Photo: Sebmarouani · CC BY 3.0 · credits
Tier 2 · legacy legendfull biography
Djivan Gasparyan
Person · male · Soviet Union · Solak · born 1928 · died 2021 · recording since 1988
Armenian musician and composer (1928–2021)
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Also known as Djivan Gasparyan · Дживан Гаспарян · Djivam Gasparyan · Djivan Gasparian · Djivan Gasparyan & Ensemble · Dschiwan Gasparjan · +7 more
Timeline
28 events▣ Album 24◦ Birth 1★ Debut release 1✦ Award 1† Death 1
1920s
1980s
· Debut release
Debut release: Sound of Duduk
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Biography
English biography733 words · 4 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1368357499
Biography
Djivan Gasparyan (var. Jivan Gasparyan; Armenian: Ջիվան Գասպարյան, Armenian pronunciation: [dʒiˈvɑn ɡɑspɑɾˈjɑn]; 12 October 1928 – 6 July 2021) was an Armenian musician and composer. He played the duduk, a double reed woodwind instrument related to the orchestral oboe. Gasparyan is known as the "Master of the duduk". In 1978 he was awarded the title People's Artist of the Armenian SSR, and in 2006 he was nominated for Grammy Awards for the Best Traditional World Music Album.
Biography
Born in Solak, Armenia, to parents from Mush, Gasparyan started to play duduk when he was six. In 1948, he became a soloist of the Armenian Song and Dance Popular Ensemble and the Yerevan Philharmonic Orchestra.
He won four medals at UNESCO worldwide competitions (1959, 1962, 1973, and 1980). In 1973 Gasparyan was awarded the honorary title People's Artist of Armenia. In 2002, he received the WOMEX (World Music Expo) Lifetime Achievement Award. He is an Honorary citizen of Yerevan.
A professor at the Yerevan State Musical Conservatory, he instructed and nurtured many performers to professional levels of performance in duduk. In 1998, he released an album with a unique duduk quartet he formed. Creating arrangements for four musicians with "new duduk tones, alto and bass, was an extremely difficult task" and challenge, but the quartet did become a reality performing and "there is no other like it in the world", he witnessed in the liner notes of Nazeli. He toured the world several times with a small ensemble playing Armenian folk music. His music has been chosen on the soundtrack of several international films.
He collaborated with many artists, such as Sting, Peter Gabriel, Hossein Alizadeh, Erkan Oğur, Michael Brook, Brian May, Lionel Richie, Derek Sherinian, Roman Miroshnichenko, Ludovico Einaudi, Boris Grebenshchikov, Brian Eno, David Sylvian, Hans Zimmer, and Andreas Vollenweider. He also recorded with the Kronos Quartet and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Gasparyan played as part of the Armenian entry "Apricot Stone" by Eva Rivas at the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo and became the oldest ever person to feature in a Eurovision Song Contest performance, but was not officially listed as a guest artist.
Death
Gasparyan died on 6 July 2021, aged 92. It was announced by his grandson, Djivan Gasparyan Jr. He said "The world has suffered an unimaginable loss tonight. He was not only a legend, but also a person with a beautiful soul. I write with great sorrow about my huge loss. May God keep your soul in the bright sky."
Peter Gabriel, six time Grammy winner for the English rock band Genesis, called Gasparyan "the great master of the instrument." He added, "When he lifted his duduk to his lips he cast a spell over all who listened."
Gasparyan was highly recognized by the Armenian government. On his 90th birthday, Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan congratulated Gasparyan, stating: "Our people and music lovers around the world have already ranked you among the world’s great musicians. As a living legend, you are a credit to all Armenians." Upon his death, President Armen Sarkissian described him as a "legendary duduk player" who was "one of the pillars of our modern culture, whose name is associated with the creative and working activities of musicians, especially a whole generation of duduk players." Pashinyan called him "an exceptional Armenian intellectual and ranked him among the Greats of the world art; we were proud and inspired by him."
Catholicos Karekin II, leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church, sent a letter of condolences to his family. "For decades, he performed the gems of the Armenian music on many stages in Armenia and abroad, serving the grateful mission of recognizing and spreading our culture," read the statement.
