Musical Dialogues

The “Musical Dialogues” concert – project, organised by Associate Professor Randi Margrethe Eidsaa, is a collaboration between the Sarajevo Academy of the Music, Nansen Dialogue Center in Sarajevo and University of Agder. Among the selected pieces were compositions by L. van Beethoven, Prebanda, E. Grieg, Sommerfeldt, Konrad M. Øhrn, Komitas.  A. Khachaturian’s Trio for Clarinet in B, Violin and Piano, Song-Poem for violin and piano, Toccata for piano and arrangements from Khachaturian’s ballets “Gayane” and “Spartacus” were also performed.  The event took place in the concert hall of Bosnjacki Institute in Sarajevo, on 19^th of November.

 “Musical Dialogues” is an interesting international platform and unique possibility for me to present results from the ongoing process of my artistic research project.  As well as exploring different musical approaches regards to the interpretation of the above-mentioned compositions together with the international musicians with different identities and backgrounds.A. Khachaturian’s above mentioned compositions are linked to my Artistic Research Project called “Interpretation issues of A. Khachaturian’s piano compositions”, whichis a research project in the field of the classical piano music. This project focuses on the different aspects of interpretation of A. Khachaturian’s several significant piano compositions.In this concert I performed A. Khachaturian’s Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano together with Inga Marie Soteland/clarinet, Yeonju Jeong/violin, Song-Poem for violin and piano together with Yeonju Jeong/violin, Toccata for solo piano and arrangements from Khachaturian’s ballets “Gayane” and “Spartacus” with Kjersti Holtan/flute.

My approach to this artistic research project is from the point of view of a pianist-performer. The aim is to find my own individual interpretations of A. Khachaturian’s compositions regards to the context of: 1) Armenian folk music inspiration, 2) The impact of the Soviet Russian compositional school.

My preliminary research showed that some of the A.Khachaturian’s compositions contain imitation of the sound of Armenian folk instruments, such as kamancha, tar, kanon, dhol etc. This fact is one of the reasons why I am especially interested in the first context, and my intention is to show that Aram Khachaturian’s musical idiom has deep roots in the Armenian folklore music. From my point of view, deep understanding and knowledge of the specifics of Armenian music are important aspects, which create and shape my individual interpretation of Khachaturian’s music. From performers point of view, it is very important to have knowledge about the specifics of this compositions and the inspiration from folk Ashugh’s (folk bards) art, the free improvisational style of the performance, interpretation of the tempos, articulation, dynamics and all the other details connected with the Armenian musical culture, in order to achieve the most convincing and historically aware performance during a concert. Together with Inga Marie and Yeonju we investigated possible ways to achieve the improvisational style, freedom of sound, articulation and other specifics and musical expressions regarded to the interpretation. From my point of view our international collaboration and Musical Dialogues gave us a great experience of musicianship together, which is a significant contribution to my research project.

During this event the audience also had the possibility to receive historical information about the Bosnian War (1992-1995), about Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930) and his great contribution that saved 320 000 Armenian lives by the help of Nansen Passport during the period of the Armenian Genocide (1915, with subsidiaries to 1922-23), as well as also information about Armenian composers Komitas (1869-1935) and A. Khachaturian (1903-1978).  Under the baton of the Bosnian conductor Tijana Vignevic together with the student string orchestra from the Academy of the Music in Sarajevo we performed the premiere of the Concert piece for the piano, string orchestra and timpani, written by Norwegian composer, Professor in UIA Konrad Michal Øhrn. This composition was dedicated to Adam Gruchot/violinist, conductor, first concertmaster of the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra/KSO and to me (Mariam Kharatyan).  With this bright, energetic, joyful and full of Norwegian spirit concert piece we marked the end of the Musical Dialogues concert program.

The Research Project Musical Dialogues
Randi Margrethe Eidsaa, Mariam Kharatyan and Arve Konnestad

Bilder: Vanja Cerimagic

Tekst: Mariam Kharatyan

About the project in the attached leaflet:

Musical Dialogues