BY DR. TAMAR MARIE BOYADJIAN
From a childhood in war-torn Lebanon to Grammy-nominated stages, pianist and composer Serouj Kradjian transforms classical traditions into a vibrant new universal language. I sat down with Grammy-nominated artist Serouj Kradjian in a conversation that felt like a meeting of parallel minds. As a writer who works to revitalize the endangered language of Western Armenian, I am deeply drawn to Serouj’s mission of reimagining and preserving musical traditions. It draws me in how he places music of different genres and textures alongside one another to radically reframe what music can be. Our discussion explored the roots of this drive to connect cultures and the lasting impact of such artistic work. To understand Serouj Kradjian, you have to discard the linear notion of musical time. The Grammy-nominated, multiple Juno-winning pianist and composer doesn’t just play centuries-old scores. He takes them to another level. He has them party with tango masters, rock icons, and legendary voices. As his new production, Piano Rhapsody, opens in Los Angeles this month, Serouj is on a revolutionary mission: to have listeners question everything they thought was possible in music. Serouj’s musical journey began not in a concert hall, but during the Lebanese Civil War. His earliest memories are a collage of his father’s vinyl LPs and his own spontaneous compositions. “I was probably two or three years old. My father had these LPs, and apparently, I would always point at them until they were put on the record player. I even have a cassette tape of myself at two years old, creating songs based on the names of relatives and family members.” At age six, with the war outside, he was encouraged by his parents to enter the National Competition for Young Talents, broadcast live on Lebanese TV. He had only been taking sporadic piano lessons, teaching himself most of the repertoire. The challenge was immense: moving “from your living room piano to national TV… it’s kind of a big step.” He performed “Fantasy” by Mozart and “Hungarian Dance” by Johannes Brahms—pieces he chose simply because he “found the notes for them.” “In the middle of the anxiety of war, [the Armenian community] turned on the TV, and saw this Armenian kid win this competition among all the other participants. It was a very proud moment for the Armenian community.” This early success convinced him he had something important to offer. But the true turning point was meeting the renowned composer and pianist Boghos Gelalian. Gelalian was close to the Rahbani brothers and arranged a lot of Fairouz’s music. Immediately recognizing Serouj’s distinct nature—the improvisational talent, the willingness to explore different repertoires—he took him under his wing and threw out the traditional rulebook. “What I loved about Boghos Gelalian was that he gave each student what they needed individually, rather than having a one-size-fits-all system,” Serouj explains. Instead of dry technical exercises, Gelalian assigned him piano sonatas by Scarlatti. “A lot of my finger technique got developed because of that. It was an unorthodox way to develop a young artist.” Displaced by the war in Lebanon, the Kradjian family migrated to Canada for safety. While this provided stability, it also ushered in what Kradjian considers his foundational academic years, studying at Royal Conservatory of Music and the University of Toronto. It was his subsequent decision to move to Hanover, Germany that truly reignited his artistic spirit. “That’s where I found myself as a musician,” Kradjian recalls. “From both the teacher I studied with [the great Norwegian pianist Einar Steen-Nøkleberg] and all the fellow students, we learned so much from each other. I think probably for the first time in my life since childhood, I fell in love with music again. And that made a big difference in convincing me yet again that I don’t have to take one direction in music, that I can be multifaceted and explore different styles while perfecting my artistry.” Serouj’s entire artistic philosophy is centered on redefining musical categories through sonic collisions. “As classical pianists, we recycle music that has been written by masters. Each pianist brings his or her own interpretation,” he observes. But Serouj approaches a classic score as if the composer had access to a time machine: “I thought to myself, how about if we go a step further and ask the question: What if? What if Mozart or Chopin had lived a hundred or two hundred years later? What would their compositions sound like?” His approach is not only one of technical genius. It is humorous, imaginative, and a core need to tell a story. The ultimate measure of success, for Serouj, is a moment of stunned recognition from the audience. “When they ask themselves the question, ‘We never thought that would be possible in music,’ that certain reimagining of that certain piece in that way… I think I have accomplished my mission. I want my music to be so impactful that it’s almost an unforgettable scene from a movie: a fleeting experience they can carry with them.” After his studies in Germany, Serouj’s move to Spain proved to be one of his most formative