Edward Manukyan
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| Edward Manukyan | ||
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 Photo by Adam Taylor. Hollywood, July 2006.
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| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Edvard Manvelovich Manukyan | |
| Born | July 27, 1981 | |
| Origin | Armavir, Armenian SSR (Soviet Union) | |
| Occupation(s) | Composer | |
Edward Manukyan (Armenian: Էդվարդ Մանուկյան, Russian: Эдвард Манукян) - (b. July 27, 1981) is an Armenian-born composer residing in Southern California. One of the last students to have studied composition under Rowan Taylor, Manukyan made significant progress, despite his scant formal training in music, and he was accepted into the Master's program at the California State University in Los Angeles. A prolific composer of orchestral works, Manukyan devoted himself to composing contemporary music, leaning heavily upon Armenian national folklore. He created over a dozen large-scale compositions, including a Concerto-Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra, Symphonic Fantasy for Wind Orchestra and Armenian Suite. Most of Manukyan’s works bespeak about inspirations of Armenian patriotic themes with titles such as Heroic Song About Homeland, Dawn In Ararat Valley, Lament For Homeland etc.
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[edit] Early life
It was not until his last years at high school that Manukyan showed interests in music, although he always excelled in arts, literature and sciences. He learned English through self-teaching and in 1997 he won state scholarship to study languages and psychology at the Yerevan State Linguistic University after V. Brusov. During his student years, Manukyan committed himself entirely to studying music and performing bass with local groups. He soon became a regular member with the Armenian "Renaissance" Chamber Orchestra, directed by conductor Tigran Padaryan. Manukyan also wrote his own music, which was featured by the orchestra as part of its regular program. Among those were songs, the lyrics of which the composer had penned himself, and jazz instrumental pieces. Manukyan also formed his own jazz quartet and gave concerts at various venues in Yerevan.
[edit] Career in United States
Upon moving to the United States in 2002, Manukyan shifted his interests towards classical music after studying the works of his compatriot Aram Khachaturian. He took composition classes from acclaimed American composer Rowan Taylor and went on to further study with composers John Kennedy, James Newton and pursued his Master's Degree from the California State University, Los Angeles (2005-2007). He also studied instrumental and choral conducting with Stephen Piazza and David Buck. Manukyan's music was performed by the Los Angeles Symphonic Winds, the Valley Brass Ensemble and solo artists such as Michael Mertens, Melissa James, Anna Beth and others.
[edit] Style and Influences
Edward Manukyan's compositional style was mainly influenced by the middle-generation Soviet composers, such as Aram Khachaturian, Dmitry Shostakovich and Sergey Prokofiev, as well as the Armenian successors of their traditions, Alexander Arutiunian, Edward Mirzoyan, Tigran Mansuryan etc. Later he drew influences from Bela Bartok and Igor Stravinsky, although his style remained simple and easily accessible for large audiences due to its closeness to Armenian folk music.
In the extended program notes of the "Symphonic Fantasy for Wind Orchestra", his Master's Project at the CSULA, Manukyan wrote:
By studying the folk songs I discovered for myself that meaningful simplicity in music may be the biggest secret for composers. A composer, who is in search for more and more “depth” and often vastly preoccupied by compositional techniques, may easily leave unnoticed a simple and beautiful idea, which could have become his greatest success. Of course, I am far from speaking in disfavor of intellectualizing music composition. I firmly believe that scientific approach to understanding the essence of music is of great benefits. The biggest problem is that the most important part of music, its pathos and inner beauty, is not communicated intellectually, thus making it impossible to teach composition in a way that sciences are taught. For instance, it was rather shocking for me to find hundreds of folk songs, that were based on one particular 6/8 rhythmic pattern with very similar melodic figures, yet at the same time they all sounded so profoundly unique. It seems as though the most important component of what we call “music” is incommunicable with human brain and cannot be put in words.
One can see this philosophy behind Manukyan's every work. He often takes a simple rhythmic motif such as the following 
and develops it, applying other layers and colors. His Armenian Fanfare (here arranged for brass quartet) is a good example that illustrates this point.
[edit] List of Works
[edit] Chamber
- Suite for brass quartet Nos. 1 & 2 (2005)
- Duet for violin and piano (2005)
- Quartet for flute, tuba, violin and piano (2006)
- Trio for clarinet, violin and piano (2007)
[edit] Orchestral
- Concerto-Rhapsody for piano and orchestra (2004)
- Romance (2005)
- Five Pieces for orchestra (2005)
- Armenian Suite for Wind Orchestra (2005)
- Symphonic Poem for Wind Orchestra (2006)
[edit] Piano
- Caucasian Waltz (2003)
- Dance for piano duo (2003)
- Elegia (2006)
- Ten Pieces for piano (2006)
