A Two-Voice Fugue

Araks Shahinyan

May 2015 · Yavruhrat Publishing

About this ebook

“Sometimes I succumb to long sentences. This is it: when I – innocently new to all-devouring classical music world and cowardly naked to any independent opinion on it – ardently asked a once acquaintance of mine, a professional musician (still cannot figure out where exactly that professionalism lied in her), to interpret the psychological intention behind the delay in a measure of a Rachmaninoff prelude (I did not know the word “rubato” then), she said: “God, what will you ever understand? If I said [put here abundant professional terminology to terrify any novitiate away to deserts or to open space, depending how easy you are to scare], would you get it? Would that make any sense or difference to you?” Well yes. It would. It always has. And it always will. Classical music is nobody’s property, it does not rightlessly belong to anybody, to those professionals – first of all. It does not belong to everybody either. It belongs to each and every eager heart out there thirsty for the most accessible form of the Truth this world has ever seen and will ever know. It belongs individually. Equally. With nil discrimination.”
Araks Shahinyan

About the author

Born in a city 29 years older than Rome, Araks Shahinyan is a fortunate graduate with excellence from two higher educational institutions, namely Yerevan State Linguistic University after V. Brusov, English and Spanish languages (BA, 2005-2009) and American University of Armenia, School of Political Sciences and International Affairs (MA, 2010-2012). Further studies include The American Institute of Political and Economic systems at Charles University, Prague (TFAS International study abroad program, July 2012). As a perpetual enthusiast of vast interests, Araks has participated in a number of international conferences throughout her studies writing research papers and presenting topics from fine arts to literature, from classical music to political science and international affairs. Her engagement in arts and confidence of the latter being the best means of peaceful dialogue, equal acceptance, and intercultural communication brought her to the organization of a classical music night at Akian Art Center, American University of Armenia – the first ever concert held in the newly built university hall. This event marked the beautiful start for further analogous classical music performances in the university. She currently runs her Armenian language blog “Bagatelles” on the philosophy and aesthetics of classical music aiming to increase the awareness of the importance of high art in the public consciousness.
Being well-informed of the academic short biography writing criteria and rules, Araks finds it inevitable to bend some of them for creative short biography writing purposes. Hence, several points (we shall call milestones for personal and artistic growth) without which her already concise biography could never meet its relative completion:

Favorite female writers: Marguerite Yourcenar, Susan Sontag, Gabriela Mistral, Forugh Farrokhzad

Recent musical shock: Alfred Schnittke: Concerto for a mixed chorus on the poems by Gregory of Narek (951-1003)

Few of her favorite music interpreters: Rosalyn Tureck, Sergey Khachatryan, Rinaldo Alessandrini, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Carlos Kleiber, Sergiu Celibidache

Three of her favorite painters: Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, Albrecht Dürer, Michelangelo

Life motto: Never to have one.

Huge fan of: Silence