Sergey Smbatyan: When speaking about high art everyday issues become secondary

YEREVAN, MAY 16, ARMENPRESS:

The Armenian state youth orchestra comes forth with interesting and various programs not only in Armenia but in the whole world. Armenpress news agency spoke about the activity of the orchestra and issues of the sphere with chief conductor of the orchestra Sergey Smbatyan.

- Mr Smbatyan, which was the idea of creation of the orchestra? What issues have you faced?

- The orchestra was formed in 2005 and initially we were working 6-7 hours a day to be able to reach the result we dreamt of. The schedule was hard, we had financial issues but the interesting thing is that now, from the distance of the time, I think that during that period we did not need anything: the interest toward music was enough. Only love toward music helped us. I am sure when we are speaking about high art, the everyday issues become secondary as in case they dominate, art will suffers. Love toward music, enthusiasm, the though "we will manage everything" resulted in success. The orchestra was created to show that Armenian classic art has professional belonging.

- Mr Smbatyan, members of the orchestra are your contemporaries. Isn't it difficult to work with contemporaries?

- I am being asked this question quite often and I always answer that we never have issues because of that as we are united over a joint idea. Another reason is that I do not accept a person who must press all with his/her leadership.

- How many members does the orchestra have? What steps are you undertaking to keep the musicians in the orchestra?

- The orchestra consists of 70 members. All of them are talented musicians, students and aspirants of Yerevan Komitas Conservatoire. Finance is not the most important thing. Of course it is important, but if there is a higher idea, it becomes secondary. In case of general wish, finance is being ignored.

- Who is the audience of Armenia's state youth orchestra? Do young people attend the concerts?

- The audience of the orchestra is the mass which needs classic music. I am very happy that big part of them are young people. When megastar Maxim Vengerov visited Armenia, after the concert he said he is quite surprised to see that Armenian audience is young. We say that now few people listen to classic music but I think that it must not be available for wide layers of the public. An individual must morally feel its lack. It is a natural process which appears in different age, one feels it in early age, one later and the third does not need it during the whole life. I am a pragmatic person and I can tell for sure that we have success in the cultural sphere. There is a positive progress in Armenia.