Tigran Hamasyan

Not only is Armenia the oldest Christian nation in the world – according to legend, Noah's Ark was stranded on the holy Mount Ararat – but the small country in the Caucasus punches above its weight artistically, producing a number of truly great musicians.

Young pianist Tigran Hamasyan is one of the country’s absolute stars. He is regarded as one of the most distinctive musical minds of his generation, a piano virtuoso who seamlessly combines powerful jazz improvisation and progressive rock with the rich folkloric music of his homeland. Hamasyan was born in Gyumri in 1987 into a musical family. He began playing the piano at the age of three and was performing at festivals and competitions by the age of eleven. In 2003, Hamasyan won the piano competition at the Montreux Jazz Festival. He released his debut album World Passion in 2004 at the age of 17, and won the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition the following year.

So when Hamasyan gushes about his early influences, you should listen: “I had a fantastic teacher called Vahagn Hayrapetian,” he enthuses. Well, you can experience Hayrapetian on 10 August in a concert together with the Syrian ney virtuoso Moslem Rahal and the Italian saxophonist Luigi Grasso.

Tigran Hamasyan – piano

A combined ticket is available for this event.