Alexander Arutiunian was born September 23, 1920, and has been in touch with the greatest composers and musicians of the ex-Soviet Union and of the world, from Aram Khachaturian to Dimitry Shostakovitch, from Mstislav Rostropovich to Benjamen Britten and many others. He has expressed his strong talent in numerous symphonic, solo and chamber music works. His famous trumpet concerto established his world reputation. First performed in 1950 by late Timofey Dokschidser, the long celebrated principal trumpet of the Bolchoï Theater in Moscou, the work had been written in 1943, during the Second World War II for Zolak Vartasarian, a student of the great Tabakov in Moskow, who just became principal trumpet of the Yerevan Opera orchestra and who would have performed the premiere had he not been killed during the war.

If Alexander Arutiunian's writing is traditional, his melodic and harmonic imagination draws on the deep resources of the popular armenian music culture and gives him a very special musical identity.

Editions Bim publishes (and has commissioned a good part of it) all works by Arutiunian written during the past 20 years. From this partnership a deep friendship was born and it was normal for us to meet in London for that special occasion. In an exclusive interview for Pipers readers, I asked him a few questions:

Jean-Pierre Mathez: Alexander, how do you perceive the actual evolution of music?
Alexandre Arutiunian: Living in Armenia doesn't offer me much of a view to follow what happens in the world. But what I can say, is that the economic situation of a country – any one, worldwide – is very important for culture and arts. A poor country has difficulties to stimulating and supporting artistic creativity movements and this is precisely the case of Armenia today. When the economy of a country is strong, the government also feels strong and consequently stimulates its artists (so long as the concerned politicians are sophisticated and appreciative of cultural matters). For example in Russia, President Putin seems recently to have gained an understanding of the importance of supporting a real cultural movement by attributing new credits for that purpose in order to preserve and to revalue musical art in the country. I am especially encouraged by this, while hoping that some of this philosophy trickles down to Armenia.

J.P.M.: You have nearly ceased composing these last years, is there a special reason?
A.A.: A few years ago, we had a great team of composers with a specially strong friendship. We stimulated and challenged each other. One after the other died and I became deeply depressed. Some of the awards gave me some energies back, like the one offered by the Catholicos of Armenia (Pope of the christian community of Armenia) and more recently the Golden Medal – a very rare distinction in our country – which the Academy of Science offered me. I remembered then that many people like my music and that great artists have always encouraged me. I don't forget also that I have a publisher friend in Switzerland [Alexander Arutiunian refers here to the present author and to Editions Bim]. Therefore I started to write again these past monthes and today, here in London, I decided to write a new work for him, in form of a Concerto or a Concertante Suite for viola and string orchestra, following in the tradition of my late friends Aram Khachaturian and Dimitry Chostakovitch, who's last works, from both, were dedicated to this instrument with such intense expressive resources.

J.P.M.: Thank you, and good inspiration Alexander Arutiunian. We are looking forward to hear your next work!