Legacy
Gasparyan collaborated with renowned composer Hans Zimmer in the making of the soundtrack for Ridley Scott's Oscar-winning film Gladiator, in which Zimmer said that Djivan was the only musician he truly wanted to play the “Armenian clarinet” for the soundtrack. The song used, "To Zucchabar," features Gasparyan's duduk - a sound that became one of the most memorable parts of the film's score.
Gasparyan won four gold medals in worldwide competitions organized by UNESCO, where he competed in 1959, 1962, 1973 and 1980. In the year 1973, he had the unique distinction of being the only musician to be bestowed the honorary title of People's Artist of Armenia.
Upon his passing in 2021, UNESCO wrote a tribute article in remembrance.
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 33 | 91.9th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 28 | 89.8th |
| Studio albums | 24 | 97.3th |
| Awards recorded | 6 | 97.7th |
| Timeline events | 28 | 96.4th |
| Recording span (years) | 29 | 64th |
| Genres | 4 | 84.7th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (28 release groups · 24 studio albums)
Albums · 24
1988 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 59:18
1Dle Yaman4:042Pokrik Bourastan5:053Vorskan Akhper4:064Eshkhemet4:145Machkal Es4:516Hey DJan, Hey DJan4:077Hovern Engan4:058Dounm En Glkhen6:399Ashkharoums Akh Chim Kashi6:1810Meghedi4:1711Anveradartz6:4812Sev Mout Arnber4:44I Will Not Be Sad in This World
1989 · studio album
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Tracklist · 8 tracks · 39:05
1A Cool Wind is Blowing4:032Brother Hunter4:073Look Here, My Dear4:064I Will Not Be Sad in This World6:185Little Flower Garden5:046Your Strong Mind6:397The Ploughman4:498Dle Yaman3:591993 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 48:36
1Anush Garun - Lovely Spring4:222Sayat Nova4:353Khandvat Tuner - 7th December 19884:014Me Lotzazrue Intz - Don't Make Me Cry5:035Do Noritz Ekeles - You Have to Come Back to Me2:576Es Gisher - Tonight2:547Ciretzie Yaris Taran - They Took My Love Away5:018Lusniak Gisher - Moon Shines at Night5:129Tzirane Tzar - Apricot Tree10:2710Mayrik Em - Mother of Mine4:041994 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 45:02
1Sev Atcher3:412Vorkan Tsangatza4:373Syat-Nova4:554Gabouyd Manoushag2:365Es Inch Zouloum Ashkhar E6:366Yes Lesetzi Mi Anoush Tzayn4:407Yaman-Yaman3:498Barzir Aghpouir4:119Ankoun Achkov5:5810Toghek Yes Lam3:591994 · studio album
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Tracklist · 11 tracks · 47:15
1Intz mi Khuntrir (Ask Me No Questions)2:312Siro Yerk / Sari Aghcheek (Love Song)7:043Gumri bar (Dance of Gumri)2:444Sarer Gaghachem (I Beg You, Mountains)4:315Komitas Suite5:326Soorp Soorp (Holy, Holy)5:177Groong (The Crane)5:158Gumri yerk (Song of Gumri)2:359Karabaghi aghcheekneroo (Maidens of Karabagh)4:3010Dzidzernag (The Swallow)2:1611Nachnataryan yerk (Pagan Chant)5:001996 · studio album
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Tracklist · 11 tracks · 56:13
1Taran Taran (They Carried Her Away)3:312Erzerum Dance Tunes8:343Marash Dance Tunes4:594Tanoum En Mayrik (They Are Carrying Me Away Mother) / Ghazakhi5:165Yerevan Bagh Em Arel (I Have Planted an Orchard in Yerevan) / Yes Poujour (I Am Young)5:456Halay (Folk dance)6:597Pepo's Song3:378Tariners Anstan (The Years of My Youth Have Gone)6:459Shalako (Folk dance)2:1810Djangyuloum (Divination Song)4:1411Sourmaloui Yerk (Apricots From Eden)4:151996 · studio album
