PREVIOUS GUESTS

CHRISTINE KHARAZIAN

I was born and raised in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. My mother is an art historian, my father is a painter and an art critic. My grandmother was an amazing gifted artist in so many ways. But not music. I was fascinated by her and loved her so very much.

My older sister is a pianist. She is quite famous in Armenia. She plays with two well known bands, one is called Cadance Ensemble. They specialize in tango among other fusion styles. We both attended Tchaikovski Music school in Yerevan. It’s a full elementary to high school program. Includes other subjects too. So basically I attended that one school for everything, but it is a music school most of all and is geared to propel students for the conservatory path to become professional musicians. Very competitive. My mother found the school by accident. A taxi driver was picking up his daughter! There is an exam to get in. My sister was first to be admitted on a piano.

Somewhat before my 6th birthday my father introduced me to the sound of the violin via Yasha Heifetz' vinyl. I think since my sister was already playing piano they didn’t want another pianist in the house.. finding time to practice the same instrument… I was mesmerized with what I heard. That summer I was admitted to the Tchaikovsky school of music. It was a very classical training. My teachers were Hrachian Harutiunian studentend of Leonid Kogan and later in Conservatory Edward Dayan pupil of David Oystrach, both very notable violinists. My first teacher HH was quite mean and I had a very strong stage fright that lasted until I became an adult and came to the US. But he was a great player and taught the technique well. I was always very musical. Emotional aspect of music was something I always understood. In fact maybe it was a source of weakness because it meant so much to me.

At 19 , still a conservatory student, I married Armen Kharazian, the most remarkable man. In 1999 we came to the US because Armen was appointed a deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Armenia to the US. Long story short , eventually we stayed in DC, and bought a house in MD in 2020. Sadly in January 2023 Armen left this world. Zarine and Ara are our children. Thankfully they are already adults to face it.

How did jazz come to me? Some people learn to swim by being thrown into the water... I was called on a gig. It was David Fletcher, playing at the Vatican Mission in DC. He was playing bass. There was an accordion player and another violinist besides me. He brought music, called FAKEBOOK. I didn't know what it was. He looked at us and said: Head, solo solo, solo head. I was puzzled. By the end of the gig I knew exactly what it meant. While I survived the gig thanks to a good ear and good technique it didn't make me a jazz violinist of course. Intrigued and inspired by the new found freedom of improvisation, I decided to learn more. I attended numerous jazz workshops including an absolute heaven called Django in June. I still study and practice ( we should never stop!) but I feel very comfortable improvising in most of the situations and many genres.

When I came to US I was so interested in the diversity of the musicians. Many cultures use the violin as a folk instrument. In those cases they always develop a certain unique technique to play it. I love learning those new ways of playing the violin. For example one of my musical passions is playing Brazilian Choro. The musical genre of “choro,” also known as “chorinho,” began to take shape in mid-19th century Rio de Janeiro, where the music of the Portuguese court – ballroom dances such as the polca, waltz and schottisch met that of Afro-Brazilians. And just as ragtime and jazz are universally regarded as prototypically American, so too is choro recognized as uniquely, exquisitely Brazilian. I will be going to Choro Camp new England again this year Again!

The other thing I love to do is doing concert presentations. I just had one yesterday. It was my favorite topic: Music and painting. Since I grew up in a household of visual art professionals, the connection of art forms always fascinated me. I think my presentation is quite unique because if you look at existing research it is first of all scarce and second it’s very science and physics based. Which is still fascinating. My project explores the philosophical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual connections between music and painting and how these two art forms have reflected and influenced one another across time.The other similar project I am working on investigates the concept of the five elements as a symbolic framework for understanding relationships between nature, relationships, health and artistic expression across cultures. I originally started these projects for children as educational projects. But yesterday for example I was invited to present it for adults as a form of entertainment. Another thing that I cherish is my experience with the theatre and I hope to have more of it.

Christine Kharazian is a concert violinist, a graduate of the Komitas State Conservatory and the Tchaikovsky Advanced School of Music in Yerevan, Armenia. She studied violin with Pof. Edward Dayan, a pupil of David Oistrakh and Prof. Hrachia Harutunyan, a pupil of Leonid Kongan. Her early performance experience includes 5 years with the Armenian National Opera's Symphony as a member of the first violins, and with the Sharakan Ensemble of Ancient and Medieval Music of Armenian TV and Radio, as a soloist. She has performed in concerts at the Kennedy Center, Strathmore Hall, Dumbarton House, the Gallery at The Ellipse, and various Embassies in Washington, among other venues as a soloist and with various groups. Christine is an experienced educator. An alumna of the Inspired Teaching Institute, she taught string orchestra at Fillmore Arts Center in Washington, DC and Churchill Road Elementary of Fairfax County Public Schools. Currently she teaches violin technique at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and Sidwell Friends. Christine is also the author and presenter of a series of interactive programs in music education. As a versatile and adventurous musician she loves exploring various styles, from Gypsy Jazz to Brazilian Choro and performs often with various ensembles including Orchester Praževica.

