· Classical
With the support of the "Armenian Aid Fund", the first inter-university competition was held at Yerevan Conservatory
From December 14 to 16, an intra-university competition was held for the first time at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory with the support of the Armenian branch of the "Fund for Armenian Relief". It should be noted that the cooperation of the charitable foundation with the music university has a history of about 20 years. During that time, various educational projects received funding and 4 national and international competitions were held. This time the competition had an intra-university format and was intended for orchestra faculty students. 18 undergraduate and graduate students of the music university participated in the competition. The compulsory program of the competition included a virtuoso piece and a large-scale canvas piece: the 1st or 2nd, 3rd parts of a concerto. The participants presented themselves with a diverse and original repertoire, performing works by classical and modern composers.
On December 13, a draw was held, as a result of which the order of the participants was determined.
On December 14, the Chair of String Instruments students gave a concert. The members of the committee were associate professor Ruben Smbatyan, dean of the orchestra faculty, lecturer Armen Torosyan of the chair of stringed instruments, director of Yerevan P. Tchaikovsky Secondary Professional Music School, and associate professor Martuni Kostandyan. Nare Melkonyan (undergraduate, 2nd year, harp, professor: Zara Harutyunyan), Anush Margaryan (undergraduate, 4th year, violin, professor Bagrat Vardanyan), and Svetlana Mikaelyan (undergraduate, 2nd year, violin, professor: Alexander Kosemyan) received diplomas, and the prize places were shared. Arman Poghosyan (Bachelor, 3rd year, cello, professor: Aram Talalyan) and Elen Mamikonian (Bachelor, 3rd year, violin, professor: Artashes Mkrtchyan) were awarded the 3rd prize. Sona Turabyan (master's degree, 2nd year, viola, professor: Armen Torosyan), Suzana Asatryan (bachelor's degree, 2nd year, violin, professor: A. Mkrtchyan) and Jean-Michel Aroyan (bachelor, 3- 1st year, violin, professor: B. Vardanyan) awarded the second prize, and the 1st prize winners were Ivane Yesayan (undergraduate, 1st year, violin, professor: Aram Asatryan) and Emil Kapinos (undergraduate, 3rd year, cello, professor: A. Talalyan).
On December 15, the Brass and Percussion Department students gave a concert. The committee was represented by the vice-rector for academic affairs, composer, and flutist Aram Hovhannisyan, dean of the orchestra faculty, associate professor Ruben Smbatyan, and flutist Gevorg Avetisyan, lecturer of the Department of brass and percussion instruments. Hayk Sevoyan (Bachelor, 1st year, saxophone, professor: Prof. Alexander Manukyan), Stepan Veziryan (Bachelor, 2nd year, saxophone, professor: A. Manukyan) and Ara Ivanyan (Bachelor, 3rd year) received diplomas. The 3rd prize was shared by Armen Daghents (undergraduate, 4th year, saxophone, professor: A. Manukyan) and Ilya Brsoyan (undergraduate, 1st year, clarinet, professor: Hrazdan Sargsyan), the 2nd prize was shared between Mane Avagyan (bachelor's degree, 1st year, flute, professor: Gevorg Avetisyan) and Avag Avagyan (master's degree, 1st year, clarinet, professor: Vyacheslav Manucharyan). The 1st prize went to Eduard Khorozyan (undergraduate, 1st year, clarinet, professor: H. Sargsyan).
On December 16, the award ceremony was held, during which the 1st prize-winning students of the string and brass departments performed in a concert.
Aram Hovhannisyan, the vice-rector for academic affairs of the Conservatory, highly appreciated the performance level of the competition, and the responsibility of the participants, and expressed special thanks to the heads of professional classes, who prepared the students perfectly even before the first semester was over. Ruben Smbatyan, the dean of the Orchestra faculty of the Conservatory, emphasized the severe financial support of the FAR, which made it possible to have a prize fund and properly organize the competition. He expressed hope that in the future they will also be able to involve copper-brass instruments.
