Ruben Hakhverdyan

Ruben Hakhverdyan
Hakhverdyan (left) with Harout Pamboukjian at Freedom Square in 2012
Hakhverdyan (left) with Harout Pamboukjian at Freedom Square in 2012
Background information
Born (1950-12-03) December 3, 1950 (age 74)
Yerevan, Armenian SSR, Soviet Union
Instrument(s)Vocals
guitar
Years active1968—present
Websitewww.roubenhakhverdyan.net
Hakhverdyan in 2006

Ruben Levoni Hakhverdyan (Armenian: Ռուբեն Լևոնի Հախվերդյան; born December 3, 1950) is a popular Armenian poet, guitarist, singer, songwriter, and lyricist. He attended Yerevan's theater institute and in 1975, earned his degree in television and theater direction. He worked for the city's State Television Network.[1][2]

Hakhverdyan is one of the founders of Bard music in Armenia.[3] His songs are extremely popular in Armenia. They include the song Navak (Armenian: Նավակ – Boat), which is his most famous children's song. Other popular songs include Mer Siro Ashuny (Armenian: Մեր Սիրո աշունը – The Autumn of Our Love)[4] which is one of Armenia's best known romantic songs. Three songs that Hakhverdyan himself says have influenced him most and have been his all-time favorites are Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles, Amsterdam by Jacques Brel and It's a Man's World by James Brown.[2]

Biography and career

Ruben Hakhverdyan was born in 1950 in Yerevan[2] to the family of linguist and academician Levon Hakhverdyan and philologist, critic and translator Sona Ayunts. From 1969–1974 he studied and graduated from Yerevan Fine Arts and Theatre Institute. In 1971 he got 2-month internship at Moscow Satire Theatre in the class of Mark Zakharov. In 1968–1989 Hakhverdyan worked in the Armenian State Television Network, initially as an assistant director and later as a director.[2]

Hakhverdyan staged plays at Yerevan Sundukyan State Academic and at Hrachya Ghaplanyan Drama theaters. In 1989 Hakhverdyan left his job at television and acted as a free artist.[5]

Ruben Hakhverdyan is an author of a number of CDs, the first one being "Songs of Love and Hope" issued in Paris in 1985.[6] The best known songs are "Snow" ("Ձյունը"),[7] "The Dogs" ("Շները"), "In the Nights of Yerevan" ("Երևանի գիշերներում") and many others.[8] In 1996 he created "My Home on the Wheels" concert-performance, as well as children's songs.

Hakhverdian's songs are used in the "Found Dream" (1976) animated cartoon which is very popular in Armenia.[9] One of the best known songs by the composer is the song called "Star-Spangled Night"[10] since it appeared in "Found Dream" animation cartoon.[11] In 1990, Hakhverdyan starred in Harutyun Khachatryan's "Wind of Oblivion" film[2] and in 2009, he starred in the film "Endless Return" by Harutyun Khachatryan.[2]

He has performed in France, United States, Ukraine, Yugoslavia, Italy, Lebanon, Germany, Czech Republic, Serbia, Iran, Syria, and Lebanon.[12]

Hakhverdyan is a member of the European Party of Armenia (EPA) and was the EPA's candidate in the Yerevan Council of Elders elections in 2022.[13]

Discography

  • The Best of Ruben Hakhverdyan (1985)
  • Rouben, Lilit & Vahan (1989)
  • Destiny (1994)
  • Midnight (1997)
  • This is Yerevan (1997)
  • Yerke Nayev Aghotk E (2000)
  • Yerg (2000)
  • Anthology (2001)
  • For the Children from 0 to 100 Years Old (2002)
  • That Our Mountains Are Not Left Orphan (2014)
  • Testament (2017)

Filmography

Composer

  • 1976 – Found Dream (Short)
  • 1990 – Wind of Oblivion
  • 1998 – Yerevan Blues
  • 2001 – Roof to Roof
  • 2014 – Seeds (Short)

Actor

  • 1990 – Wind of Oblivion

Awards

References

  1. ^ Ruben Hakhverdyan's music profile Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Armenian Music Center. Retrieved August 26, 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Ruben Hakhverdyan" by Shushan Argakanyan, Yerevan. Bureaucrat, 2011, 536 pages. ISBN 978-9939-9046-0-3
  3. ^ Рубен Ахвердян вновь выйдет на сцену (in Russian), Armenian Radio, 2021
  4. ^ The Autumn of Our Love, English lyrics by G.Veles
  5. ^ "Ruben Hakhverdyan". Archived from the original on 2018-11-16. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
  6. ^ «В моих песнях есть надежда, они не такие уж мрачные» (in Russian), Aravot Daily, 2014
  7. ^ Ռուբեն Հախվերդյան – Ձյունը իր երգն է երգում – YouTube
  8. ^ Ռուբէն Հախվերդեան, երգերի ժողովածու – Best of Ruben Hakhverdyan – YouTube
  9. ^ Animation: A World History, Volume II, By Giannalberto Bendazzi, 2015
  10. ^ Ruben Haxverdyan – Astghazart nkar – YouTube
  11. ^ Vahag Rush – Gtnvac Eraz / Gisherva astxazard / Ruben Hakhverdyan Cover / – YouTube
  12. ^ Who is who? Armenians. Biographical encyclopedia, volume, Yerevan, 2005.
  13. ^ https://infocom.am/hy/article/87195 [bare URL]
  14. ^ "Ruben Hakhverdyan – 0-Ic 100 Tarekan Yerexanerin". imusic.am. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ruben Hakhverdyan.