Jivan Gasparyan does not exclude leaving the stage after 85th birthday anniversary

YEREVAN, JUNE 26, ARMENPRESS. Due to the performances of the People's Artist of the Republic of Armenia, four-time gold medal winner of UNESCO, Honorary citizen of Yerevan and winner of a huge number of other awards Jivan Gasparyan, Armenian duduk’s sounds are now familiar in various parts of the world. The duduk-player gained international recognition after the release of the soundtrack for popular movie "Gladiator", where the sounds of Armenian national duduk are accompanied with a classic symphony orchestra. The musician is convinced that his example proved the world that duduk is an exclusively Armenian musical instrument. The "Armenpress" reporter visited the legendary master and had a conversation with him regarding various creative topics.

- The issue of erecting the duduk-players' monument (Jivan Gasparyan, Levon Madoyan, and Vache Hovsepyan) in Abovyan street of Yerevan became the object of ardent discussions in 2012. On what stage are the activities of erecting the monument now and are You cooperating with sculptor Davit Minasyan?

- The monument is on the stage of preparation now. The Yerevan Municipality has adopted the decision on erecting the monument many years ago. I also don't know the reasons for delaying it for a couple of years. In my opinion the monument will be ready by the time of my birthday anniversary in October. Today many young men do not know who was Levon Madoyan or Vache Hovsepyan. I had a great wish regarding the monument of three of us, so that our youth could recognize them too.

- You frequently perform on tours and give concerts in various countries each year. Where are You planning to give concerts and what creative plans do You have?

- I shall celebrate my birthday anniversary in Moscow and Yerevan this year. Probably I shall say "farewell" to the stage at the end of the current year or I shall substantially decrease the number of concerts, as far as my age has already become a "good" age. And if I have to leave the stage, I want to do it in a fine manner, so that the public could have only good memories about me. The age says its final word, notwithstanding I play in the concerts for two hours even at this age and I play very serious works. I don’t know how it happens. I am just constantly searching for something new in the matters of instruments, tone, and how to make music easier to understand for the foreigners. The foreigners cannot understand all the kinds of music.

- Is it true that You will release a music album jointly with Charles Aznavour?

- Charles is a good friend of mine. We know each other for 40 years. He listened to my performances for the first time yet in the Soviet period and I attended a number of his concerts. It seems to me he will visit the event dedicated to my birthday anniversary in Moscow and that idea will be realized. And we shall introduce a joint work to the audience. So, there will be a lot of surprises. (THE FULL VERSION OF THE INTERVIEW IS AVAILABLE IN ARMENIAN)

Interview by Tatevik Grigoryan

Photos by Arthur Harutyunyan