Professor of the Royal Music Academy of London Rustem Hayrudinof: “Participants should have something to say”

“Hayernaysor”: This is your first time as a jury member. What do you think of the contest?

Rustem Hayrudinof: I am pleased to say that the festival is being held at very high level. It’s not important whether the participant is able to play or not. If a person is participating in the festival, it means he or she can play. Participants should have something to say. It is very important for the player to feel the music. We play classical music. Unlike pop music and jazz, our works have been played for centuries. Classical music can always survive only when we play the song through our clairvoyance, passions, love and our attitude toward life. There are participants that show everything. I may not agree with everything, but that is a matter of approach.  I look for mastery in performance and a vivid performance. If a participant doesn’t show that, it will rarely be shown later.

“Hayernaysor”: What advice would you give the participants?

R. H.: I advise them to forget that this is a contest, try to play for pleasure and enjoy the magic of music. Let them forget about the jury. After all, the jury members would also like to see unique and interesting performances.

“Hayernaysor”: How can they overcome all that?

R. H.: It is very difficult. I have also participated in contests and I know what participants feel at that moment. Very often the most talented are not the ones who win, but those who are less nervous. After all, this is a competition. If the participants are able to forget about all this, they will achieve better results. History has shown that there have been unique musicians such as Stanislav Nigalov, Safronitsky and Alfred Korto who would have never been able to participate in contests. The fragile are very vulnerable and have a different nervous system. They can’t function as a car would, and it is hard to expect a perfect performance from them. But they are the musicians who fill auditoriums, have something to say and whom people listen to with pleasure to this day. People listened to Safronitsky to purify themselves as if they were entering a church. If they participated in contests, they definitely wouldn’t move on to the second stage. I am not looking for athletes. I would like to see a touching performance and one that changes my inner world. Average listeners would like that as well. One can’t amaze listeners with a clean-cut, speedy performance. The important thing is the music’s influence and that the sounds of music “speak” to you.

Professor of Chaykovsky State Conservatory of Moscow Yuri Hayrapetyan: “Results are different every year”

“Hayernaysor”: Mr. Hayrapetyan, what do you think of the contest?

Yuri Hayrapetyan: This is my first time in the jury. There are many good participants. The contest has just begun, and that is why I can’t say much. The festival is very well organized, and is becoming more and more reputable and recognized year after year with the participation of musicians from different countries.

“Hayernaysor”: What do you think is another reason for such recognition of the Aram Khachatryan International Contest?

Y. H.: It is due to the organizers and professionals of the jury who always make efforts to raise the contest’s reputation. It is obvious that the results will be different every year.

“Hayernaysor”: Do you lecture, Mr. Hayrapetyan?

Y. H.: I give lectures to 23 students at the Chaykovsky State Conservatory of Moscow and one of them is Sona Arshakyan, who is participating in this year’s contest.

Interview by Lusine Abrahamyan