Sevan
Gharibian
Composer, performer
Biography
Sevan Gharibian (born in Yerevan in 2000) is an Armenian-Lebanese composer. He develops his creativity at the Reina Sofía School of Music with Prof. Fabián Panisello since 2020, thanks to a scholarship from Fundación Albéniz, having recently completed an MA in Dramatic Composition and Instrumental Ensemble. Enrolling at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory at the age of 16, Sevan studied with Prof. Vartan Adjemian, graduating with a BA in Musical Arts, Composition (First Class Honours) in 2020 as the graduate with the highest GPA ever in the conservatory and an MA (First Class Honours) in 2022. His professional music development has been guided by eminent professors in Armenia, where he has practised the violin, played a comprehensive piano repertoire, and acquired skills in conducting. He has participated in masterclasses with composers such as Heinz Holliger, Tristan Murail, Jörg Widmann, Alessandro Solbiati, and Claude Ledoux.Sevan is the recipient of several international awards. In 2021, received the Diploma of the Most Outstanding Student of the IF Composition Chair from Her Majesty Queen Sofía of Spain. Sevan has composed vocal, chamber, and orchestral works, some of which have been published. His compositions have received glowing reviews from musicologists and the media. One such piece is Lustre, a triptych for baritone and piano, which has also won First Prize at the IX Renaissance International Contest-Festival. His string quartet piece Cedars has been recorded within the framework of Golden Hornet’s String Quartet Smackdown VI in Austin, TX. Sevan is a winner of the International Composition Competition The Contemporary Piano (ICCTCP) 2020 organized by An Art Artistry in Athens with his piece Three Færies. As a winner of the PluralEnsemble Call for Young Composers 2021, his piece for ensemble Five Moons has been included in the ensemble’s 2021 National Tour to be performed in different music festivals across Spain. In 2021, Sevan won the 4th ALS International Choral Composition Competition (ALSCCC) with his piece Nazan-Nabiko, which was awarded both the First Prize of the jury and the Audience Award.His works have been performed in festivals such as the XI Festival Encuentros Sonoros, XII Spanish Contemporary Music Days, IX Rafel Festival, Komitas Festival, and the Armenian Young Composers Chamber Music Festival. He was recently commissioned by the Accademia della Voce del Piemonte to write Green:Blue · On Lake Maggiore for the project Il suono dei parchi e dei laghi del Piemonte, premiered in Verbania, Italy.The combination of Sevan’s multicultural experiences together with modern and traditional approaches contributes to his unique signature. As an energetic advocate of contemporary music, he works towards playing a significant part in a fantastic beaux-arts journey.In addition to his musicianship, Sevan experiences the art of new-age learning while studying Management and Digital Innovation BSc at the University of London.
Selected works
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| Antígona, chamber opera for soprano, baritone, tenor, and eight instrumentalists | 2024 |
| Flows & Flexions for eight instruments | 2023 |
| Antigone Sketches for soprano, baritone, and ensemble | 2023 |
| Numina for horn and string quartet | 2023 |
| PH03N1X for tape | 2022 |
| Rumûz for voice and ensemble | 2022 |
| Green:Blue · On Lake Maggiore for ensemble | 2022 |
| Idylls for violin solo | 2022 |
| Five Moons for ensemble | 2021 |
| Arcade for chamber ensemble | 2021 |
| In Dialogue with Three Madrigals of Gesualdo for wind quintet | 2021 |
| Monodia for clarinet solo | 2020 |
| Nazan-Nabiko for SSAA choir | 2020 |
| Three Færies for piano solo | rev. 2020 |
| Cantica (IRIS 42°) for orchestra | 2019/20 |
| Albedo, 11 movements of 1 process for 22 strings | 2019 |
| The Boats for mezzo-soprano and piano (text by M. Medzarents) | 2019 |
| Time Crystals for piano solo | 2019 |
| Cedars for string quartet | rev. 2019 |
| Du Maître d’astres et de navigation for soprano, string quintet, and percussion (text by S.-J. Perse) | 2018 |
| 1724 °F for brass quintet | 2018 |
| Spring Rain for mixed choir (text by D. Varoujan) | 2017 |
| Phantasia for violin and piano | 2017 |
| Fæs & Færies for piano solo | 2017 |
| Lustre for voice and piano (text by Lord Byron) | 2017 |
| Piece for String Quartet | 2016 |
| Moonlit Night for soprano and piano (text by H. Tumanyan) | 2016 |
| Conundrum for piano solo | 2016 |
Concerts
2024
2023
2022
2021
5 March
Concert-Recording
📍 Sony Auditorium, Madrid, Spain
🎶 Monodia for clarinet (Diego Micó Estruch)
🎶 In Dialogue with Three Madrigals of Gesualdo for wind quintet (Globo Ensemble)
18 October
🕖 7 p.m.
4ᵗʰ ALS International Choral Composition Competition ALSCCC
📍 Komitas Chamber Music House, Yerevan, Armenia
🎶 Nazan-Nabiko for SSAA choir (Little Singers of Armenia)
ℹ️ More info
21 October
🕔 5 p.m.
