Norayr’s symphony has yet to be performed

Norayr started to play the dhol (Armenian drum) at an early age; even before attending primary school.

The fact that he is blind doesn’t stop Norayr Aghasyan from performing professionally and composing.

He then took accordion lessons at music school. Now he mainly plays various keyboard instruments – the synthesizer, and piano. At one time he played the shvi (Armenian flute) and guitar quite well but has gotten quite rusty; not having played in years.

Goris-born Norayr has been composing since 13

“There really is nothing that seriously hinders me, thank God,” Norayr says. He graduated from the State Conservatory’s Faculty of Musical Composition. Now 32, Norayr was born in Goris. He’s been living in Yerevan for the past 14 years. He’s married with two children.

Norayr has been composing music for a wide range of instruments since about 13 or 14. While at the Conservatory he wrote a quartet for wind instruments.

“Back then, I never imagined I’d be writing music some day. Now I just play something for myself. If it sounds good I record the melody on the synthesizer. I wait a few days to go back and listen to what I played with fresh ears. If I feel the music has possibilities, I sit down and continue writing.”

My symphony strikes many chords

For the state exam, Norayr presented a symphony written over the course of two years. It received excellent marks.

“The symphony has never been performed publicly,” he says.

The costs involved in staging a performance are huge. All the players, 63 in all, need to practice for at least one month together.

The theme is the battle of good and evil, positive and negative, war and peace. Many discordant notes reveal themselves in the music.

“That’s the main mental thrust. To be honest, oftentimes I picture the Artsakh War taking place. The middle passages are a bit of a contract but the finale is quite triumphant in spirit,” says Norayr.

Most of his compositions are in the classical vein. Lately, he’s turned his quill to the pop music genre.

“Sometimes I arrange songs by others. I can arrange songs in whatever style you like.”

When it comes to writing lyrics, Norayr hits a creative wall.

Most Armenian pop computer generated

He really dislikes the music now being pushed by local TV stations. Norayr says that at least half of what passes as Armenian pop music today was composed by a computer program and not by any song writer. All it takes is to download a few notes, choose a style, say hip-hop, and the computer takes it from there. What remains is for the so-called writer to polish the rough edges a bit, add a tad of bells and whistles, and presto.

“The quality of the end product really suffers the more such technical advances are used. It’s gotten so easy that you can come up with a song a day. The untrained ear thinks it is listening to original work. Little do such people know that most of it is packaged stuff. It’s like a painter lifting images off the internet, rather than picking up an artist’s brush, and claiming that the final painting is an original. Music has reached such a stage as well,” says Norayr.

Forte – an NGO of gifted young people

Norayr also serves as the president of Forte, a cultural and artistic NGO for individuals with disabilities. Created in 2009, Norayr named it Forte since the word means “strength” or “strong”.

The organization boasts a membership of twenty, all young people. Most suffer from some type of vision ailment.  They attend English and computer classes. Norayr teaches the kids computer skills himself.

The organization also has a musical studio and a three year program is about to be launched in April. It will allow individuals to record their music. A CD will be produced and ultimately played on various radio stations. The Forte songwriters will get their moment of fame.

“For our organization, the music comes first. Being a musician, I place primary importance on the studio and the music,” says Norayr.

Alek Yenikomshyan, Director of the Monte Melkonian Benevolent Fund, helped out with the studio program. He went to the Aznavour-Armenia Foundation requesting financial backing. They came through with the money.

“Without the assistance of Mr. Yenikomshyan, I doubt any of this would be possible,” says Norayr.

About half the Forte members are individuals with some degree of musical training or sing with a group on the outside. Some are even composing their own music, like Astghik and Marat.

This past December, Forte performed its first concert at the Narekatsi Art Center. Norayr played four of his compositions.

While it was the first official concert as an ensemble, individual members of Forte have performed at other concerts in the past.

Sasha, who sang a classical piece at the Narekatsi concert, often performs at other venues.

Norayr says he’s been performing at concerts since the age of 16. He’s appeared all over Armenia – Yerevan, Goris, Kapan and Stepanakert. He’s even performed in Beirut, Lebanon.

Norayr says he’s pleased with Fortes’ first public concert and the reaction of the audience.

“It was important that everyone had a good time and that spirits were high. The audience seemed to be enjoying themselves as well,” says the Forte director.

Norayr plans a busy concert schedule for the group this year. He especially wants to showcase original compositions by Forte members.