Happy birthday Maestro: Composer Tigran Mansurian turns 78

YEREVAN, JANUARY 27, ARMENPRESS. People’s Artist of USSR, world renowned composer Tigran Mansurian is celebrating his 78th birthday on January 27.

On the occasion of the maestro’s birthday, concerts have been organized in Great Britain.

The concert programs are implemented at the initiative of London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama, led by Mansurian’s long time friend, famous violinist Levon Chilinkirian and with the assistance of the Armenian Institute of London.

The first concert was held in the evening of January 26. Mansurian’s piece dedicated to Levon Chilinkirian – “Violin Concerto N2” was played during the concert by Chilinkirian himself. The piece was performed for the first time in London, in the Milton Court university hall.

The second concert will be held January 27, were famous works by Beethoven and Mansurian will be played.

Mansurian, Tigran (b. January 27, 1939, Beirut). Lebanese-born Armeniancomposer of mostly orchestral, chamber, choral, and vocal works that havebeen performed throughout the world.

Composer Mansurian studied composition with Edvard Bagdasarian at theRomanos Melikian College of Music in Yerevan from 1956-60, and with LazarusSarian at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory from 1960-65, with whom hecontinued his post-graduate studies from 1965-67.

His creative efforts were well received from the very beginning of hiscareer, evidenced by the fact that he won two First prizes in the All-UnionCompetition in Moscow (c. 1966, for Partita; c. 1968, for Four Hayrens).

He taught modern music theory at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory from1967-86, and served rector of the Conservatory from 1992 to 1995.

Mansurian is recognized as one of the forerunners of contemporary music inthe former USSR, being the first to introduce modern compositiontechniques in Armenia.

His compositions have been performed to great acclaim in London, Paris,Rome, Milan, Berlin, Munich, Vienna, Moscow, Warsaw, Zagreb, New York, LosAngeles, and other musical capitals of the world. Pierre Boulez spoke highlyof his composition “Intérieur” when it was performed at IRCAM in Paris in1984.

Mansurian’s compositions are an interesting mixture of Armenian art musicand folk traditions, with bright, expressive melodies and exquisite,impressionistic tone color. His works may be grouped into five categories:

1. Instrumental chamber music (concertos, sonatas, etc., for piano, strings,and horns),

2. Vocal music (both choral and solo), with and withoutinstrumental accompaniment,

3. Symphonic music (for both full-scaleorchestras and chamber orchestras),

4. Program music (for motion picturesand stage plays), and

5. Ballet.

Biography according to official website of Tigran Mansurian.