Megerdich Mikayelian - Armenian Guitarist from Lebanon Visits GSI

We've released six videos recorded by guitarist, Megerdich Mikayelian. Megerdich is an Armenian classical guitarist and professor of guitar at the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music and Coordinator of the classical guitar division at Parsegh Ganatchian College of Music.

Megerdich chose a very interesting selection of pieces to record at GSI. Three of his videos feature music by excellent composers from his native country of Armenia. In the first video, you can hear "Hov Arek". This is a beautiful Armenian song originally composed for the choir by Komitas (1869-1935). Megerdich recorded his guitar arrangement of this song on a 2016 Dake Traphagen w/pegs CD/CSAR.

"Anoush" by Armen Dikranian (1879-1950) is the first and most well-known Armenian opera. It was composed between 1908-1912 and premiered in Alexandropol in 1912. "Anoush" is based on the 1892 poem by Hovhannes Tumanyan and even today it is one of the most popular operas in Armenia as this is the first work of such importance inspired by Armenian folk music and culture. Megerdich recorded his arrangement of an aria from this opera titled "Ambi Dagits". The guitar featured in the video is a 1994 Jeffrey Elliott SP/IN (ex Earl Klugh).

The third piece is Megerdich's arrangement of "Lullaby (Oror)" by Parsegh Ganatchian (1885-1967). Parsegh was a very important conductor and composer in Armenia. He is best known for arranging the current national Armenian anthem titled "Our Fatherland". Megerdich recorded this video on a 2007 Pepe Romero SP/MP guitar.

The next two videos feature works by Argentine guitarist, singer, and folk songwriter, Atahualpa Yupanqui (1908-1992). In the video on the left, you can hear Atahualpa's guitar arrangement of "El Sacha Puma" by Guillermo Gonzalez. The guitar featured in the video is a 1995 Paulino Bernabe CD/CSAR (ex Marc Teicholz). Megerdich also recorded Atahualpa's original composition titled "Danza De La Paloma Enamorada". The guitar featured in this second video is a 1969 Jose Ramirez "1a" CD/CSAR.

In the final video, you can hear Megerdich's arrangement of the famous "Danza Del Molinero" (The Miller's Dance) from Manuel de Falla's ballet, "El sombrero de tres picos". Megerdich decided to record this video on a 2022 Michael Cadiz "Torres/Romanillos" SP/AR. This guitar is a beautifully-made and lovely tribute to two great makers - in aesthetic detail to the late Jose Romanillos and in sound, to the legendary Antonio de Torres.