"It is a program of great beauty...
It is a real treasure!"
- Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music Review
About
Mikael Ayrapetyan
Piano
Mikael Ayrapetyan is a pianist, composer, teacher, producer and public figure. The founder and artistic Director of the Secrets of Armenia music project, artist of the Naxos international classical music label. His concerts were held in the best halls of the world, and his discography of Armenian classical music is reviewed by the best music magazines of the world, among them – FANFARE (USA), International Piano (England), American Record Guide (USA), Ritmo (Spain), Music Web International (England) and others.
Mikael Ayrapetyan's performances of works by Chukhajyan, Tigranian, Spendiarov, Stepanian, Barkhudarian, Abramian, Bagdasarian, Andriasian, Amirkhanian and other Armenian composers are world premieres. In addition to little-known opuses, Mikael Ayrapetyan's repertoire includes masterpieces of Armenian music from the pen of Sayat-Nova, Komitas, Khachaturian, Ekmalian, Babajanian, Harutyunian, Mirzoyan, Mansourian. Thus, the creative activity of Mikael Ayrapetyan opens a wide panorama of Armenian musical culture to the audience of different countries.
The unique professional activity of Mikael Ayrapetyan and the Secrets of Armenia project makes a significant contribution to the development of world classical music and contributes to the convergence of people of different nationalities.
Vladimir Sergeev
Violin
Vladimir Sergeev is one of the brightest violinists of our time, a representative of the Russian violin school.
An apprentice of the Moscow Conservatory, international competitions awardee, and soloist of Russia’s Bolshoi Theater orchestra.
The musician pays special attention to the popularization of Armenian classical music worldwide. Together with Mikael Ayrapetyan he performs in the best halls of Russia and records the repertoire of Armenian classical music on the best music labels of the world.
He performed in Europe, Asia, and America.
Maria Gambaryan
Piano
Maria Gambaryan is an Honored Artist of Russia and Armenia, a pianist, professor, public figure. She was born in 1925 in Yerevan. She studied at the Central children's music school at the Moscow Conservatory in the class of Professor A. V. Shazkes, then at the Moscow Conservatory, from which she graduated with honors in 1948. She was taught by legendary professors - Konstantin Igumnov, Heinrich Neuhaus and Lev Oborin. Maria Gambaryan's concert career began shortly after she completed her postgraduate course at the Moscow Conservatory in 1951. She performed in Moscow, Leningrad, Rostov-on-Don, Sverdlovsk, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Tbilisi, Baku, Yerevan, Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn, etc. Successfully toured in Yugoslavia, Spain, Japan, Germany, South Korea, the United States, and other countries.
The first years of Maria Gambaryan's pedagogical work were connected with the Leningrad Conservatory (1956-1960). In 1960 Maria Gambaryan moved to Moscow and became a teacher at the Gnessin Music Pedagogical Institute (now, Russian Academy of Music), where she taught a piano class until 2017.
Maria Gambaryan's name had appeared on concert billboards for more than sixty years. And if at the beginning of her performance, the concert repertoire of the pianist clearly gravitated to the works of romantics (Chopin and Schumann), then later the range of her concert programs significantly expanded: harpsichordists, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Liszt, Scriabin, Ravel, Debussy, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev.
Elena Epikhina
Soprano
Elena Epikhina - an extremely talented young singer.
Her vocal prowess is characterized by unique and enchanting voice timbre, combined with academicism and high professionalism. The singer has an extensive vocal repertoire, including both classical and modern arias.
Being educated at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music, Epikhina continues to perform in the best traditions of the Russian vocal school.
Epikhina performed concert programs in different countries of the world, receiving applause and rapturous reviews from professional musicians, public, and media.
Grant Ayrapetyan
Piano
Grant Ayrapetyan is a pianist educated by the best representatives of the Russian piano school.
"Grant Ayrapetyan is one of the most talented and best students in my 65 years of teaching. His originality, professionalism and high artistry make him one of the most talented young Armenian pianists", - Honored Artist of Russia and Armenia, Gnessin Russian Academy of Music Professor, the last apprentice of Konstantin Igumnov, pianist Maria Gambaryan.
The pianist performed in the best halls of Russia, including the Bolshoi, Maly, Rachmaninoff Halls of the Moscow Conservatory and the halls of the House of Music. The pianist actively studies and promotes the work of Armenian composer and thinker, George Gurdjieff.
