With the support of the State Commission on Coordination of the Events for the Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and the RA Ministry of Culture, and under the sponsorship of Tashir Group, from June 5 to 8, Armenia is participating in the Midem international music industry festival in the status of Country of Honor. The program is featured by ProArt.

Armenia is presenting itself to this prestigious festival through the Concept of Elements of Armenian Music. Pomegranate has been selected and developed as a symbol of Midem 2015. It is portrayed in four different colors and symbolizes the four main Armenian elements of inspiration – soil, air, water and fire.

During the Cannes festival days, Armenia is also fully represented visually. The entire city is decorated with Armenian colors and the squares with flags of Armenia-Country of Honor, the city screens are advertising Armenian events and programs, and the frontal screen of the famous Cannes festival hall is devoted to Armenia. 

The main avenue in Cannes, the Promenade de la Croisette, was closed the whole evening especially for the solemn opening ceremony of Armenia’s pavilion, and traffic has been blocked. At the InterContinental Carlton Cannes, the most famous and historically noteworthy hotel in Cannes, there took place the Midem Opening Night featuring The Cats jazz band, the Acoustic Colors Quartet and the Miqayel Voskanyan and Friends ethno-jazz band. Dorians, The Ambassador Ensemble and DJ Beatman took the stage on the Carlton beach till late at night.

A unique exhibition has opened at the Carlton hall displaying two new large-scale paintings by Tigran Dzitoghtsyan and dresses on ancient Armenian themes authored by designer Vahan Khachatryan.

During the evening, Armenian national cuisine and drinks were also presented.

On July 5, the senior-level delegation headed by RA President Serzh Sargsyan took part in the official opening ceremony of the Armenian pavilion at Midem. Apart from attending the concert performances, during the night the president had meetings with heads of the world’s most prestigious music organizations. Florian Drücke is the Managing Director of the Federal Music Industry Association. This association is the third after the U.S. and Japan. The head of this prestigious organization suggested to the RA president that they implement new joint programs and projects based on Komitas’s legacy.

Mathieu Jaton, CEO of the Montreux Jazz Festival, expressed his admiration to President Serzh Sargsyan for famous pianist Tigran Hamasyan’s talent and professionalism and offered to open a branch of this prestigious festival in Armenia.

During the meeting with the RA president, Jean-Noël Tronc, Chief Executive Officer of Sacem, the world’s second largest music association, offered to hold, jointly with UNESCO, a copyright conference in Armenia on the occasion of Sacem’s 90th anniversary.

The Midem music festival will continue for three more days featuring concert performances, lectures and exhibitions.