He also draws inspiration from other arts, such as literature, painting, and film. Freedom, he believes, is what makes the difference—recreating each piece anew and filling it with his own musical emotions, ideas, and decisions. Born in Paris, the pianist holds his Armenian roots dear. For his debut concert at the Klavier-Festival Ruhr, he brings a work by Aram Khachaturian, whose compositions are heavily influenced by folk music from the Caucasus. This piece forms a fascinating contrast to Tchaikovsky’s rich “The Seasons” cycle and to three wonderful arrangements that Franz Liszt created from works by Giuseppe Verdi.

Photo: Bernard Martinez