Your trusted source

Famous Armenian jazz and classical composer, People’s Artist of Armenia Stepan Shakaryan died on Saturday aged 84, the Composers Union of Armenia reported in a statement.

Stepan Shakaryan was a composer and pianist who is highly esteemed by classic and jazz music devotees. Born in 1935 in Baku, Shakaryan moved to Yerevan and entered the Yerevan Conservatory, later accepted the invitation of Aram Khachaturyan and moved to Gnessin State Musical College. Being the only student from Armenia studying under the leadership of the Maestro, Stepan Shakaryan showed himself a gifted and a promising composer and performer. Graduating from the Leningrad Conservatory, Shakaryan, came back to Armenia as a fully formed composer and performer and actively begins composing, gaining a high estimation by pro musicians and classic music devotees.

He composed a number of symphonic and chamber instrumental piece as well as music for classical ballet. On his credit side there are over 100 jazz compositions, actively played by a number of Armenian jazz bands and time and again broadcasted on air. His compositions are played by Jazz Orchestra of the Public Radio and Television of Armenia, State Jazz orchestra of Armenia and many others. Yet his stunning “From Bingol to Kansas City” composition proved to be an Armenian jazz standard.

For many years Stepan Shakaryan taught music, while upbringing new generation of Armenian music culture bearers. He was a professor in Komitas Yerevan State conservatory.