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Arshak Andriasov
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Arshak Andriasov was born on February 6th, 1980, in New York City to a musical family, who came to the United States in 1979 from Moscow, Russia (the former Soviet Union). His father, the late Iosif Andriasov, was a world-renowned composer and philosopher of Armenian heritage; his mother, Marta Andriasova (Kudryashova), is a musicologist, Dozent of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, owner of IMMA Publishing Co.
Arshak was surrounded by music all of his life, and began to play the piano at the age of three. In 1986, he entered the Lucy Moses School of Music, studying with Boris Slutzky, who was a pupil of Nadia Reisenberg. A. Andriasov’s first composition lesson was with his father in 1994. He continued to study composition with his father, Daniel Thompson (Lucy Moses music school); and later with Shafer Mahoney in college (Hunter College). Mr. Andriasov also studied piano, ear training, solefege, harmony, theory, form analysis with his mother, Marta Andriasova (Kudryashova), and Daniel Thompson, as well as piano, orchestration, polyphony, and conducting with his father.
Since the age of six, Arshak has performed in numerous school recitals at the Lucy Moses School of Music and was invited to appear outside the school in special concerts for seniors and service organizations. He has also given recitals in New York City at the Merkin Concert Hall, Abraham Goodman House, Steinway Hall, Temple Shaaray Tefila Concert Hall, The Salvation Army, and The Juilliard School. In 1995, Arshak performed his own composition at “Amerathon”, a festival of American Music, “From Charles Ives, through Aaron Copland, to Present” at the Merkin Concert Hall. In the fall of 94, Arshak performed at the Special Gala Celebration dedicated to the opening of the new Quarters of the St. Sergius Academy on the Upper East Side in New York City. The concert was broadcast by American and Russian television. There were greetings and congratulations from Mayor R. Guiliani, Senator A. D’Amato and Senator P. Moynihan. Representatives of the Consulate General of Russia also attended this Gala.
Mr. Andriasov was the Assistant Conductor of the BMCC Downtown Orchestra from 1997 until 1999. He regularly conducts his father’s compositions with the San Francisco Student Philharmonic. Arshak also performs his own music and recently recorded his Seven Preludes for Piano Op.1, as well as his First Piano Sonata Op.4, which is in one movement, at the Lang Recital Hall in New York City. In 2002, Mr. Andriasov graduated from Hunter College with a bachelor degree in English Creative Writing and Music Composition, and became a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers. Arshak is the Founder and Owner of the recording label “IMMA Records”, which is based in New York City. In 2003, Arshak Andriasov composed his Second Piano Sonata (in three movements). In the same year, he composed “Torch No. 1” for Trumpet, Trombone, Piano, and String Orchestra. His Seven Preludes for Piano, Op.1, Five Romances for Various Voices and Piano, Op. 2, Piece for Flute and Piano, Op. 3, First Piano Sonata, Op. 4, Second Piano Sonata, Op. 5, and “Torch” No.1, Op. 6 are published works.
Arshak Andriasov is continuing the Moscow Conservatory Composers tradition, passed to him by his father, who stems from P.I. Tchaikovsky - S.I. Taneev - N.Y. Miaskovsky - E.K. Golubev - Iosif Andriasov - Arshak Andriasov.
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1. “Seven Preludes for Piano”, Op. 1 (1997) – 10 min.
Available through IMMA Publishing Co.:
Score – for Sale
20 pages, $9.95
ISBN # 1-931815-26-7
Score published in 2002
Arshak Andriasov wrote The Seven Preludes for Piano, Op. 1, in 1997. These seven pieces correspond to seven successive days of a week, from Monday to Sunday. Some of them are dedicated to the composer’s family and his friends. Arshak takes his music influences from S. Rachmaninov, N. Myaskovsky, and R Schumann. At the same time, one can hear the original voice of the young composer in seriousness, in a delicate tenderness of his images, and in fresh harmonies. The premiere of these preludes took place on February 28th, 2001, with Arshak as the pianist, at the Long Recital Hall, New York City,.
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2. Five Romances for Various Voices and Piano, Op. 2 (1997-2001) – 12 min.
Available through IMMA Publishing Co.:
Score – for Sale
25 pages, $9.95
ISBN # 1-931815-25-9
Score published in 2002
Arshak Andriasov composed The Five Romances for Various Voices and Piano, Op. 2 between 1997 and 2001 years. He chose the poems of three Russian poets. The poets are: Alexander Pushkin (“Rose” and “To the Sea”), Sergei Esenin (“Good-bye, my Friend, Good-bye” and “Here is the Evening”), and Afanasey Fet (“Don’t Leave Me”). The prevailing mood in the romances is lyrical, either serene and cheerful, or elegiac, with a dramatic overtone. The melodic lines integrate tone and word; harmonies are expressive and colorful, and the piano plays interludes and postludes, having become a true partner of the voice.
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3. Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 4, in one movement (2001) – 6 min.
Available through IMMA Publishing Co.:
Score – for Sale
35 pages, $14.95
ISBN # 1-931815-27-5
Score published in 2003
Arshak wrote The First Sonata for Piano, Op. 4, in 2001. It is a single movement composition in the free rondo-like form. The active, impetuous main musical idea (refrain) is driven energetically to a dramatic culmination and then to the sudden ending. On its way, there are several episodes: a lyrical one, a “dreamy” and relaxed improvisation, and a flamboyant cadenza. Arshak manifests a gift for unfolding melody: each phrase is a variation and expansion of the opening. The premiere of the sonata took place on March 20th, 2002, with Arshak as the pianist, at the Lang Recital Hall, New York City,
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4. Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 5, in three movements (2003) – 12 min.
Available through IMMA Publishing Co.:
Score – for Sale
28 pages, $19.95
ISBN # 1-931815-28-3
Score published in 2004
Arshak Andriasov composed The Second Sonata for Piano, Op. 5, in 2003. It is “Dedicated to those who are against military barbarism”. The sonata has three movements: the 1st movement, C-sharp minor, is in the sonata form. The main theme starts from afar, in the low register. It is based on a short motive, which elaborates to a broad, hymn-like music in C-sharp Major. The second theme is based on a descending motive in a slow tempo. The composer skillfully presents its various sides. In the recapitulation, the elements of both themes sound simultaneously. After a dramatic culmination, a solemn coda follows. The second movement, in C-sharp minor, has spiritual beauty and depth. It is written in three-part form. The third movement, Finale, is in E-flat Major. It is a dance-like movement, with plenty of humorous episodes, which starts reserved and is daring in the conclusion. Its music intertwines with the reminiscences of his first Prelude (“Monday”) and the main theme of his First piano sonata.
Notes by Marta Andriasova (Kudryashova)
© 2004 by Marta Andriasova (Kudryashova).
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5. “Torch” No. 1 for Trumpet, Trombone, Piano, and String Orchestra,
Op. 6, in one movement (2003) – 6 min.
Available through IMMA Publishing Co.:
Score – for Sale
70 pages, $19.95
ISBN # 1-931815-29-1
Score published in 2004
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