periods. “In Spain, I balanced a rigorous performance schedule with my busy academic career,” he recalls, noting he toured extensively across the country in every single small or big town across the country with his close friend, violinist Ara Malikian. “I also taught a lot of students whose accomplishments I am very proud.” Crucially, his physical location—the vibrant Mediterranean atmosphere—began to feed into his creative spirit, merging naturally with his Armenian roots. “I believe Spanish and South American music have always been in my blood, even though I am ethnically Armenian. Living in Spain offered daily inspiration. For musicians, for all artists, where you are, who you surround yourself with, and what you see, really shape your thoughts and creative output.” It was during these years that the seed for his monumental album entitled, Gomidas Songs took root—for which he was nominated for a Grammy. He conceived and executed the orchestration of twenty-five Gomidas songs—a challenging feat, as they had never before been arranged for voice and orchestra. During this time, he also released an album of the complete transcendental studies by Franz Liszt—a major accomplishment in itself. Simultaneously, he immersed himself in local musical life, joining a tango ensemble composed entirely of Argentinians and constantly engaging with Flamenco music. “There is no better way to learn about tango or how to play tango than from Argentinians,” he points out. Serouj recalls his time in Spain as “very inspiring and formative for me, not only as a pianist, but also as an arranger and a composer.” The culmination of Serouj’s philosophy and multi-genre experience is his new touring production, Piano Rhapsody, opening in Los Angeles on October 25th. The show is built around taking classical “power pieces” and giving them an unexpected breath of new life. The inspiration came from one of his signature, crowd-pleasing classics, Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2”: “After playing the original version for so long and so many times, I thought I should do something different,” he admits. The result? A rock/Latin music version of the Liszt piece, which became the thematic bedrock for the entire show. Piano Rhapsody is a kind of “tale of legends,” featuring what Serouj calls “creative collisions” that transcend genre and era: Mozart’s “Queen of the Night” aria mixed with the Brazilian choro classic “Tico-Tico no Fubá,” or Sergei Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet fused with Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze.” For Serouj, these juxtapositions are essential acts of storytelling that highlight the timeless emotional core of the music and the cultures they emerged from. Serouj has always been a teacher of music, whether with his students or his audience. He offers poignant advice for the next generation of artists, who now operate in an increasingly demanding digital landscape. “In the age that we are in, everything is expected to be fast—rapid results. And in this hectic world, slowing down to feel more, to hear more, to give more, and to appreciate more, is often forgotten. And of course, I should add, to love more.” He views music connected to tradition and history as an anchor against this reality, providing the framework for a richer life. He urges young artists to focus on two equally critical pillars for a sustainable career. The first is to seek out good schools and great teachers to build a solid foundation. The second is to find their own relationship with their craft and to mold it into a unique offering to the world. For maestro Serouj Kradjian, finding himself meant embracing every culture and every influence he encountered: the Armenian soul, the Lebanese prodigy, the Canadian academic, the German master-apprentice, and the Spanish fire. Serouj Kradjian is one of the most unique and celebrated artists of our time. He creates harmonious and beautiful pieces that unify cultures, that build bridges, that break down walls, and that connect the human spirit. Where others see limitations, he opens doors. Where others feel boxed, he finds liberation. What others have dismissed, he calls essential. What others call broken, he rewrites a future. “Music has made me a better person. It’s also made me love life, because I can’t imagine my life without music. The creative side gives me fulfillment. It allows me to connect with others. It allows me to offer beauty to an audience. It allows me to mediate between souls — especially those forgotten in this world.” To experience Serouj’s vision in person, the production Piano Rhapsody will be performed with him and his band in Los Angeles on October 25th at PAZNAZ in Pasadena. For tickets and full information, visit https://www.itsmyseat.com/serouj/. Dr. Tamar Marie Boyadjian is an internationally recognized, award-winning author, editor, medievalist, and translator. She is the first U.S.-born author to publish a book of poetry and a fantasy series in the endangered Western Armenian language. An avid lover of music, she currently teaches Armenian Language Courses at Stanford University. Learn more at her website: tmbwriter.com