Great Armenian Conductor Ohan Durian Died at the Age of 87

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.