YEREVAN — Ohan Durian was born in Jerusalem on September 2, 1922. After graduating from Jerusalem Conservatoire he went to travel all over Europe. However, finally found himself in Armenia. In 1960s he was chief conductor of the Armenian State Philharmonic Society. From 1971 onward he was conductor of the State Opera and Ballet Theater.
He has performed with 110 prominent orchestras. For quite a while he worked with opera and symphony orchestras of Avignon and Cape Town. From 1963 to 1968 Ohan Durian was the Music Director of the Leipzig Opera and Permanent Guest Conductor of the “Gewandhaus” Orchestra.
He invented a musical system called “Universalism” written down in Rythms only, from which billions of original different musical compositions can be written for all kinds of formations and in all musical styles the humanity has known.
He has also composed several different works for Orchestra and Songs.
Durian directed Moscow Symphonic Orchestra of Stas Namin Center in 2002-2006 after being forced to resign by various Armenian government circles who argued Durian was too old. Maestro Durian was a vocal critic of recent Armenian governments. He regularly participated in opposition rallys calling for the resignation of corrupt regimes of Kocharian and Sarkisian.
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6 comments
My deep condolences over the death of Hanna Khatchadurian as we knew him then He was music teacher at Birzeit College( now Birzeit University) between 1944 and 1946 where he gave me piano lessons and conductod our school choir. As young students, we recognized his great musical talent and skills. He wrote the music to Kamal Nasir’s first song which was performed by the school choir. Kamal Nasir was a renowned Palestinian poet and later spokesman of the PLO who was assissinated by the Israelis in 1974. I still have copies of some of his compositions which he gave me, for piano and voice.
Ohan Durian will be remembered by his students with love and admiration
Für Rima Nasir Tarazi!
Can I have Copie from Hanna Dorian? Greetings from
http://www.anne-kristin-mai.de
Thank you Rima Tarazi. Very proud of you, Kamal Naser and Durian. Long live Palestine.
Afaf Ackall
New York
Seine Dirigate in Leipzig, Dresden und Berlin sind unvergessen. Unser herzliches Beileid gilt besonders seinem Sohn Narek Dourian und dessen Familie in Paris.
Anne-Kristin Mai und die Freunde aus Leipzig/Deutschland
http://www.anne-krsitin-mai.de
Ohan Dourian *8.9.1922
+ 6.1.2011 88 years!
I cried when I found out that he died today I really did. *sob*