Armenian Cellist Who Won Tchaikovsky Competition is Not Preparing to Live in Armenia

Armenian national Narek Hakhnazaryan, winner of the gold medal and first prize in cello in the 14th International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, finds that Armenia cannot provide musicians with that which other countries provide. For this reason, the young cellist is not preparing to live in Armenia.

Hakhnazaryan talked about the Tchaikovsky Competition and his future plans, while speaking to journalists at a press conference in Yerevan Monday.

“I was saying even before the end of the competition that the cello competition was the strongest [competition] this year; indeed, it was at a high level. Armenia cannot provide musicians that which other countries can. In the near future, I’m not planning on remain in Armenia permanently, but I will come, I will give a master class, [and] I will give concerts in the regions. If we don’t do it, then who will? I am preparing to move to Europe soon. I am going to play in Tokyo, at London’s National Philharmonic (Orchestra); I am going to go on tour to different cities in Russia,” he said.

The Armenian cellist told journalists how he took a master call from world-renown cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, who passed away in 2007.

“Mstislav Rostropovich helped me a lot — I was the only cellist who travelled on behalf of his foundation. When he was in Russia, it was he who called and expressed a wish to hear me. There were very warm paternal relations,” he said.