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Tracklist · 8 tracks · 41:17
1Sev mout amber4:482Eshkhemet4:093Caravan, Kni im Balig3:204Hovi Ganche6:505Ghazakhi5:506Kalosi Prgen6:287Daran, Daran4:418Sari Aghtchig5:111998 · studio album
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Tracklist · 9 tracks · 38:28
1The Winds Descended3:592Brother Hunter4:013Hey Soul4:034In My World6:145Plow4:456Oh My Small Land of Scent4:587Oh You Balladeer1:088You Are Wiser Than Another5:249An Exclamation of Mourning3:561998 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 39:33
1Garod Akh Garod4:032Sourp, Sourp3:033Tours Yel Dzovag3:274Groong3:565Koon Yeghir3:256Havoon, Havoon3:067Tzakhort Orer2:398Dle Yaman3:209Kilikia3:2710Partzer Sarer2:4211Vorkan Tzangatza3:1412Odar Amayi Jamper3:111998 · studio album
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Tracklist · 8 tracks · 43:48
1To the River4:092Fallen Star4:493Take My Heart4:344Together Forever6:495Freedom5:266Forbidden Love5:397Immigrant's Song6:568Dark Souls5:261999 · studio album
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Tracklist · 11 tracks · 1:05:59
1Menag jamport em / Yes kez tessa6:132Aravot luso / Hovivi kanch9:193Siro husher – To Eva6:324Ojakhum9:285Nazani3:446Kele kele, haberban3:337Havun havun6:428Kele lao6:029Dzakhord orer gukan u kertan5:5410Kanatsi par3:3811Kokh – Songs & Dances From the Wedding Ceremony4:542000 · studio album
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Tracklist · 4 tracks · 59:03
1Armenian Suite28:162Kamantcha Blues6:063Armenian Romances13:504Lyric Melodies & Dances for Women10:512001 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 59:28
1Yemen8:392Siresi Yarisdaran (Sevdiğimi Elimden Aldılar)9:103Volor Molor (Yardan Gelen Haber) - Tecnis9:354Yes Pucur Yaris Pucur (Ben Küçük Yar Küçük)1:485Fuad6:376Perde Kalktı6:127Siyah Perçemlerin Gonca Yüzlerin4:428Mayrig (Ana)7:449Lorik (Küçük Kuş)2:4710Dönüş Yolu2:142001 · studio album
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Tracklist · 5 tracks · 56:00
1Gladiator7:552Udja8:423Serenity19:154Sharkia12:405Mush7:282001 · studio album
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Tracklist · 14 tracks · 59:29
1My Home5:552I don't Give a Sigh in my Life5:593Brother Hunter4:044You are a Ploughman3:245Call of a Herdsman6:516I Have a Word with a Prayer3:477That Spring4:058I am Outcast by You4:309Every Morning3:2910Splendid Spring3:0611Garden3:5812Don't Ask Me2:5313Waiting3:1714Evening Hour4:112001 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 54:18
1Black Sky4:492Kemancha Solo5:043Did I Born From the Stone4:104Male Folk Dance5:515Kanoon Solo1:586Black Night3:227Folk Dance6:288Dhol Solo2:509Sheppard's Love6:5110Female Folk Dance4:4111Kemancha Solo3:0312Folk Dance5:112002 · studio album
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Tracklist · 27 tracks · 1:19:06
Disc 11Hovern Engan3:562Vorsgan Akhper3:583Hey Djan3:594Ashharooms Akh Chim Kashi6:105Madjkal4:416Akh Im Pokrik Pourasdan4:557Ov Tou Kousan1:078Too En Klkhen5:229Dle Yaman3:5510Sev Mout Amber4:4611Eshkhemet4:0812Caravan, Kni Im Balig3:1813Hovi Ganche6:4814Ghazakhi5:4815Kalosi Prgen6:2516Daran<daran4:3917Sari Aghtchig5:11Disc 21Intz mi Khuntrir2Siro Yerk / Sari Aghcheek3Gumri bar4Sarer Gaghachem5Soorp Soorp6Groong7Gumri yerk8Karabaghi9Dzidzernag aghcheekneroo10Nachnataryan Yerk2007 · studio album
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Tracklist · 24 tracks · 2:19:59
