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PIANIST WINS INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
By: Ranae Bangerter
USU The Utah Statesman, UT
April 18 2007
Aram Arakelyan, a senior in piano performance, took home two awards
and $2,000 at the Kingsville International Competition in Texas a
month ago.
After competing against 28 other pianists from around the world,
Arakelyan took first place in the senior solo division and the Isabel
Scionti special prize for an outstanding performance, receiving a
$1,000 check for each award.
But, no matter who's listening, Arakelyan said being nervous is a
major part of his performances.
"It was really nerve-wracking," he said. "There were so many great
pianists there. People from out of countries, different places, people
from East Coast and the big universities come, and they're all just
really amazing. It only takes a couple and you get really nervous."
Arakelyan played three solos at the three-day competition. He
performed Beethoven's sonata "Opus 109," Rachmaninoff's transcription
of Kreisler's "Liebesleid," and Arnoldo Virginian's character piece
"Capriccio."
The first day he performed, he only played two songs, the second day
he practiced and the third day he performed his last piece.
"I had to try as hard as I could just to play, to concentrate and
play like I usually do. As far as competition is concerned, it's
always just kind of emotionally unstable and really nervous," he said.
Director of piano studies Gary Amano attributes Arakelyan's great
performance to his parents and the USU piano program.
Arakelyan is from Armenia, and both his parents are musicians.
Six years ago he competed in an the international Junior Bechauer
competition and the director of the contest told Arakelyan to go
to USU.
"The piano program here is just about as strong as any piano program in
the East Coast. It's very highly acclaimed. There's a lot of pianists
back home from Utah State," he said.
He said his parents had to sell some of their property in Armenia to
pay for him to come to USU, and he hasn't seen them since.
"It's great, my parents are very supportive," Arakelyan said. "I
think it's a lot easier in some ways because it's much easier to
see perspective and figure out where I go next, because things are
available for musicians."
He accompanies for both the USU Choral and the Chamber Singers.
"That's been really helpful. That's kind of what pianists really do,"
he said.
Since he's always playing piano, he likes to switch up his genres
and has recently taken up jazz.
"He plays everything," Amano said.
Last year Arakelyan was selected for the International Gina Bachauer
competition and was one of 40 students from around the world selected.
"He's an excellent performer, he's an excellent accompanist . . .
he's just been a real big asset to us," Amano said.
Arakelyan is the sixth student of Amano's to win the competition,
and Amano thinks it's because of the personal attention that is given
to the students at USU.
"If (students) go to a big music school, they get their hour a week
lesson and here, if they're preparing for a competition, I give them
as much time as they need to get them ready," Amano said. "I think
most of the teachers at the big schools aren't willing to do that."
Arakelyan hasn't decided what he will do after graduation this summer
because he said he wants to keep his options open.
"I'm definitely going to keep playing, I'm definitely going to keep
performing, that's the path. I'm just not sure where I'm going to go
afterwards or whether I'm going to stay or not," he said.
http://www.utahstatesman.com/user/index.cfm ?event=displayregistrationprompt&requiredregis tration=1&thereferer=http%3A//media.www.utahst atesman.com/media/storage/paper243/news/2007/04/18 /CampusNews/Pianist.Wins.International.Competition -2849601.shtml
By: Ranae Bangerter
USU The Utah Statesman, UT
April 18 2007
Aram Arakelyan, a senior in piano performance, took home two awards
and $2,000 at the Kingsville International Competition in Texas a
month ago.
After competing against 28 other pianists from around the world,
Arakelyan took first place in the senior solo division and the Isabel
Scionti special prize for an outstanding performance, receiving a
$1,000 check for each award.
But, no matter who's listening, Arakelyan said being nervous is a
major part of his performances.
"It was really nerve-wracking," he said. "There were so many great
pianists there. People from out of countries, different places, people
from East Coast and the big universities come, and they're all just
really amazing. It only takes a couple and you get really nervous."
Arakelyan played three solos at the three-day competition. He
performed Beethoven's sonata "Opus 109," Rachmaninoff's transcription
of Kreisler's "Liebesleid," and Arnoldo Virginian's character piece
"Capriccio."
The first day he performed, he only played two songs, the second day
he practiced and the third day he performed his last piece.
"I had to try as hard as I could just to play, to concentrate and
play like I usually do. As far as competition is concerned, it's
always just kind of emotionally unstable and really nervous," he said.
Director of piano studies Gary Amano attributes Arakelyan's great
performance to his parents and the USU piano program.
Arakelyan is from Armenia, and both his parents are musicians.
Six years ago he competed in an the international Junior Bechauer
competition and the director of the contest told Arakelyan to go
to USU.
"The piano program here is just about as strong as any piano program in
the East Coast. It's very highly acclaimed. There's a lot of pianists
back home from Utah State," he said.
He said his parents had to sell some of their property in Armenia to
pay for him to come to USU, and he hasn't seen them since.
"It's great, my parents are very supportive," Arakelyan said. "I
think it's a lot easier in some ways because it's much easier to
see perspective and figure out where I go next, because things are
available for musicians."
He accompanies for both the USU Choral and the Chamber Singers.
"That's been really helpful. That's kind of what pianists really do,"
he said.
Since he's always playing piano, he likes to switch up his genres
and has recently taken up jazz.
"He plays everything," Amano said.
Last year Arakelyan was selected for the International Gina Bachauer
competition and was one of 40 students from around the world selected.
"He's an excellent performer, he's an excellent accompanist . . .
he's just been a real big asset to us," Amano said.
Arakelyan is the sixth student of Amano's to win the competition,
and Amano thinks it's because of the personal attention that is given
to the students at USU.
"If (students) go to a big music school, they get their hour a week
lesson and here, if they're preparing for a competition, I give them
as much time as they need to get them ready," Amano said. "I think
most of the teachers at the big schools aren't willing to do that."
Arakelyan hasn't decided what he will do after graduation this summer
because he said he wants to keep his options open.
"I'm definitely going to keep playing, I'm definitely going to keep
performing, that's the path. I'm just not sure where I'm going to go
afterwards or whether I'm going to stay or not," he said.
http://www.utahstatesman.com/user/index.cfm ?event=displayregistrationprompt&requiredregis tration=1&thereferer=http%3A//media.www.utahst atesman.com/media/storage/paper243/news/2007/04/18 /CampusNews/Pianist.Wins.International.Competition -2849601.shtml