“Aravot” invited Belgium-based young pianist Armen-Levon Manaseryan to an interview. The name of this artist recently has been mentioned on two occasions: he had founded the “VITRAGE” International Festival in Brussels, which includes other spheres of culture in addition to music art, including visual arts and theater, secondly, people say that he was the laureate of the prestigious EPTA International Competition held in Brussels in spring by ousting the Azerbaijani pianist as a result of the competition. People assure that the word Armenia was written in the booklet by mistake next to Azerbaijani name, which was corrected by urging on Armen-Levon. In an interview with us, the pianist confirmed this. And as to why the artist appeared in Belgium and moreover, managed to establish an international competition abroad, Armen-Levon first mentioned that when he was 5 years old, her mother was his first piano instructor as a pianist. Armen-Levon’s mother, Marie Minasyan, was a lecturer at the Yerevan State Conservatory. Generally, he was lucky with the instructors. He studied at the Tchaikovsky Music Secondary Vocational School, in the class of Associate Professor Shushan Babayan, and in the Conservatory – in the class of Professor Sergei Sarajyan. “My lecturers are the descendants of Russian piano school. As they say, I have taken everything from them but I had also a goal to study the performance of the art at other schools. It was the only reason that I left for Belgium and now, I’m studying at the Royal Conservatory of Liège in Belgium headed by renowned pedagogue Etienne Ghapi,” – said the pianist.
As for the establishing an international festival abroad, Armen-Levon noted that generally, the musicians who have graduated from the Russian school are appraised in Europe. “It is not essential for the artist which country he lives and works. He needs new stages and acquaintances with new orchestras and conductors … Thank God, I participated in several national and international festivals when I was a student at the Conservatoire. With regard to my festival established in Belgium, I am really proud because my goal is to bridge the Armenian, Russian and Western European music. The opening of the festival was kicked off this year in January with my solo concert. I have decided to hold the second festival in September. I have reached agreements with such prominent musicians as pianists Lily Maisky (Russia), Yoko Nano (Japan), Joseph Paratore (Italy), Europe-based violinist spouses Hasmik Manukyan and Hrayr Karapetyan, pianists Lilit Grigoryan and Ashot Khachatryan, cellists Sevak Avanesyan, Gary Hoffman and violinist Hrachya Avanesyan … I have even obtained agreements with the renowned musicians to participate in the third and the fourth festivals. This year, the Russian-Armenian Theater (Artistic Director Slava Stepanyan) with the history of the 1920s of the 20th century will arrive from Moscow,” – said our interlocutor. To the question of whether the organizational matter related to the festival do not hamper his solo career, the pianist replied, “Only this year, I took part in two competitions at least the most prestigious ones in Europe: Henri Charlier and EPTA. In the framework of the “Museum Night” event in Brussels in the spring, I performed the interpretation of Cotton Mills Blues 4 ballad by one of today’s world popular American composers Frederic Rzewski.” The artist also said that nearly 18000 euros raised as a result of the benevolent concert organized by me and cellist Sevak Avanesyan are rendered to the families of some soldiers killed in the April war and those who are standing in the positions today. He confirmed our information that the School named after Komitas will begin operating in Brussels in the fall and did not give any details.
Samvel DANIELYAN
“Aravot”
