A Platform for Ethnically and Culturally Inspired Music
ABOUT
Renowned tar player Miqayel Voskanyan formed the "Miqayel Voskanyan & Friends" ethnic jazz and folk fusion music band in 2011 as a creative outlet for his experimental and self-expressive compositions. He has managed to create modern, innovative music with an ancient instrument that has historically been limited to traditional folk music.
The tar is a long-necked, double-bowled instrument carved from mulberry and walnut wood. The fingerboard has twenty-five to twenty-eight adjustable gut frets. Its range is about two and one-half octaves.
The "Miqayel Voskanyan & Friends" band has successfully incorporated the tar to create a musical style with a fresh and modern sound. Their highly distinguishable music is a concoction of jazz, fusion, Armenian folk, rock, contemporary ethnic, and elements of world music.
In 2013, "Miqayel Voskanyan & Friends" won the "Best Band of the Year" award at the Radio Van Music Awards.
In spring 2014, the band received a special invitation to perform at the Made In New York Jazz Competition Gala Concert in New York City. On May 3, 2014, the band had a great opportunity to play at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center in New York with legendary jazz artists Randy Brecker and Lenny White.
In the summer of the same year, the band received an invitation to represent Armenia at the Caucasus Cultural Festival held in Seoul, the capital city of South Korea.
At the end of 2014, they recorded their debut CD album.
In June 2015, the "Miqayel Voskanyan & Friends" band had the honor to represent Armenia at the MIDEM festival in Cannes, France.
In August 2015, the band took part in the International Ethnic Festival Krutushka in Kazan city, Russia.
In September 2015, the Miqayel Voskanyan & Friends band had a very successful concert at the Moscow International Performing Arts Center.
Now the band is working on their second CD album and on a special folk album which will be dedicated to a tar master.
The tar is a long-necked, double-bowled instrument carved from mulberry and walnut wood. The fingerboard has twenty-five to twenty-eight adjustable gut frets. Its range is about two and one-half octaves.
The "Miqayel Voskanyan & Friends" band has successfully incorporated the tar to create a musical style with a fresh and modern sound. Their highly distinguishable music is a concoction of jazz, fusion, Armenian folk, rock, contemporary ethnic, and elements of world music.
In 2013, "Miqayel Voskanyan & Friends" won the "Best Band of the Year" award at the Radio Van Music Awards.
In spring 2014, the band received a special invitation to perform at the Made In New York Jazz Competition Gala Concert in New York City. On May 3, 2014, the band had a great opportunity to play at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center in New York with legendary jazz artists Randy Brecker and Lenny White.
In the summer of the same year, the band received an invitation to represent Armenia at the Caucasus Cultural Festival held in Seoul, the capital city of South Korea.
At the end of 2014, they recorded their debut CD album.
In June 2015, the "Miqayel Voskanyan & Friends" band had the honor to represent Armenia at the MIDEM festival in Cannes, France.
In August 2015, the band took part in the International Ethnic Festival Krutushka in Kazan city, Russia.
In September 2015, the Miqayel Voskanyan & Friends band had a very successful concert at the Moscow International Performing Arts Center.
Now the band is working on their second CD album and on a special folk album which will be dedicated to a tar master.