Pedagogical Concert about Contemporary Music
📍 Getafe Professional Conservatory of Music, Getafe, Spain
🎶 Five Moons for ensemble (PluralEnsemble)
News
18 October 2021 — 🥇 I am exhilarated to be the winner of the 4ᵗʰ ALS International Choral Composition Competition (ALSCCC) dedicated to the 150ᵗʰ anniversary of the birth of Komitas. 🎶 My choral piece Nazan-Nabiko was awarded the First Prize by the distinguished jury. 💖 I am delighted to also receive the Audience Award! 💐 A huge thank you to Maestro Tigran Hekekyan and the Little Singers of Armenia for the soul-stirring performance.
October 2021 — Absolutely thrilled to announce that I am a winner of the PluralEnsemble Call for Young Composers 2021. 🎊 My piece for ensemble Five Moons will be performed by the marvellous musicians of PluralEnsemble as part of their 2021 tour. 🎶 My gratitude to everyone at PluralEnsemble for organizing this wonderful project. 💙
22 June 2021 — 🎺📜 Incredibly honoured to receive the Diploma of the Most Outstanding Student of the IF Composition Chair from Her Majesty Queen Sofía. 🇪🇸
10 August 2020 — It is with great excitement that I share the recording of my Three Faeries as the winner of the International Composition Competition ‘The Contemporary Piano’ 2020 in Athens 🇬🇷. Performed by Dimitris Anousis—composer, pianist, and Director of AN ART ARTISTRY. A big thanks for this marvellous production.
22 May 2020 — I’m now a verified artist on Spotify, 🎧 where you can follow me and listen to my string quartet Cedars, performed by Invoke and recorded by Golden Hornet! 🤩 Also available on Apple Music, Yandex Music, Deezer, TIDAL, Amazon Music, QQ Music, and Anghami!
22 May 2020 — A big thanks to Dr Artsvi Bakhchinyan for writing about my recent accomplishments in Azg Daily.
4 May 2020 — Thank you so much to Armenian National Music for sharing about my recent achievement!
1 May 2020 — I am absolutely thrilled to announce that I am the winner of the International Composition Competition ‘The Contemporary Piano’ (2020) organised by AN ART ARTISTRY (Athens, 🇬🇷) for my composition Three Færies, among the three prize-winning composers. 🧚
15 February 2020 — So excited to be a finalist in Golden Hornet’s String Quartet Smackdown VI and share this good news with you! My piece for string quartet will be recorded by the wonderful Invoke Quartet! 🎻✨ A panel of judges helped select the sixteen finalist compositions from hundreds of submissions around the world to be performed live in Austin, TX 🇺🇸 on February 29, 2020 by the Invoke Quartet. 💜
Press & media
Sahakyan, Lusine, ‘Կոմիտասի և կոմիտասագիտության ֆենոմենը’ [The phenomenon of Komitas and Komitasology], Interview by Anahit Margaryan, Artfocus, Shoghakat TV, 21 October 2022, link.
Gabrielyan, Ani, ‘Կոմպոզիտոր Սևան Ղարիբյանի ստեղծագործական դիմանկարի փորձ’ [An attempt at a creative portrait of Sevan Gharibian], AZG Daily, 9 October 2022, link.
Rosado, Benjamín G., ‘Escuela Reina Sofía: tres décadas en el laboratorio de la música del futuro’, El Mundo, 15 April 2022, link.
Casa de Su Majestad el Rey, ‘Reunión del patronato de la Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía’, 9 March 2022, link
Angelini, Andrea, ‘4th International Choral Competition Dedicated to Komitas Vardapet’, International Choral Bulletin, XLI, no. 1, 2022, pp. 46–47, link.
Vayón, Pablo J., ‘Sobre escombros de gigantes’, Diario De Sevilla, 30 October 2021, p. 49, link.
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in the Kingdom of Spain, June 2021, link.
Armenpress HYE RUS, Public Radio of Armenia HYE ENG, Armenian National Music HYE ENG, News.am HYE ENG RUS, A1Plus HYE RUS, Aravot HYE, Panorama.am HYE ENG, The Armenian Report ENG, Composers Union of Armenia HYE, Tert.am HYE, Yelaket HYE, 1Lurer.am HYE, Analitik.am HYE, Gala HYE RUS, Lragir HYE, Onnet.am HYE, Factor HYE RUS, Shabat.am HYE, Interlur HYE, Freenews.am HYE, Armpublic.com HYE, HyeTert HYE, Iammedia HYE, 24News HYE RUS, Radio Hay HYE, Radio Van RUS, Karap.lv RUS, Orer HYE, Verelq RUS.
Scherzo, ‘La Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía organiza un concierto de su Cátedra de Composición’, April 2021, link.
Golden Hornet artist page, August 2020, link.
An Art Artistry artist page, August 2020, link.
