By: Azad Karimi

I started to paint when I was 7. I was inspired by my uncle who is a great Armenian painter. Sometimes he gives me valuable advice but I am mostly self taught.

Interview With Tigran Poghossian

French-Armenian Pianist and painter

By: Azad Karimi

Thank you Tigran jan!
Jan is a sweet word in Armenian-Kurdish Culture. Look like Dear in English. But Jan is originally the Soul of human sweet and dear... When we say Jan together we show our deep and real positive feeling.
I sent many questions to Tigran jan, He sent me back answers and I share here ...I believe that his experiences is valuable.
I read his answers and enjoyed... When you look around and find amazing young people trying to create a beautiful world, you will be proud to live in this world.
Thank you so much dear Tigran... I wish you more success .
Be well...God Bless France and Armenia.
Azad Karimi, Norway

1- What is your dedicated instrument?
The piano.

2- what is your style?
Classical music from Bach’s music to contemporary composers.

3- When you started such as a professional musician?
I perform both in solo and chamber music. I often perform with violin. It is hard to say when exactly because music has been always with me since my childhood, I am constantly learning, performing and teaching at the same time. I hope it will stay like that in my whole life because I love all these activities.
As a musician the concept of «professional » is difficult to grasp because it is not only a profession, but a vocation. Perhaps the first day I was paid to make music I can consider myself as a professional musician. But it is still difficult to define.

4- What is your plan to develop your style and instrument?
I'm not going to be original, but the best way is to spend time with the instrument and practice. Music is a language one must understand to be able to express oneself. It is also crucial to develop other aspects in relation with it. For example being interested in all forms of art, developing self-criticism ability and empathy, emotional flexibility and stability to be able to express a large range of feelings.

5- Are you a member in a music group or your activities is individual?
I perform both in solo and chamber music. I often perform with violin. Occasionally with other groups like trios or quartets."

6- How you see the view?
I am currently preparing an exhibition AND a recital for the near future which is very challenging. For the more distant future I am thinking about connecting somehow music and painting.

7-please say about your personal life f.e : age,education ,job, civil status
and....
I am 28, I moved to France at the age of 12 and I studied classical piano at the « Consevatoire de Lyon » and at the Hanns Eisler music Academy in Berlin. I am a performing artist, piano teacher and painter. Not married.

8- Please say about your experience such as a painter!
I started to paint when I was 7. I was inspired by my uncle who is a great Armenian painter. Sometimes he gives me valuable advice but I am mostly self taught. As a child I was trying to copy the works of legendary artists We had a collection of paintings of different painters like Ivan Shishkin at home.

9- what is your style?

Difficult to define, I have a suggestive and abstractive approach to the painting. What I try to do is to simplify the subject I paint, to have a maximum impact with minimum effort. Paradoxically it takes a lot of work and is a big
challenge.

10- How you can develope your art?
There is many ways to do it. Observing nature is a very good one to find inspiration besides drawing and painting regularly. Also I try to understand and feel as deeply as I can the environment I’m in. It’s not only about drawing and painting skills but more importantly about feelings. Catching the feeling of a place or the character of a person is essential to be able to convey it to the viewer.

11- what is your recomend to youth?
I recommend that younger artists never refrain from having fun with art. Also being careful with critics, filter them out and take only those who help them progress in what they do.

12- How you make sure them about having a good future?
Making art in general is a necessity for many people. No one should be deprived of this opportunity. Making a career out of it is another matter. We must be aware that the world is saturated with artists and it is not always simple to make a place for oneself among them. Also the recent COVID 19 has shown us that our profession is one€ of the most affected by pandemics. But as I said before, making art is not only a profession but above all a vocation. We must listen to our inner voice and if we feel that this is what we must do we should not hesitate. If it is not a vocation we will discover it along
the way.e

13- You are French with Armenian roots, can you explain to
us about your historical back ground?

I moved to France from Armenia when I was 12 and it was a huge change for me. I learned a new language and a new way of life. It made me richer as a person and as an artist and I am grateful to be part of these two amazing cultures.