Second Violins

Armen Poghosyan

In the orchestra since 2013

Armen Poghosyan graduated from the Tchaikovsky Special Music School (Yerevan, Armenia) and the Rimsky-Korsakov St Petersburg State Conservatory (the class of Professor Vladimir Ovcharek). He has performed as an orchestra artist and soloist in Armenia, Europe, Russia, the USA, and Asian countries. From 1987 to 1989 he worked as a concertmaster of the Yerevan Symphony Orchestra. From 1990 to 2000, he was a concertmaster of the Yaroslavl Symphony Orchestra. At the same time, he performed as a guest artist at the Mariinsky Theatre and the St Petersburg Philharmonic. From 2001 to 2013, he performed as a guest artist in the Philharmonic of Nations Symphony Orchestra and the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra (Hamburg, Germany).

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN LIFE?

Hope does. If you keep dreaming like you did in your youth, it means your hope is alive. Hope brings inspiration and the desire to create.

HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR WORKING ON A NEW PIECE?

A new piece always implies great responsibility, so you are bound to approach it with some fear — even if you have already played the piece numerous times. I usually try to find out how the piece was created, especially if it was written by a modern composer. I listen to a lot of recordings. Other performers’ interpretations help me to establish my own view of the piece. While listening to recordings, you are bound to develop your own opinions: you will agree with some parts, disapprove of some details, and create something new as a result.

WHICH DO YOU FIND MORE EXCITING TO PLAY: MODERN OR CLASSICAL MUSIC?

Saying that one is more exciting to play than the other would be incorrect. It all depends on you and the people you work with. For instance, we like to think we know everything there is to know about Beethoven’s works. But it is only now that I can say I finally understand his music. Besides, we work with Teodor; it means we play every piece as if it is our first time. I once told him he was restoring old music and taking off extra layers. This is what I call “exciting”.

WHAT WOULD YOU CALL AN IDEAL CONCERT?

A concert in complete silence: no coughing, no applause between parts, no phones ringing. I am kidding, of course. Seriously though, my dream concert is one where musicians and listeners are all on the same wavelength, so that nothing has to be explained from start to finish.