The Gurdjieff Ensemble / BTF 2017

Featuring: Emmanuel Hovhannisyan – duduk, zourna, pku, Avag Margaryan – blul zourna, Armen Ayvazyan – kamancha, Aram Nikoghosyan – oud, Meri Vardanyan – kanon, Vladimir Papikyan – santur, voice, Davit Avagyan – tar, saz, Mesrop Khalatyan – dap/dhol, Norayr Gapoyan – duduk, Eduard Harutyunyan – tmbouk, percussions

Artistic director:Levon Eskenian

Levon Eskenian established the ensemble he named after Georges Ivanovich Gurdjieff to play the music of the mystic, philosopher, spiritual teacher and composer, as well as the piano compositions of Thomas de Hartmann, using traditional Armenian and Central Asian instruments.

The group’s debut album came out on the ECM label, which is known for its readiness to espouse special projects. The record was well received, and the many awards it reaped included the 2012 Edison Award for album of the year.

Over the past five years, the Gurdjieff Ensemble has performed in a number of countries the world over, playing at such large events as the Holland Festival, the Nostalgia Festival of Poland, the Austrian Imago Dei, and the Stansern Musiktage in Switzerland. In 2015 they recorded a selection from the works of Komitas Vardapet (1869–1935), the greatly influential Armenian priest, singer, musicologist and composer.

An event jointly organized with Budapest Music Center.