The brief background to the story
In April of 2019, Mediamax was in the midst of active preparations for the series of events marking the 30th anniversary of Rock Aid Armenia. It was during one of the discussions that Deputy Director of Mediamax Karen Antonyan came up with an idea: take the visiting rock stars to Naregatsi Art Institute.
Karen Antonyan and Rock Aid Armenia founder Jon DeePhoto: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
Soon enough the management of Mediamax met with Naregatsi Institute’s founder Nareg Hartunyian and composer, Artistic Director Artem Khachatur. The first decision of the newly formed partnership was to surprise the guests with covers of Deep Purple and Black Sabbath hits.
Naregatsi Art Institute welcomed rock legends Ian Gillan and Tony Iommi and Rock Aid Armenia founder Jon Dee at 2:45 p.m. on June 5. Mediamax had a correspondent at the institute an hour earlier to record the preparations and the long-awaited event itself.
Ahead of the visit
“See, these guys are the Beethovens of rock. You can’t surprise them, but you can play something that makes them want to sit here and listen,” Nareg Hartyunian, standing at the stage, tells the young musicians.
Nareg Hartyunian Photo: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
“If they talk to you and ask questions, don’t be embarrassed, speak frankly. It’s alright if you don’t know certain things about them or their careers, it isn’t shameful. It will be shameful, though, if you start talking on a topic you know nothing about,” Artem Khachatur instructs the orchestra before retiring to his office: it is time for final preparations.
Artem KhachaturPhoto: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
The wait and the conversations
We follow Hartunian to his office, where the founder of Naregatsi Institute tells he singled out two Deep Purple songs.
“I chose ‘Smoke on the Water’ and ‘Child in Time’. I used to listen to these two a lot when I was young,” he explains.
Photo: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
Next, Hartunian reveals that the Naregatsi orchestra will play ‘Smoke on the Water’ with Armenian national music instruments.
“It is such an honor to receive Mr. Gillan and Mr. Iommi here. We have to thank Mediamax for that. The institute has prepared a special present for the guests to show them how much they are respected and appreciated here: we’ll play the song they are used to hearing in rock edition with Armenian instruments,” says Hartunian.
“How important is this visit for you?”
“Stars of their caliber could go anywhere and get involved in any initiative, any platform, but they chose to do a charitable project to help Armenia and accepted Mediamax’s invitation to mark the anniversary of that project. It means a lot. It also says a lot. You can tell they are humble, frank and open-minded people,” believes Hartunian.
Artem KhachaturPhoto: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
Outside, Artem Khachatrur is already tuning his tar (Armenian string instrument – Mediamax). We have to ask, will a rock song still be a rock song if you play it with folk instruments?
“Yes, of course. We have prepared something curious, you have to hear it. Our instruments are giving rock a richer sound and rock, in its turn, is reaffirming the rich sound of our instruments. I am certain our cover will inspire the guests. In technical sense, folk instruments can be used for compositions that are more complex. The only issue is to preserve the tone and the “character” of rock. You just listen to our cover, and in the end you tell me if it is more difficult to play rock or national music with the folk instruments,” says Khachatur.
The 8-year-old fan
Edith Matevosyan, a member of Naregatsi orchestra, is unfamiliar with both rock and the distinguished guests, but she loves playing their songs.
Photo: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
Another musician, Lilit Balabekyan, finds the outcome of mixing national instruments with a seemingly foreign genre of rock exciting.
“The only difficulty was getting the style, the rhythm right. It would be easier for us to play classical music. I, personally, loved our rendition of ‘She Is Gone’ (Black Sabbath),” she says.
In the corner, we notice a young boy, who introduces himself as Artyom Makaryan. The 8-year-old musician not only knows who Tony Iommi is, but can’t wait for the man to arrive.
“I play dhol (Armenian drum – Mediamax). I love this instrument. My brother plays duduk (Armenian wind instrument – Mediamax), and he loves it too. My favorite musician is Serj Tankian. Can you say why I love rock?” Artyom turns the tables of our short interview.
“No, you tell us.”
“I love rock because it has everything. You can play it with any instrument, it can “fit” anything. May I ask something of you?”
“Sure.”
“Could you help me approach Mr. Iommi and take a picture with him after the concert?”
“We can try.”
Artyom Makaryan and Tony IommiPhoto: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
“I have tattoos like a real rock star, but they don’t scare you, right?”
“They don’t, no.”
“Good. Don’t forget, you said you’d help me get a picture with Mr. Iommi. I will post it on my Instagram.”
The special present
The Naregatsi orchestra starts playing. Only five compositions, but all selected and performed carefully.
Photo: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
Khachatur Avetisyan’s ‘Bridges’ is followed by ‘Smoke on the Water’, and then it is the turn for ‘Old and new dances of the mountaineers’ by Aram Khachaturian.
Gillan and Iommi recognize ‘Smoke on the Water’ right away, but when the orchestra starts playing ‘She Is Gone’, Iommi seems uncertain.
Photo: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
A few seconds later, it is clear that Artem Khachatur and his protégés have managed to intensify the solemn, emotional tone of the song.
The concert concludes with the ‘Artsakh hero dance: A new uzundara’. “Oh, that’s fantastic!” is often heard from the front row, where Ian Gillan and Tony Iommi are seated.
Photo: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
Once the concert is over and the orchestra has bowed and put down the instruments, it is time for the rock legends to have their say. It was so lovely, and you are so talented, they tell the musicians with the frankness that the institute founder anticipated.
Photo: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
These sincere compliments and the visible excitement of the guests make the performers’ eyes shine and send waves of positive energy around the hall.
Tony Iommi and Artem KhachaturPhoto: Mediamax/Vaghinak Ghazaryan
Lusin Mkrtchyan
Photos by Vaghinak Ghazaryan (specially for Mediamax)
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