YEREVAN/MARSEILLE — French choirmaster Roland Hayrabedian (born 1953, in Marseille) is recognized for his commitment to contemporary vocal music. In 1978, he founded the Chœur Contemporain, and in 1987, the vocal ensemble Musicatreize, which he continues to direct as artistic director.
Throughout his career, he has conducted leading orchestras and choirs in France and abroad, including the Philharmonic Orchestra of Radio France, the National Orchestra of Lorraine, the National Choir of Ireland and the Nederlands Kamerkoor.
Hayrabedian has devoted much of his career to promoting the music of living composers, working closely with figures including Maurice Ohana, Edith Canat de Chizy, Zad Moultaka, Oscar Strasnoy, Philippe Schoeller and Alexandros Markeas. He is regarded as one of the foremost interpreters of Maurice Ohana’s vocal music and has recorded nearly the composer’s complete vocal output. He has collaborated also with numerous stage directors and choreographers. Since 1984, he has taught conducting in Marseille and Aix-en-Provence. His extensive discography includes more than thirty recordings, many of which have received prestigious international awards.
Dear Roland, you have championed the music of many contemporary composers. What qualities do you look for in a modern work before deciding to perform it?
For me, meeting the composer is essential. I need to gauge whether what drives them stems from a genuine necessity. I have always sought out powerful works — pieces that, when I conduct them, give me the feeling they can transform me or transport me somewhere new. Meeting the person behind the music is therefore crucial, because once a work has been commissioned, there is no choice but to perform it and champion it with energy and honesty.
As the founder of Musicatreize, you have spent nearly four decades expanding the repertoire for vocal ensembles. How do you see the future of contemporary choral music in an era dominated by digital media?