Eduard Karapetyan, the deputy director of the Armenian branch of FAR, and the head of scientific and educational programs ended his congratulatory speech with unexpected happy news. "As you know, the support program for the Conservatory by the FAR was supposed to end this year. When we sent information and photos about this competition to the New York office of the FAR, we received surprise news the next day. I would like to kindly inform you that this program will be continued for another 4 years with the support of the FAR. I congratulate everyone and wish success to our joint projects."
On December 13, a draw was held, as a result of which the order of the participants was determined.
On December 14, the Chair of String Instruments students gave a concert. The members of the committee were associate professor Ruben Smbatyan, dean of the orchestra faculty, lecturer Armen Torosyan of the chair of stringed instruments, director of Yerevan P. Tchaikovsky Secondary Professional Music School, and associate professor Martuni Kostandyan. Nare Melkonyan (undergraduate, 2nd year, harp, professor: Zara Harutyunyan), Anush Margaryan (undergraduate, 4th year, violin, professor Bagrat Vardanyan), and Svetlana Mikaelyan (undergraduate, 2nd year, violin, professor: Alexander Kosemyan) received diplomas, and the prize places were shared. Arman Poghosyan (Bachelor, 3rd year, cello, professor: Aram Talalyan) and Elen Mamikonian (Bachelor, 3rd year, violin, professor: Artashes Mkrtchyan) were awarded the 3rd prize. Sona Turabyan (master's degree, 2nd year, viola, professor: Armen Torosyan), Suzana Asatryan (bachelor's degree, 2nd year, violin, professor: A. Mkrtchyan) and Jean-Michel Aroyan (bachelor, 3- 1st year, violin, professor: B. Vardanyan) awarded the second prize, and the 1st prize winners were Ivane Yesayan (undergraduate, 1st year, violin, professor: Aram Asatryan) and Emil Kapinos (undergraduate, 3rd year, cello, professor: A. Talalyan).
On December 15, the Brass and Percussion Department students gave a concert. The committee was represented by the vice-rector for academic affairs, composer, and flutist Aram Hovhannisyan, dean of the orchestra faculty, associate professor Ruben Smbatyan, and flutist Gevorg Avetisyan, lecturer of the Department of brass and percussion instruments. Hayk Sevoyan (Bachelor, 1st year, saxophone, professor: Prof. Alexander Manukyan), Stepan Veziryan (Bachelor, 2nd year, saxophone, professor: A. Manukyan) and Ara Ivanyan (Bachelor, 3rd year) received diplomas. The 3rd prize was shared by Armen Daghents (undergraduate, 4th year, saxophone, professor: A. Manukyan) and Ilya Brsoyan (undergraduate, 1st year, clarinet, professor: Hrazdan Sargsyan), the 2nd prize was shared between Mane Avagyan (bachelor's degree, 1st year, flute, professor: Gevorg Avetisyan) and Avag Avagyan (master's degree, 1st year, clarinet, professor: Vyacheslav Manucharyan). The 1st prize went to Eduard Khorozyan (undergraduate, 1st year, clarinet, professor: H. Sargsyan).
On December 16, the award ceremony was held, during which the 1st prize-winning students of the string and brass departments performed in a concert.
Aram Hovhannisyan, the vice-rector for academic affairs of the Conservatory, highly appreciated the performance level of the competition, and the responsibility of the participants, and expressed special thanks to the heads of professional classes, who prepared the students perfectly even before the first semester was over. Ruben Smbatyan, the dean of the Orchestra faculty of the Conservatory, emphasized the severe financial support of the FAR, which made it possible to have a prize fund and properly organize the competition. He expressed hope that in the future they will also be able to involve copper-brass instruments.
Eduard Karapetyan, the deputy director of the Armenian branch of FAR, and the head of scientific and educational programs ended his congratulatory speech with unexpected happy news. "As you know, the support program for the Conservatory by the FAR was supposed to end this year. When we sent information and photos about this competition to the New York office of the FAR, we received surprise news the next day. I would like to kindly inform you that this program will be continued for another 4 years with the support of the FAR. I congratulate everyone and wish success to our joint projects."
