Richard Hagopian
Encyclopedia
Richard Avedis Hagopian is an American
Oriental-style oud
player and traditional Armenian musician
.
Hagopian was born in Fowler, California
. He has been a musician since childhood, learning to play the violin
and clarinet
at nine years old. He started playing the oud at age of 11. At first he was self taught then by invitation studied Eastern (Ottoman Classical) music theory and oud under the Armenian kanun player Kanuni Garbis Bakirgian. Hagopian also took lessons by correspondence from legendary blind Armenian oudist Udi Hrant Kenkulian
of Istanbul, who later in 1969 gave him the title of "Udi" (oud master), being one of the few to receive this title.
Hagopian gained fame in the 1960s and 70s with the Kef Time Band. According to the liner notes of the 1968 LP Kef Time Las Vegas, the Kef Time Band was formed originally as the band for a Las Vegas show called the Cleopatra Revue, which ran at the Flamingo Hotel from 1963-1968. During this time the leader of the Cleopatra Revue band, Armenian-American dumbeg player Buddy Sarkissian, met Hagopian and immediately hired him after hearing him play the oud and sing. This was the beginning of the Kef Time Band's career; they would go on to become the most famous band playing the "kef" style of dance music popular among the Armenian-American
community.
Hagopian has performed throughout the United States and taught a master class at the Manhattan School of Music
, as well as teaching as artist-in-residence at California State University
.
Hagopian for over 30 has years played annually at "Kef Time" events drawing typically 500-1000 people at dances ("Kefs") in Cape Cod, Hartford, and Detroit. His followers have demonstrated a deep passion for his unique style and authenticity, and overall ability to entertain through his Oud mastery and vocal charm.
He currently claims to play over 50 instruments.
His son is the violinist Harold Hagopian
, also a music producer who runs the small independent label Traditional Crossroads.
[in the Kef Time series CD reissues, a few of the songs have been re-arranged in order or placed on a different album and a couple songs were left out]
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Oriental-style oud
Oud
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
player and traditional Armenian musician
Music of Armenia
Armenia is situated close to the Caucasus Mountains, and its music is a mix of indigenous folk music, perhaps best-represented by Djivan Gasparyan's well-known duduk music, as well as light pop, and extensive Christian music, due to Armenia's status as the oldest Christian nation in the...
.
Hagopian was born in Fowler, California
Fowler, California
Fowler is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. It is located within the San Joaquin Valley. It has a strong agricultural community, with lush grape vineyards and expansive farmland. Fowler is located southeast of downtown Fresno, at an elevation of 308 feet...
. He has been a musician since childhood, learning to play the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
at nine years old. He started playing the oud at age of 11. At first he was self taught then by invitation studied Eastern (Ottoman Classical) music theory and oud under the Armenian kanun player Kanuni Garbis Bakirgian. Hagopian also took lessons by correspondence from legendary blind Armenian oudist Udi Hrant Kenkulian
Udi Hrant Kenkulian
Udi Hrant Kenkulian , often referred to as Udi Hrant or as Hrant Emre was an oud player of Turkish classical music, and a key transitional figure in its transformation into a contemporary popular music...
of Istanbul, who later in 1969 gave him the title of "Udi" (oud master), being one of the few to receive this title.
Hagopian gained fame in the 1960s and 70s with the Kef Time Band. According to the liner notes of the 1968 LP Kef Time Las Vegas, the Kef Time Band was formed originally as the band for a Las Vegas show called the Cleopatra Revue, which ran at the Flamingo Hotel from 1963-1968. During this time the leader of the Cleopatra Revue band, Armenian-American dumbeg player Buddy Sarkissian, met Hagopian and immediately hired him after hearing him play the oud and sing. This was the beginning of the Kef Time Band's career; they would go on to become the most famous band playing the "kef" style of dance music popular among the Armenian-American
Armenian-American
Armenian Americans are citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in Armenia. During the United States 2000 Census, 385,488 respondents indicated either full or partial Armenian ancestry...
community.
Hagopian has performed throughout the United States and taught a master class at the Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
, as well as teaching as artist-in-residence at California State University
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
.
Hagopian for over 30 has years played annually at "Kef Time" events drawing typically 500-1000 people at dances ("Kefs") in Cape Cod, Hartford, and Detroit. His followers have demonstrated a deep passion for his unique style and authenticity, and overall ability to entertain through his Oud mastery and vocal charm.
He currently claims to play over 50 instruments.
His son is the violinist Harold Hagopian
Harold Hagopian
Harold Hagopian is an American violinist, entrepreneur, record producer and founder of Traditional Crossroads world music record label.- Biography :...
, also a music producer who runs the small independent label Traditional Crossroads.
LP
- Karoon Hayastan - Varoujan Assadourian with Richard Hagopian and His Orchestra
- An Evening at the Seventh Veil - Richard Hagopian and His Orchestra
- Kef Time Las Vegas - The Kef Time Band
- Kef Time Fresno - The Kef Time Band
- Kef Time Detroit - The Kef Time Band
- Kef Time Hartford - The Kef Time Band
CD
- Best of Armenian Folk Music - Richard Hagopian
- Armenian Music Through the Ages - Richard Hagopian (Smithsonian Folkways, 1993)
- Kef Time (reissue of Kef Time Las Vegas and Kef Time Fresno)
- Kef Time Detroit (reissue)
- Kef Time Hartford (reissue)
- Gypsy Fire - Richard Hagopian and Omar Faruk Tekbilek
[in the Kef Time series CD reissues, a few of the songs have been re-arranged in order or placed on a different album and a couple songs were left out]
External links
- Armenian Music Through the Ages Album Details at Smithsonian FolkwaysSmithsonian FolkwaysSmithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was founded in 1987 after the family of Moses Asch, founder of Folkways...