Romik Hovhannesian (3) — Romik Hovanessian

Armenia & Karabakh Arts & Culture International Flamenco music

Romik Hovanessian: With Flamenco Music from Iran

December 12, 2024

by

Artsvi Bakhchinyan

235

YEREVAN — On November 15, Yerevan was the site of a Flamenco concert. What made it surprising was that the ensemble came from Iran. The leader of the group is Iranian-Armenian guitarist, guitar teacher and composer Romik Hovanessian, whose works were performed during the evening.

Hovanessian, 48, studied electronics but learned to play piano and later guitar from a young age. He has regularly met master guitarists in Spain (such as Víctor Monge “Serranito,” Dani de Morón, Diego del Morao, Pedro Sierra and El Amir) and participated in workshops by Oscar Herrero. In Turkey, he attended a flamenco guitar festival and masterclasses by Serranito and Pedro Sierra.

Two days after the concert of the “Romik Hovanessian and Friends Ensemble,” we met with Romik, joined by his wife and muse, Narine Keshishian, who occasionally supplemented his words during our conversation.

Romik, allow me to congratulate you on your debut in Armenia, hoping that your concerts here will continue, as Yerevan’s audience has warmly embraced and appreciated you.

I also want to thank the organizers of our concert and the leadership of Yerevan Chamber Music House. When the concert ended, I couldn’t believe that after so many years of dreaming about this, it had finally come true. We were all deeply moved, inspired, and thrilled by the audience’s enthusiastic reception. It was a leap forward for us. I told my musicians, “Know this: in Yerevan, people are strong in music, their musical taste is refined. No matter how much applause you get in Iran, don’t get too excited.” Now I’ve told them again, “Still, don’t get too excited. Always aim higher.”

My mood is great. When the musicians walked on stage one by one, they were astonished to see a packed hall in a different country, a different culture, where no one knew them personally. There wasn’t a single empty seat, and when people began encouraging them from the first piece, it energized them immensely. If their playing in Tehran was at a level of 100, here it reached 1,000! They absorbed the audience’s energy, and their performance was quite different in a positive way. It was a fascinating experience.

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In 2012, my first concert featuring my works was held at Tehran’s Ararat Club. All the tickets were sold out. I also released an album titled “Tolue Eshgh” (The Dawn of Love). But years passed, and I didn’t have any other concerts. Once, one of my guitar students, an older Persian woman, emotionally shared that in her youth, she used to sing well but now regrets not pursuing her passion. Her words had a profound impact on me and motivated me to start giving concerts. My second concert came 12 years later, with 470 people in attendance. Over the past year, we’ve had six concerts in Tehran, after which we decided to come to Armenia at our own expense to perform here.

Please introduce your musicians.

Our concert included local drummer Arthur Manukyan, while the rest are from Tehran: Sayed Alamdari (guitar), Pouria Babai (violin), my students Amir Bakhtiyari (guitar), Arsham Zakizadeh (bass guitar), and Sara Alimirzai (percussions). The young Armenian percussionist Ariel Boghozian, who was highly praised by the audience, used to play Latin American percussion but started exploring flamenco with me.

So, is Flamenco popular and appreciated in Iran?

There are many enthusiasts, few performers, and even fewer who truly understand it. True Flamenco, like jazz or classical music, is a way of life. I played the piano at home until I was 20, but at 17, when I first heard The Gipsy Kings, I fell in love with that music. Later, my piano teacher, Miss Hermine, gifted me an album by Flamenco guitar legend Paco de Lucía. That day, my life completely changed. I often switched guitar teachers because many taught incorrectly, and back then, there was no internet for self-learning. Fortunately, Dr. Marina from the Yerevan Conservatory came to Tehran, taught us harmony and counterpoint for a few years, and introduced us to real musical education. Later, I attended Paco de Lucía’s concert in Turkey, met him, and made several trips to Spain for further training.

Must one be born Spanish to perform perfect Flamenco?

The Armenian Mirror-Spectator

Topics: Flamenco music

People: Romik Hovanessian

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Years ago, I was uncertain about that, but now I understand it’s not essential. What matters is loving and deeply understanding Spanish culture and language. While you may not play exactly like a Spaniard, you can reach a level where a flamenco master like Óscar Guzmán invites you to perform together. If you pour your emotions into your playing, that foreign culture becomes your own.

I always send recordings of my performances to Spanish masters for guidance. They might say, for example, that a piece should be played in the Flamenco farruca style rather than, say, soleares or fandango. No matter how much you learn, there’s always more. On the other hand, I don’t play others’ compositions; I only perform my own works, 80 percent of which are Flamenco guitar, while the rest mix various styles.

During the concert, a Russian friend noticed an Armenian style in your music.

If you listen to a piece individually, there’s no distinct Armenian or Persian style, but it’s not far removed from Armenian influences because it reflects my feelings. An Armenian’s culture outside their homeland can differ.

Indeed, there are no explicit Armenian melodies, yet the pieces are titled Yerevan, Sebastia, etc.

Armenian melodies should be studied in Armenia, just as we study Spanish ones in Spain. I first compose my pieces, assign parts to my musicians, and then decide on titles. Sebastia is named after my great-grandfather Aram Hovanessian’s birthplace. As a child, I heard stories about how he lost his family during the Genocide at age eight, fled with his sister, but later lost her too. The piece starts with deep emotion, followed by the sound of a heartbeat — fear, soldiers approaching, war.

One of your compositions, dedicated to your wife, was based on your Spanish poem. ¿Escribes poesía en español? (Do you write poetry in Spanish?)

Sí, hablo, escribo y leo en español, aunque necesito mejorar (Yes, I speak, write, and read Spanish, though I need to improve). (Switching to Armenian) At the Ararat Club, a young Armenian woman performed one of the Flamenco songs, but sadly, we don’t have Flamenco singers or dancers in Iran. Playing alongside them teaches you so much.

What new projects do you have in the works?

I’m composing new pieces, planning to record new albums, and continuing my private lessons and Flamenco educational courses. However, the most exciting news is that starting next September, I’ll begin conducting courses at the Yerevan Conservatory.

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