YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS. One-of-a-kind musical performances are expected during the STARMUS VI Festival in Yerevan, STARMUS Founding-Director Garik Israelian said at a press conference.

System of a Down frontman, musician Serj Tankian, keyboardist Derek Sherinian, musician Rick Wakeman, drummer and producer Simon Phillips were also taking part in the press conference. Jazz pianist Tigran Hamasyan was participating online.

Photos by Mkhitar Khachatryan

Israelian said that world-renowned musicians are contributing to promoting science.

“It is a great honor to host musicians who are supporting science. We are convinced that we need support from the arts community to promote science. A large number of musicians joined STARMUS, supported the ideas and ideology of the festival. And this number is growing,” Israelian said.

Israelian said that a spectacular concert featuring Tigran Hamasyan, Derek Sherinian and Rick Wakeman will kick off the STARMUS VI.

On September 5, the Sonic Universe concert program will take place where the music stars will present science through music. The Stephen Hawking Medal Awarding Ceremony will take place during this event.

“All concerts at STARMUS are unique and one-of-a-kind in terms of combination. If you miss this STARMUS you’ll never see the same again. It’s not just about the concert but also the lectures,” Israelian said.

On September 7, STARMUS co-founder Brian May, the Queen guitarist, will lead other musicians at another concert. Nemra rock band and Jivan Gasparyan Junior will participate in the concert.

Serj Tankian said it’s an honor to join the festival.

“I’ve been talking to Garik Israelian for already a few years now, discussing the festival, doing some things together, we met in person at WCIT in 2019. Garik said he wants to bring STARMUS to Armenia. I said it’s a fantastic idea. Then he called me and encouraged me to join the festival, and I agreed. It’s really great to see astrophysics, scientific discoveries and inventions in one festival. I’m very happy that these kinds of festivals are organized in Armenia. Wonderful artists have arrived to Armenia. I am happy that I am part of this team,” Tankian said.

Tankian added that he will have a separate performance in honor of Alexander Kemurjian, the renowned Soviet-Armenian scientist.

English musician Rick Wakeman isn’t new to STARMUS. 10 years ago, Brian May offered him to join the festival.

“I think it is wrong that in the UK arts and science are separate from one another in schools, these are interrelated things, and you should never separate them. I think it is very important that STARMUS can combine these two. I am very proud to be part of this festival. It is very wonderful that I am here in Armenia,” he said.

Simon Phillips said this is his first participation in the STARMUS festival and his first visit to Armenia.

“This is certainly the best experience. It is always wonderful to come to a new country where you haven’t been. Derek and I have cooperated over the past 22 years in different projects and we wrote 9 albums together but we never performed live. Garik’s invitation was the spark. We’ve created a very sophisticated musical piece and we look forward to playing it for the Armenian audience,” Phillips said.

Tigran Hamasyan said that science and arts imply the combination of rather sophisticated structures.

“I personally get inspired by music, with other manifestations of arts, I try to see mathematics and geometry there. I think it is a very good initiative to combine arts and science in the festival,” Hamasyan said.