· Classical
Peter Ounjian to conduct ANPO after 25 years break
After 25 years break, world-famous Canadian-Armenian conductor Peter Ounjian conduct the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra (artistic director and principal conductor Eduard Topchjan), soloist for the concert is famous violinist Robert McDuffie (USA).
The concerts will take place in Yerevan on June 17 at the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall and in Gyumri on June 18 at the Vardan Achemyan Drama Theater. The concert features J. Brahms's Violin Concerto and A. Dvorak's 9th Symphony.
“We’ve known each other since Julliard school in 1976 and our families were very close. And we've been on stage 20 times including the world premiere of 4 seasons by American composer Philip Glass” Ounjian said during the press conference held in Yerevan.
Mr. Ounjian already had a rehearsal with the Armenian orchestra and as he said he was impressed:“Great orchestra. I was here 25 years ago, and the orchestra always was very expressive and very generous, very giving musically. Now I think it is imaginative unification and excellence in everything”.
In the first part of the concert violinist Robert McDuffie together with the orchestra will perform a violin concerto by Brahms and as he told to journalists, he has an interesting experience with this piece: “ For me personally it is a neglected piece, I’ve played 40 years ago few times and it wasn’t so good so I decided to put it on the shelve and concentrated to other music. I think I was not ready intellectually. Now I think it's time to play Brahms with my dear friend and I feel comfortable with him we had a session here, he was helping me with the secrets of achieving goals that were so beautiful about our friendship. We’ve both had a good conversation about how to make this very well-known piece fresh, beautiful, and tasteful”. Talking about his repertoire McDaffy emphasized that now he prefers to play works by American composers. My life changed when I performed the Samuel Barber concerto for him. And I wanted to make it my mission to play as many American concertos as I could. John Adams, William Schuman, Phillip Glass”.
Ounjian says Brahms concerto is the piece which they wanted to do together, and it's one of the greatest pieces in the world not only among violin concertos. Dvorak’s legendary 9th symphony which will and then he wanted to bring the piece that everybody will love. “The second reason that I am an Armenian guy living in New York since 1975 And Dvorak's 9th symphony was written on 17th street in New York and it's his response, it's his reaction to arriving in new life in 1892 and it was appropriate for me. After all, it is a very well-known piece and incredibly fantastic on every level, intellectual as well. It's fantastic, very generous, and exciting music”.
The concerts will take place in Yerevan on June 17 at the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall and in Gyumri on June 18 at the Vardan Achemyan Drama Theater. The concert features J. Brahms's Violin Concerto and A. Dvorak's 9th Symphony.
“We’ve known each other since Julliard school in 1976 and our families were very close. And we've been on stage 20 times including the world premiere of 4 seasons by American composer Philip Glass” Ounjian said during the press conference held in Yerevan.
Mr. Ounjian already had a rehearsal with the Armenian orchestra and as he said he was impressed:“Great orchestra. I was here 25 years ago, and the orchestra always was very expressive and very generous, very giving musically. Now I think it is imaginative unification and excellence in everything”.
In the first part of the concert violinist Robert McDuffie together with the orchestra will perform a violin concerto by Brahms and as he told to journalists, he has an interesting experience with this piece: “ For me personally it is a neglected piece, I’ve played 40 years ago few times and it wasn’t so good so I decided to put it on the shelve and concentrated to other music. I think I was not ready intellectually. Now I think it's time to play Brahms with my dear friend and I feel comfortable with him we had a session here, he was helping me with the secrets of achieving goals that were so beautiful about our friendship. We’ve both had a good conversation about how to make this very well-known piece fresh, beautiful, and tasteful”. Talking about his repertoire McDaffy emphasized that now he prefers to play works by American composers. My life changed when I performed the Samuel Barber concerto for him. And I wanted to make it my mission to play as many American concertos as I could. John Adams, William Schuman, Phillip Glass”.
Ounjian says Brahms concerto is the piece which they wanted to do together, and it's one of the greatest pieces in the world not only among violin concertos. Dvorak’s legendary 9th symphony which will and then he wanted to bring the piece that everybody will love. “The second reason that I am an Armenian guy living in New York since 1975 And Dvorak's 9th symphony was written on 17th street in New York and it's his response, it's his reaction to arriving in new life in 1892 and it was appropriate for me. After all, it is a very well-known piece and incredibly fantastic on every level, intellectual as well. It's fantastic, very generous, and exciting music”.
