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DUDUK AND CLARINET ARE “BROTHERS”

Culture

The sounds of piano, duduk, clarinet, zourna and other musical instruments mingle together making a unique combination in the family of the Karapetyans. But the most striking are the clarinet and duduk playings, which accompany each other in the hands of Konstantin and Mkrtich Karapetyans.

Clarinet-player Konstantin Karapetyan confesses that nowadays duduk is more popular with the public. Alongside with the fact that it is an Armenian instrument, the key to success lies in the fact that the sound of duduk is heard in the fims made in Hollywood. “Duduk has become more popular; everybody seeks to play it. Besides, it is a way of earning money. Clarinet also provides money but it is not so popular in the Armenian folk art as duduk is”, says the player. It is surprising that clarinet is regarded as an Armenian instrument in our reality. Duduk is to “blame” in this respect as in Konstantin Karapetyan’s words, “The person playing the duduk, can also play the clarinet”.

“By playing the clarinet people world-wide understand classical music, whereas in Armenia the folk music is performed with clarinet, duduk and zourna. Though few are able to represent the music in the right way”, he adds. Duduk turns out to be of great demand among foreigners. “I had a Jewish pupil who performed an Armenian tune via duduk” says Mkrtich Karapetyan, a lecturer in the musical college after Arno Babajanyan. Currently he has got over 10 pupils. The Karapetyan brothers have been playing for 30 years. They have participated in a number of festivals and have been awarded. They played in the ensemble “Berd” for many years.

In 1990s when many musicians had to abandon Armenia because of worsening social conditions, the idea of leaving homeland occurred to the Karapetyans too. “Many outstanding musicians left Armenia as they couldn’t earn their living. They even gave up playing and took up other jobs. But we stayed in Armenia”, Konstantin Karapetyan says.

At present, though the conditions have bettered, the Karapetyan brothers face other problems. For example, they have problems with the organisation of concerts.

Nevertheless, the brothers continue playing and passing down the family traditions from generation to generation. By the way, the brothers gave a charity concert in Skhvilisi village, Akhaltskha, and alloted the whole sum to the construction of a local Armenian church.