“Culture is as important as an army for our country”

“After a long absence, I feel that our people are creators, builders. I notice great progress in our city,” noted composer and conductor Loris Jknavoryan said in a press conference today.

After an eight-year absence from the republic, Jknavoryan said he also noticed progress in the cultural field. In his opinion, culture is just as important for a country as an army.

The speaker noted that for him his years as conductor of the philharmonic orchestra were his most satisfying years. “Just as in every good concert, life itself has intermissions,” the conductor said concerning his years of absence from Armenia.

During these past years, Jknavoryan has worked in various symphony orchestras throughout the world. He worked in Australia, the USA, England, Iran, and other countries, where he also created. In his words, in his 50 years of creative life, he wrote 76 works, four operas, three ballets, and concerts for violin and other instruments. “Besides this, I have written music for more than 40 films. This is very important, because in the 11 years I spent in Armenia I didn’t establish myself as a composer; I only created one work in Armenia,” he said.

We note that the composer turned 70 this year, and for this occasion, a celebratory concert has been organized for November 3 in Yerevan. Today, he expressed the desire to have an exposition featuring works created in his 50 years of creative life. Such exhibits have already been planned in Iran and Vienna. He hopes this exhibit will also take place in Yerevan.