Disc 11Machkal Es (the Ploughman)4:502Improvisation & Antsa (I'm Gone)9:463Hush My Heart5:434Gisherva Pesh (Like a Dark Night)6:235Tamam Askharh Ptut (I Have Been All Over the World)4:056Red4:447Naked Spirit4:438Ashkharums Akh Chim Kashi (I Will Not Be Sad)6:179Lamentum3:4110Tsirani Tsar (the Apricot Tree)5:0411Dle Yaman2:5112Yerkinkn Ampela ( the Sky is Cloudy)5:5813Elephant Pond4:39Disc 21Surb Im Sasani (My Holy Sasani)3:292Kapuit Manushak (Blue Violet)7:333Sari Gallin/Sari Aghchick (the Blond Bride)7:284Holy of Holies3:165Nazani (Don't Be So Coy)3:426Take My Heart4:387Menak Champord Em (the Lonely Wanderer)5:568Donus Yolu (the Way Back)2:209Hovvakan Trio (Shepherd's Song)6:5310Armenian Suite23:0211Amen Hair Surb (All Fathers Are Holy)2:582007 · studio album
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Tracklist · 11 tracks · 55:03
1Kele Lao6:012Duet Improvisation with Jivan Jr.9:463Dle Yaman3:174In Foreign Lands5:335Tsitsernak2:586Little Garden5:017Komitas2:478Chem Uzum (Komitas)2:459A Cool Wind is Blowing6:4310My Dear Mother5:1811Improvisation on Zurna4:542007 · studio album
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Tracklist · 24 tracks
Disc 11Machkal Es (The Ploughman)2Improvisation & Antsa (I'm Gone)3Hush My Heart4Gisherva Pesh (Like a Dark Night)5Tamam Askharh Ptut (I Have Been All Over the World)6Red7Naked Spirit8Ashkharums Akh Chim Kashi (I Will Not Be Sad)9Lamentum10Tsirani Tsar (The Apricot Tree)11Dle Yaman12Yerkinkn Ampela (The Sky Is Cloudy)13Elephant PondDisc 21Surb Im Sasani (My Holy Sasani)2Kapuit Manushak (Blue Violet)3Sari Gallin/Sari Aghchick (the Blond Bride)4Holy of Holies5Nazani (Don't Be So Coy)6Take My Heart7Menak Champord Em (the Lonely Wanderer)8Donus Yolu (the Way Back)9Hovvakan Trio (Shepherd's Song)10Armenian Suite11Amen Hair Surb (All Fathers Are Holy)2008 · studio album
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Tracklist · 22 tracks
Disc 11A Breath of Coolness Could Be Felt2Brother Hunter (1 version)3Brother Hunter (2 version)4Hey, Djan, Hey Djan5In This World6Ploughman7Garden8You Have Been a Wise Man Since Olden Times9Die Yaman10As a Nightingale You Have Tormented Yourself11O, Darling, Why Is It Necessary to Burn Again?Disc 21Black Gloomy Clouds2There Is a Word in My Possession (Sayat-Nova)3Alagyaz4Eshkhemed5Sleep, My Child6The Shepherd’s Call7The Kazakhs8Kalosi Prgen9Таrаn-Taran10The Mountain Girl11The Song of Araz2008 · studio album
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Tracklist · 11 tracks · 53:23
1Adagio in G Minor4:512Guttapercha4:233Penumbra4:424Sand7:375Chiarescuroed4:316Delacroix5:197Highlit3:438Pascal5:379Black Hills5:0010Bonined3:0111Winter Day4:392014 · studio album
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Tracklist · 9 tracks · 41:19
1A Breath of Coolness Could Be Felt4:002You Have Been a Wise Man Since Olden Times3:373Dle Yaman3:594Hey, Djan, Hey Djan4:045In This World6:156Eshkhemed4:097The Shepherd's Song2:338The Shepherd's Call6:519The Kazakhs5:512017 · studio album
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Tracklist · 16 tracks · 1:17:53
1Come Lao / Mush5:122Apricot Tree3:383Hunter Brother / A Game Dance4:004I Took the Jug / Go,Go5:295Sleep My Baby3:546Khanasor Expedition / Dance of Darcho3:537Eshkhemed4:078Improvisation8:219Ave Maria3:0710Lullaby4:4211Caravan4:4512A Cool Wind Is Blowing5:0013They Took My Love Away6:1614Travelers of the Milky Way / Winter Day8:3115Mother of Mine4:0316Nightingale2:55
Album · 4
