armenian government does to save the lives of our citizens, and we should assist the leadership to quickly overcome this situation which is also causing a serious financial blow both to the citizens and the state. We should use face masks, gloves and go out only in case of strict necessity.
Interview by Angela Hambardzumyan
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan