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This year Armenia has been announced as the Country of Honour at MIDEM  – the world-famous music festival and leading international music tradeshow, which will take place in Cannes, France on 5-8 June 2015. Nvard Chalikyan from Panorama.am has discussed this with Cornelia Much – Senior Representative at MIDEM in an exclusive interview which we present to your attention. 

Nvard Chalikyan: Mrs. Much, as we know Armenia is going to be the Country of Honour at MIDEM 2015. Could you tell us briefly about what MIDEM is and what it stands for? 

Cornelia Much: MIDEM is an international tradeshow organized by Reed MIDEM, the latter being part of Reed Exhibitions – the world’s largest show organizer with almost 500 exhibitions and tradeshows around the world. MIDEM as such is fully dedicated to music.

MIDEM is very international – we have more than 6000 participants from over 80 countries. We also have a huge diversity of activities and the representation of all music styles – from classical music and jazz to rock, pop, hip-hop… in short – everything. We promote both well-established and young artists and companies/start-ups through our special programs – that’s how we cover the entire music landscape.

This year Reed MIDEM will be marking its 49th anniversary in Cannes, France, at which Armenia will be presented as the Country of Honour.

N. C.: MIDEM features not only performers but also businesses. How does MIDEM bring together music and business?

Cornelia Much: MIDEM is not only a music trade show but it represents the entire music eco-system – on the one hand we have the traditional, core music businesses – the publishers, the distributors and the labels, and on the other hand we have the entire system surrounding the core music business – those that represent the relevant technological aspects (internet, streaming platforms, etc.); among the companies presented in this category are for instance Google and YouTube. At the same time it includes all the major brands, for instance car companies presenting the connected car (Opel, BMW, Ford, Fiat, etc.), companies like Coca-Cola or Red Bull and many others.

Bringing together representatives from these diverse sectors is important for establishing links between brands and the music business. They all have interest in coming to MIDEM because there they find the content-providing people and companies. They have their own festivals and programs for supporting young artists, and are thus building up bridges. So MIDEM provides lots of possibilities to everyone involved.

N. C.: How did you come to know Armenia and how was Armenia chosen as the Country of Honour at MIDEM 2015?

Cornelia Much: I personally have known Armenia for many years. I first got in contact with Armenia through Elżbieta Penderecka – the wife of famous composer Krzysztof Penderecki, who has Armenian roots. Elżbieta Penderecka is running the famous Beethoven Festival in Warsaw in which I am involved as well. That is where I met Armenians for the first time, and they invited me to the Aram Khachaturian International Competition as an honorary guest. There I had the pleasure to meet the RA Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan. She liked very much the idea of MIDEM and so we established cooperation.

Armenia participated for the first time at MIDEM in 2014 with a small stand, presenting a couple of companies and exhibiting CDs of Armenian music. In the same year Armenia applied for being the Country of Honour for 2015. We chose Armenia because Armenia had declared 2015 the year of culture, so we thought it was a very good moment to have Armenia as a Country of Honour at MIDEM.

N. C.: And what does the Country of Honour mean? What opportunities does it have?

Cornelia Much: The Country of Honour has the possibility to display itself at very different levels and with a lot of different activities – with concerts featuring both young musicians and well-known international stars, presenting itself in conferences, in match-making sessions, with a press conference, VIP dinner and many other activities – this is a great opportunity for showing the entire variety of the musical landscape of the country.

N. C.: Who will be presenting Armenia at MIDEM? Could you name some of the musicians?

Cornelia Much: There will be an official high-ranking delegation from Armenia headed by H.E. the President of the Republic of Armenia and a couple of ministers, amongst whom also the Minister of Culture; there will also be celebrities.

We have come up with a very nice line-up of Armenian musicians at MIDEM. Among them are the State Youth Orchestra of Armenia conducted by Sergey Smbatyan, well-known cellist Narek Hakhnazarian, Hover Chamber Choir, which will be giving a choir concert in the church and Armenian State Jazz Big Band, which will be giving a big jazz evening. Other jazz groups such as Katuner, the Acoustic Colours Quartet, Armenian ethnic jazz and folk music band Miqayel Voskanyan and Friends, rock band Dorians, traditional ensemble Ambassador directed by famous violinist Varazdad Khachumyan, DJ Beatman; many other great musicians will also be performing.

We have also invited a number of Armenian artists. Armenian painter Tigran Tsitoghdzyan, for instance, is currently painting two huge paintings especially for MIDEM, which will be exhibited at the show. We will also feature Armenian traditional musical instruments like Duduk and others. There will also be highly talented fashion designers from Armenia, like Vahan Khachatryan who is designing all the VIP hostesses’ dresses – and my dress as well. So I will present myself at MIDEM with Armenian fashion clothing style.

At the opening cocktail and the VIP dinner an Armenian chef will be cooking Armenian dishes. There will be the Brandy of Ararat and Armenian wines – this way we will present a mosaic of the Armenian culture to the rest of the world. In the framework of our new project Discovery Zone, which opens up to the general public, there will be an Armenian boutique selling also some typical Armenian items – this will be very interesting both for the professionals and for the general public at MIDEM, and also I think for the huge Armenian community in the South of France.

N. C.: Mrs. Much, you were recently in Armenia for the Armenian Genocide commemoration ceremonies, among which was the “24/04” World Orchestra concert on April 24. Would you like to share your impressions?

Cornelia Much: Yes, I was in Armenia recently as I was invited to the Global Forum on Prevention of the Crime of Genocide. I must say I feel related to Armenia after having known the country for many years, and this was a good occasion for me to feel much closer to it. On the personal level, as I am doing business with the country, it is important for me that I learn much more about it and that I share not only happy moments with its people, whom I like and respect, but also its sad moments.

I must say it was very emotional for me to be present at these commemoration events. The official ceremony as well as the canonization ceremony were both very impressive and deeply touching. I was also present at the concert of the “24/04” symphonic orchestra set up especially for this occasion. The concert, which featured over 100 musicians from 43 countries of the world performing Armenian composers’ pieces, was very powerful. Showing throughout the concert performance pictures and movies from the past cruelties as well as from modern Armenia supported the music very strongly.

I think the slogan of the Armenian Genocide centennial “I remember and demand” is one of the best slogans I’ve ever heard – it is very strong and it passes the right message, saying that on the one hand one should remember and demand that the genocide is recognized, and on the other hand it also demands that Armenia has a future. And as one can see, Armenia has a great young generation, very creative people, and a lot is going on in the country despite problems.

I am happy that many more countries are now recognizing the Armenian Genocide. I am glad that in my native country Germany steps have been taken in this direction and that the President of Germany as well as the President of the German Parliament pronounced the word ‘Genocide’ very timely. I believe it is important that each country deals with its history properly.

Interview by Nvard Chalikyan