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Armenian DudukSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 17 tracks · 1:17:421Lovely Spring4:27 2Sayat nova4:38 37th December 19884:06 4Don't Make Me Cry5:08 5You Have to Come Back to Me3:01 6Tonight2:58 7They Took My Love Away5:05 8Moon Shines at Night5:16 9Apricot Tree10:31 10Mother of Mine4:04 11Mair araks3:38 12Tsitsernak2:56 13Hingala3:50 14Surb surb4:59 15Alagiaz2:58 16Mama5:16 17Nazeli4:51 | Compilation | 2003 | |
| 2006 | Endless VisionSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 7 tracks · 1:00:311Birds22:20 2Armenian Romances3:07 3Sari Galin7:40 4Call of the Birds8:18 5Mama5:56 6Improvisation on Shurangiz5:58 7Tasnif Parvaneh Sho …7:12 | Live | 14 February 2006 | |
| 2010 | PangeaSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 7 tracks · 1:03:361Love's Tale18:49 2The Silent Lover5:50 3The Silence of Solitude6:05 4Desire for You10:48 5You and I3:02 6The Traceless Ocean9:01 7Love Is Sweet10:01 | Compilation | 18 February 2010 | |
| 2010 | 33 MasterpiecesSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 33 tracks · 2:42:44Disc 1 1Chiarescured4:31 2Guttapercha4:23 3Holy of Holies3:11 4Holy of Holies, 25:27 5Hush My Heart5:43 6Kaput Manushak7:33 7Lamentum3:34 8Qele, Lao7:59 9Take My Heart4:38 10To Zucchabar3:16 Disc 21Dun En G’lkhen5:01 2Eshkhemed4:38 3Hair Sourb2:58 4Hovern Yelan4:00 5Komitas2:48 6Lousniak Gisher5:16 7Machkal4:46 8Menak Tchampord em5:56 9Ojakhum5:56 10Siretsi, Yaris Taran5:01 11Sourb Sasani3:29 12Sourb, Sourb5:01 Disc 31Yes En Tsaghikn em9:46 2Anoush Garoun4:27 3Ashkharoums6:15 4Dou Norits Yekel Es3:01 5Duduk Quartet2:58 6Pesi Par5:50 7Harsi Par6:28 8Hov’vi Yerg6:50 9Lorik2:11 10Sari Aghjik5:12 11Taran, Taran4:41 | Compilation | June 2010 |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Djivan Gasparyan head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 33 | 91.9th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 28 | 89.8th |
| Studio albums | 24 | 97.3th |
| Awards recorded | 6 | 97.7th |
| Timeline events | 28 | 96.4th |
| Recording span (years) | 29 | 64th |
| Genres | 4 | 84.7th |
Awards & honours
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Order For Merit to the Fatherland - 1st degree | won | |
| — | Medal "For Distinguished Labour" | won | |
| — | Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" | won | |
| — | Order of St. Mesrop Mashtots | won | |
| — | People's Artist of the Armenian SSR | won | |
| — | honorary citizen of Yerevan | won |
Line-up
| Name | From | To | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Djivan Gasparyan Quartet(band) | — | present | duduk,eponymous |
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Djivan_Gasparyan_2009.jpgaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/9e06f50c-aaed-48d2-8fa6-72935359ec4adiscography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/9e06f50c-aaed-48d2-8fa6-72935359ec4acore—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q471537genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q471537seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djivan_Gasparyanbiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djivan_Gasparyan
Why this artist is in the database
- List of folk musicians
Tier rule: historic figure (33 language versions, career ended)
Image: Sebmarouani · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q471537 · MusicBrainz: 9e06f50c-aaed-48d2-8fa6-72935359ec4a
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