Moscow International Duduk Festival

Organizers

The Festifal is organized by the project Dudukist, which at this moment consists of Suren Baghdasaryan and Marina Selivanova (until 2016 – also Hovhannes Ghazaryan) In 2014 organizers of the Festival founded The School of Duduk under the direction of dudukist Hovhannes Ghazaryan.

Purposes

One of the main objectives of the Festival is to strengthen cultural bonds and cooperation between Russia, Armenia and other countries, as well as to promote the preservation and development of Armenian culture. The Festival also aims at finding and promoting talented duduk players from different parts of the world.

The First Festival

The First Moscow Duduk Festival was held on 30 April 2014, at the Cultural Center “Moskvich”. The participants of the festival included Hovhannes Ghazaryan, Martin Ghazaryan, Vardan Harutyunyan, Valeriy Nam, Argishti, Aram Avedikyan, Yuriy Muradyan, Selena, Gegham Ohanyan, Gevorg Hayrapetyan, David Hovsepyan, Vitaliy Poghosyan, Aleksey Sadoev, Merujan Achoyan, instrumental band “OTTA-orkestr”, singer Diana Dikovski, famous author and performer Yevgeniy Ross, singer and one of the organizers of the Festival Marina Selivanova. Stage-director of the Festival – Artistic Director of “Gavit” Theatre Hamlet Galechyan, the Festival was hosted by Ruben Mkhitaryan. A total number of around one thousand people visited The First Moscow International Duduk Festival.

The Second Festival

The Second Moscow Duduk Festival was held on 27 September 2015, in the Moscow State Variety Theatre. The participants of the Festival included Georgiy Minasov, Artak Asatryan, Georgiy Minasyan, Manvel Mnatsakanyan, Kamo Seyranyan, Gagik Malkhasyan, Hovhannes Ghazaryan, Norayr Barseghyan, Martin Ghazaryan, Vitaliy Poghosyan, Emmanuel Hovhannisyan, Argishti, ensemble “Dudukist”, duduk quartet “Urartu”, Tatul Hambartsumyan. Well-known performer of dance, folk and patriotic songs Dzakh Harut was also among those, who visited the Festival. Stage-director of the Festival –Artistic Director of “Gavit” Theatre Hamlet Galechyan, the Festival was hosted by Ruben Mkhitaryan. A total number of around 1.5 thousand people visited The Second Moscow International Duduk Festival.

International Duduk Festival in Spain

In July 2016, the project Dudukist organized two concerts in the framework of the International Duduk Festival in Spain as part of the "Days of Armenia" festival. On 3 July 2016 duduk festival in Centro Civico Cotxeres Borrel in Barcelona was held, and on 5 July 2016 the festival was held in Catalonian city of Lloret de Mar, on the sidelines of which dudukists from Armenia, Spain and Russia performed on the central square of the city, in front of the City Hall. The participants included ensemble “Dudukist” of Moscow School of Duduk (Artistic Director – Hovhannes Ghazaryan), Baeva Larisa, Aleksey Kapitonov, Iosif Gasparyan, Artyom Torosyan, Grigoriy Romanov, Nika Ohanyan, Simon Osepyan, Mariya Khayarova, Gegham Ohanyan, Marina Selivanova, Catalonian School of Duduk (Artistic Director – Hovhannes Karakhanyan), Roland Terborg, Gener Omedis, Sedrak Petrosyan, Valentin Carole, Raul, Shushanik Hovhannisyan. The festival was held with the support of the Russian House in Catalonia.

The Third Festival

The Third Moscow International Duduk Festival, organized by “Dudukist” project, took place on 25 September 2016 in the concert hall “Moskvich”. The Third Duduk Festival reached an even higher professional level due to the impeccable musical program accompanied by Russian Academic Concert Orchestra "Boyan". The orchestra has a unique composition and has no analogues in the world. Conductor - the Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation Nikolai Stepanov. The festival brought together the best duduk players of the world. The third festival’s participants included Honoured Artist of the Republic of Armenia Georgiy Minasov and his legendary ensemble “Dudukner”, Honoured Artist of the Republic of Armenia Gagik Malkhasyan, Georgiy Minasyan, Artak Asatryan, Norayr Barseghyan, Anahit and Anna Mkhitaryan, Martin Ghazaryan, Vitaliy Poghosyan, Argishti, Arsen Grigoryan, Hovhannes Ghazaryan, ensemble “Dudukist”, Raphael Mkhitaryan, Emmanuel Hovhannisyan, Tatul Hambardzumyan and Selena. The Third Moscow International Duduk Festival was held with the support of the Armenian Youth Congress of Russia. Stage-director of the Festival –Artistic Director of “Gavit” Theatre Hamlet Galechyan, the Festival was hosted by Ruben Mkhitaryan.