Biography
Djivan Gasparayan, recognized as the preeminent player of Armenia's traditional duduk reed instrument, entered the world near Yerevan, the country's capital. He began learning the duduk when he turned six years old. His entry into professional music came after he joined the Tatool Altounian National Song and Dance Ensemble during 1948, where his initial role involved performing as a soloist alongside the Yerevan Philharmonic Orchestra. Extensive travels took him across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the United States over the following years. The Armenian government bestowed upon him the distinction of People's Artist of Armenia in 1973, marking him as the inaugural recipient of this honor. His rise to wider audiences occurred in 1989 through participation in Peter Gabriel's score for Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ. Additional soundtrack work encompassed The Russia House along with the television movie Storm and Sorrow, while he also collaborated in performances alongside the Kronos Quartet and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. The Opal label issued his first solo effort, I Will Not Be Sad in This World, that same year, with further releases such as Ask Me No Questions, Apricots from Eden, and Moon Shines at Night appearing under his name. Black Rock emerged in 1998 from his partnership with guitarist Michael Brook, whose skills earned him acclaim as a virtuoso. Two years afterward came Armenian Fantasies. Throughout the new millennium, he maintained an active output by putting forth eight albums from 2000 until 2008. On July 6, 2021, Djivan Gasparyan passed away at ninety-two.
Albums