Hovhannes Ghazaryan
Duduk
Hovhannes Ghazaryan is one of the most popular dudukists in Russia. He was born in 1981 in Gyumri (Leninakan), Armenia. When Hovhannes was a child, his parents felt his talent and sent him to study at the Brutian music school, in the class of duduk.
From 1998 to 2003 he studied at the Komitas Yerevan State Conservatory (teachers: Gagik Malkhasyan, Gevorg Dabaghyan).
From 2003 to 2008 he taught at the Gyumri branch of the Komitas Yerevan State Conservatory. At the same time, he performed concerts in Armenia and abroad.
Performances: 2005, Russia – Moscow State Kremlin Palace. 2007, USA - New York Carnegie Hall, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Detroit. In the same year: Canada - Toronto, Montreal. 2009, Syria - Aleppo, Damascus. 2010, Turkey - Ani, Kars.
Hovhannes Ghazaryan is the artistic director of the Dudukist Ensemble and the duduk school in Moscow.
Yulia Ayrapetyan
Piano
Yulia Ayrapetyan - pianist, producer, and teacher.
Yulia Ayrapetyan's concert performances were held with great success in a number of European countries, Russia, Armenia, and China. Yulia Ayrapetyan obtained her master's degree in music arts in Moscow, in the class of professor and pianist Vasily Shcherbakov, grandson of the famous children's composer and teacher, Dmitry Kabalevsky.
For a long time, Yulia Ayrapetyan actively studied various musical and pedagogical systems, which in 2012 helped her start the creation and implementation of her children's pedagogical methodology, based on accessibility, ease of perception and individual approach, and realized by the success of her students in Russia and China.
In the 2016-2017 season, her concerts were held with great success in China. In the 2018-2019 season, Yulia Ayrapetyan recorded two solo albums of piano music.
Stanislav Davydov
Bass
Stanislav Davydov - bass.
Stanislav Davydov - owner of a rare voice timbre, concert bass, soloist of the State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia. Davydov's extensive repertoire includes arias and romances and songs by Western European and Russian composers.
Davydov performed throughout Europe, Russia, and China. His performances were accompanied by rapturous reviews from both the public and music critics. In addition to concert activities, the musician pays considerable attention to pedagogical activities.
In 2015, as a visiting Professor, Stanislav Davydov taught at Tianjin Normal University (China), where he gave masterclasses for students of different higher educational institutions and solo performances.
Since 2018 - soloist of the State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia.
Gayane Mzikyan
Soprano
Gayane Mzikyan - soprano.
The singer has a rare voice timbre, which makes her one of the most talented and promising young vocalists in Russia and Armenia.
Gayane Mzikyan performed throughout Europe and Russia, each time conquering the audience with the timbre of her voice, beauty, and artistry.
During Komitas 145 and Secrets of Armenia concerts, she was applauded by the Tchaikovsky Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. Works of Armenian composers take a special place in the repertoire of the young singer.
Eugeny Bychkov
Piano
Eugeny Bychkov - concert pianist, international competitions awardee, teacher and public figure.
He received a professional musical education at the Gnessin Russian State Academy of Music in the class of Professor Maria Gambaryan. Eugeny Bychkov performs concerts throughout Europe and Asia. Bychkov's extensive concert repertoire includes various works, from the baroque era to the works of XX century composers.
From 2012 to 2016, the pianist performed with great success within the Secrets of Armenia international music project, causing a standing ovation from the audience.
From 2016 to 2017, Evgeny Bychkov taught at Tianjin Normal University as a visiting professor.
At the same time in China, Evgeny Bychkov gave a number of solo concerts and masterclasses.
Termine Zaryan
Soprano
Termine Zaryan - lyric-coloratura soprano.
She graduated from Yerevan Komitas Conservatory and Santa Cecilia Academy in Rome. In 2010 she made her debut at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall: Concerto for soprano and viola by I. Reichelson accompanied by the New Russia Symphonic Orchestra with Y. Bashmet.
She participated in opera productions at Lyon National Opera (France) and in Moscow, performed with Kirov Philharmony Chamber orchestra, the Minsk Chamber orchestra and Ural Conservatory Symphonic orchestra. She performed in Europe, Russia, and Armenia.
