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Meet Rising Star Narek Hakhnazaryan |
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Home > What's New > Caramoor Blog > Meet Rising Star Narek Hakhnazaryan
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October 20, 2010
“Here is the second installment in our eight part series, Meet the Rising Stars. I spoke with Narek last week about his successes, his flourishing career, and his philosophical view on music. Below is an approximate transcript of our discussion.” –Alison Shearer
 | | Narek Hakhnazaryan, cello |
Age: 22
Place of Birth: Armenia
You have been tremendously successful from a very young age. Have you enjoyed all of the opportunities that you’ve had to travel and perform? Has the success made your life more stressful? Has it been fun?
I do enjoy and am grateful for all of the opportunities I’ve had; however I didn’t always find traveling and practicing fun. Both of my parents are musicians, and they got me involved in classical music when I was six years old. They would make me stay inside and practice scales when all I wanted to do was play soccer outside with my friends. It is very rare for a six year old to want to practice boring scales! As I grew up and got better I began to have more fun with music and I really fell in love with the cello. I have had great opportunities in the recent years, and I do enjoy them. Although I find my schedule to be stressful at times, my love for classical music makes it worth it in the end.
Can you tell me about some of your recent engagements?
I’ve been very busy this past year. Last April I play Schumann Cello Concerto with conductor Hugh Wolff and the NEC Philharmonia as part of the Boston Celebrity Series, and I played with the Boston Pops in Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations with Maestro Erich Kunzel. A few weeks ago I played with Kim Kashkashian, Mirian Fried, Paul Bliss and Lucy Chapman in a charity concert for the Greater Boston Food Bank.
Well you’re certainly very busy! Have you found it difficult to have a professional career while still in school?
I must say I’ve been very lucky recently in that I’m working towards an Artist Diploma at the New England Conservatory, which means that I’m not required to go to any classes whatsoever. It’s a free program and I’m able to take private lessons and practice as much as I can while still focusing on my career. I can choose to be in an orchestra or take a class, but I don’t have to.
I assume that you’ve probably run into a lot of the same artists from school at young artist programs and competitions. How much crossover to you see and what is it like playing with your friends?
Yeah, it’s pretty crazy – you definitely run into the same people at different festivals all the time. I love getting to know different musicians at one program and then bumping into them a few months later at a different one. One example in particular stands out: at school last year I chose to be in a chamber quartet with three other friends, Tessa Lark, David McCaroll, and Emily Deans. We worked really hard and became an Honors Ensemble of NEC, which allowed us to give a concert in Jordan Hall. We later found out that we’d all been asked individually to come to Caramoor to participate in the Rising Stars Program. It was a total coincidence and it really spoke to how small the music world really is.
Why is classical music still relevant today?
There is no better indication of the human intellect than classical music. Composers have given us amazing music that is the key to understanding life in a more truthful way; by playing this music I feel so connected to the world. Classical music will heal people’s souls. I can always tell the difference between people who listen to classical music and people who don’t. There is something missing in the people who don’t know classical music.
What inspires you?
I have to say I’ve really been inspired by some of my mentors, namely Pam Frank and Kim Kashkashian. I find that music has given me the ability to change people’s lives, which is incredibly inspiring. I love it when people come up to me after shows and tell me how my music has affected them—It is an amazing feeling.
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