Bakhchinyan, Artsvi, ‘Երևանցի ուսանողը՝ աթենքյան մրցույթի դափնեկիր’, AZG Daily, 5 May 2020, link.
Armenian National Music, ‘Sevan Gharibian Becomes International Composition Competition Awardee’, 3 May 2020, link.
Gharibian, Sevan, ‘In perfect harmony: Musicianship, Management and Digital Innovation’, London Connection, University of London, 3 December 2019, link.
‘Mondoblog répond présent à Erevan !’, RFI, 13 October 2018, link.
‘En direct du Sommet de la Francophonie’, TV5MONDE Info, 10 October 2018, link.
Danielyan, Samvel, ‘Foreigners Prefer the Conservatory of Yerevan’, Aravot, 18 January 2018, link.
Dzaynagir, Shoghakat TV, 23 December 2017, link.
Rukhkyan, Margarita, ‘The Inner Voice of People’. Golos Armenii, 13 June 2017, link.
Sarkisyan, Svetlana, ‘Armenian Young Composers Chamber Music Festival’, Armenian Composer, 2017.
Contact
Three Færies for piano (rev. 2020)
Winner of the International Composition Competition The Contemporary Piano (ICCTCP) 2020Performed by Dimitris Anousis, composer, pianist, and Director of An Art Artistry
Cedars for string quartet (rev. 2019)
Finalist in Golden Hornet’s String Quartet Smackdown VI‘The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon.’ I have adhered to the cedar’s perception as a spirit assistant, a symbol of strength and eternity. My piece bears cross-genre influences and is episodic in form, denoting the spiritual-cultural states I have experienced.Performed by Invoke: Nick Montopoli, violin; Zachariah Matteson, violin; Karl Mitze, viola; Geoff Manyinat, violoncello
Fæs & Færies for piano solo (2017)
6 choreographic pictures for piano‘Ignis fatuus’ 🔥
‘Dryad & Oread’ 🏔
‘Night Færie’ 🌌
‘Game Færie’ 🃏
‘Dew Færie’ 💧
‘Dæva’ 🐲The work is inspired by Greek and Armenian mythologies; each movement depicts and is dedicated to a færie (mythological creature). It features evocative scenes and characteristic depictions, enlivened by the variety of textures and techniques.
Moonlit Night for soprano and piano (2016)
Moonlit night,
The sky is bright,
Myriads of stars
Are shining bright.The village in the vale
Is already asleep,
The villager’s cottage
Is dusky and still.They are asleep, cuddling,
Against the sky,
As though God
Is smiling from above.— Hovhannes Tumanyan
(translation: Vanse)
Lustre for voice and piano (2017)
First Prize Winner in the Renaissance International Contest-Festival IXText: Lord Byron, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, excerpts from Canto III
Phantasia for violin and piano (2017)
Conundrum for piano solo (2016)
Conundrum is a piece for solo piano, composed in 2016. Chiefly mysterious in mood, it combines different modern Western scales (mostly centred around E and B) and pianistic as well as monophonic, biphonic, polyphonic textures from different periods. The piece starts off with an opening theme in the dominant, which proceeds to the tonic, an ostinato bass whereon is based the skeleton of the piece. The different dialogues between sinister and æthereal themes lead to the elucidation of the conundrum on the B major chord.
Arcade for chamber ensemble (2021)
Premiered by Sinfonietta Composición I; Jorge Mora, percussion; Fabián Panisello, conductor
Academic Concert, IF International Foundation Composition Chair of the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía, Auditorio Sony, Madrid, 20 April 2021
Monodia for clarinet (2020)
Premiered by Diego Micó Estruch, clarinet
Academic Concert, IF International Foundation Composition Chair of the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía, Auditorio Sony, Madrid, 5 March 2021
Nazan-Nabiko for SSAA choir (2020)
First Prize and Audience Award in the 4th ALS International Choral Composition CompetitionPremiered by the Little Singers of Armenia
Komitas Chamber Music House, Yerevan, 18 October 2021
In Dialogue with Three Madrigals of Gesualdo for wind quintet (2021)
In Dialogue with Three Madrigals of Gesualdo for wind quintet sets forth three distinct ways of discovering Gesualdo from a modern point of view. Each of the three parts of the piece draw on material from a madrigal from Gesualdo’s Book VI, often unfurled in a pulverized or disintegrated fashion. The first part features rapid motifs with pitch material based on ‘Beltà poi che t’assenti’ and its characteristic intonation hidden in between recurrent verticalities and horizontalities with sudden outbursts of more recognizable quotations as well. The second part is seemingly calmer in nature, beginning with an exact quotation of the introductory chords of ‘Già piansi nel dolore’, whereon evolves a gradual and elaborate harmonic mutation which grows to hold in intensity and dramatism even at ppp. The final part is mainly inspired from Gesualdo’s chromaticism. It begins with a diatonic texture wherein sparkle chromatic descents with all the instruments of the quintet. At times, chords from ‘Io pur respiro in così gran dolore’ surface, eventually ushering to the piece’s chromatic fade out.