How It All Started...
History of the orchestra
The State Jazz Orchestra of Armenia was officially founded in 1938 by a cellist, songwriter and composer Artemy Ayvazyan. In a very short time it gained wide recognition performing with numerous concerts and tours. During the Second World War the Orchestra performed a lot at full length of the front. It included talented and bright names of Armenian jazz pioneers.
Since 1956, the pianist and composer Konstantin Orbelyan became the conductor of the orchestra and had been leading it for 36 years, gaining international recognition.
The orchestra repeatedly performed in many countries such as Tunisia, Poland, Germany, France, Lebanon, Syria and so on. In 1975 exceptional tours took place in the United States.
The orchestra's activities were suspended and terminated due to critical, severe social and military situation in Armenia in 1992.
In 1997 the orchestra resumed its activity under the direction of a pianist, arranger and composer Armen Martirosyan.
The resumed orchestra full of talented young musicians enriched their playlist with new and modern compositions.
In a short period of time, the orchestra won numerous international music awards and released three albums.
In 2010, a saxophonist, arranger and composer Armen Hyusnunts became the director of the orchestra, who played in the orchestra under the direction of Konstantin Orbelyan in the late 80s and was the soloist and musical director of the orchestra after its reopening. In recent years, the playlist has been augmented with world jazz music, as well as original 80-year-old Armenian jazz pieces, composed and arranged by Armenian musicians of different generations over the past 80 years.
Today, the orchestra also presents contemporary Armenian composers’ works, which are distinguished by their original sound, national music touches and masterful performing.
The performances of the orchestra are also exceptional due to their collaboration with original and bright soloists such as Vahagn Hayrapetyan (composer, piano, vocal,) Artak Nersesyan (harmonica) Jivan Gasparyan Jr. (duduk) Avag Margaryan (blul, zurna) and others.
The orchestra also conducts educational programs aimed at making the society more aware of vibrant, charming and high quality jazz music.
In recent years, the orchestra has performed in the USA, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, France, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania
Such internationally recognized soloists as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Arturo Sandoval, John Marshall, Hubert Tubbs, Chico Freeman, Tigran Hamasyan, Jammy Davis, Ronald Baker, Sharon Clark, Adam Rapa, Igor Butman, Michael Mayo, Sergey Manukyan, Mariam Merabova and others colloborated with the orchestra.
State Jazz Orchestra of Armenia annualy scheduling dozens of concerts thus make a major contribution to the music culture in Armenia.