Since 2016, Termine Zaryan has been living and working in Vienna.
Demian Fokin
Cello
Demian Fokin - cello
Born in 1986. He began studying music at the age of five under the guidance of his parents. At the age of 17, he entered the State Youth Orchestra of Mexico through competition, where he made his debut as a soloist with the orchestra conducted by Roman Revueltas.
He leads an active creative life, performing in Kassel, Karlsruhe, Berlin, Paris, Copenhagen, Tallinn, Szczecin, Kaliningrad, Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities in Europe and Russia.
He performed in such halls as the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall and the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory, the Moscow International House of Music, the Great Hall of the Gnessin Academy, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, the Mogador Theatre in Paris, Radio Hall in Copenhagen.
Mikhail Markin
Piano
Mikhail Markin - concert pianist, teacher, international competitions awardee.
He was born in a family of musicians in 1981 in Moscow.
He received his first music lessons under the guidance of his father, Alexander Markin, also a professional pianist.
Having received professional musical education in Moscow from Vera Nosina and Alexander Muraviev, the pianist becomes the heir of professional traditions of the Russian piano school, successfully implementing them at his concerts in Europe and Russia.
From 2008 to 2016, he taught special piano at the Moscow State University of Culture and Arts.
Garush Vardanyan
Tenor
Garush Vardanyan - concert tenor, teacher, public figure.
After school, Garush Vardanyan became a lawyer, worked in the Appeal Court of the Republic of Armenia in civil cases. In eight years he reached the position of adviser to the chairman of the court. But the thirst for singing and the stage took over.
Garush Vardyanyan entered the Yerevan State Conservatory, and during his studies, he performed several solo concerts in Aram Khachaturian and Arno Babajanyan concert halls. After graduation, Garush Vardyanyan was invited to work in Italy (Rome, Teatro Italia).
In the meantime, he began studying at the Santa Cecilia Conservatory. The tenor was then invited to perform at the San Carlo Opera house in Naples. However, Garush decided that to devote himself only to the opera stage is wrong because his goal has always been to convey his art and voice to all segments of society.
Since March 2013, Garush Vardanyan has been performing in Moscow.
Fyodor Vetrov
Viola
Fyodor Vetrov - violist and multi-instrumentalist.
Fyodor’s art is marked with professionalism and willingness to experiment, especially clearly manifested in the mastering of different instruments, sometimes distant from each other.
Kremlin chamber orchestra soloist. The musician performed throughout the USA, South America, Europe, Russia, and Asia.
The musician actively promotes Armenian classical music, performing together with Mikael Ayrapetyan.
Iskuhi Karapetyan
Canun
Iskuhi Karapetyan - one of the best canun players in the world.
The love for this ancient Armenian musical instrument accompanies Iskuhi all her life and helps reveal Armenian folk music to the listeners at various concert halls worldwide.
Karapetyan actively attracts young people to Armenian folk music by organizing canun playing courses for children.
Alexander Dvorianov
Piano
Alexander Dvorianov - concert pianist, composer, and teacher.
Alexander Dvoryanov is an heir of the traditions of Russian piano school. Dvoryanov obtained his musical education in Moscow under the guidance of famous Russian professors: Manaszon, Rakova, and Musorin, which allowed him to stand on a par with the leading young pianists of Russia.
Alongside his postgraduate studies in Moscow, Alexander Dvoryanov was trained in Italy in the class of Professor Petrushansky. Alexander's solo concerts were held there with great success.
In 2011, Alexander Dvoryanov released Victoria album comprised of the author's piano music.
Dudukist Ensemble
Dudukist Ensemble - instrumental ensemble directed by Hovhannes Ghazaryan, formed at the Moscow Duduk School in 2014.
As the organizer and director of the Moscow Duduk School, Hovhannes Ghazaryan is also the artistic director of the ensemble, performing concerts both as part of the ensemble and solo. As a permanent member, duduk is the main inspiration of the ensemble.
According to the members of the ensemble, at first, duduk was the spirit, love and driving force that once, by the will of fate, brought them together. But over time, the love for this ancient musical instrument became something more than just a performance. To this day, this love expands its circles, knowing neither distances nor boundaries. An all-encompassing love that now unites not only professional musicians, but even different nations and confessions. The ensemble’s repertoire is extraordinary and being constantly refined.