Christine Kharazian enjoys experimenting with the merging of various art forms, such as theater and music. She was cast as the Wind in Quotidian Theatre Company’s 2015 production of Anton Chekhov’s “A Little Trick.” and later in 2016 another production of Chekhov’s “The Lady with the Little Dog”. The director Stephanie Mumford, in crafting her adaptation of Chekhov’s short story, devised a part with Kharazian in mind: the violin-playing wife of Dmitry Gurov. She served as a Chair of Student Activities at Friday Morning Music Club, coordinating concert series for young aspiring musicians from 2012-2022, and is currently a board member of Blues Alley Jazz Education Society.

Christine's original composition Valse Astolfi was a winner of the 2nd prize of the Unsigned Only competition in 2021. I entered the competition just because I was helping my sister with the submission for the competition. And decided to add mine too. I consider my sister one of my biggest musical influences and mentors. Also I am about to release a new original single Flamingo”s Dream
.

I was born and raised in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. My mother is an art historian, my father is a painter and an art critic. My grandmother was an amazing gifted artist in so many ways. But not music. I was fascinated by her and loved her so very much. My older sister is a pianist. She is quite famous in Armenia. She plays with two well known bands, one is called Cadance Ensemble. They specialize in tango among other fusion styles. We both attended Tchaikovski Music school in Yerevan. It’s a full elementary to high school program. Includes other subjects too. So basically I attended that one school for everything, but it is a music school most of all and is geared to propel students for the conservatory path to become professional musicians. Very competitive. My mother found the school by accident. A taxi driver was picking up his daughter! There is an exam to get in. My sister was first to be admitted on a piano. Somewhat before my 6th birthday my father introduced me to the sound of the violin via Yasha Heifetz' vinyl. I think since my sister was already playing piano they didn’t want another pianist in the house.. finding time to practice the same instrument… I was mesmerized with what I heard. That summer I was admitted to the Tchaikovsky school of music. It was a very classical training. My teachers were Hrachian Harutiunian studentend of Leonid Kogan and later in Conservatory Edward Dayan pupil of David Oystrach, both very notable violinists. My first teacher HH was quite mean and I had a very strong stage fright that lasted until I became an adult and came to the US. But he was a great player and taught the technique well. I was always very musical. Emotional aspect of music was something I always understood. In fact maybe it was a source of weakness because it meant so much to me. At 19 , still a conservatory student, I married Armen Kharazian, the most remarkable man. In 1999 we came to the US because Armen was appointed a deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Armenia to the US. Long story short , eventually we stayed in DC, and bought a house in MD in 2020. Sadly in January 2023 Armen left this world. Zarine and Ara are our children. Thankfully they are already adults to face it. How did jazz come to me? Some people learn to swim by being thrown into the water... I was called on a gig. It was David Fletcher, playing at the Vatican Mission in DC. He was playing bass. There was an accordion player and another violinist besides me. He brought music, called FAKEBOOK. I didn't know what it was. He looked at us and said: Head, solo solo, solo head. I was puzzled. By the end of the gig I knew exactly what it meant. While I survived the gig thanks to a good ear and good technique it didn't make me a jazz violinist of course. Intrigued and inspired by the new found freedom of improvisation, I decided to learn more. I attended numerous jazz workshops including an absolute heaven called Django in June. I still study and practice ( we should never stop!) but I feel very comfortable improvising in most of the situations and many genres. When I came to US I was so interested in the diversity of the musicians. Many cultures use the violin as a folk instrument. In those cases they always develop a certain unique technique to play it. I love learning those new ways of playing the violin. For example one of my musical passions is playing Brazilian Choro. The musical genre of “choro,” also known as “chorinho,” began to take shape in mid-19th century Rio de Janeiro, where the music of the Portuguese court – ballroom dances such as the polca, waltz and schottisch met that of Afro-Brazilians. And just as ragtime and jazz are universally regarded as prototypically American, so too is choro recognized as uniquely, exquisitely Brazilian. I will be going to Choro Camp new England again this year Again! The other thing I love to do is doing concert presentations. I just had one yesterday. It was my favorite topic: Music and painting. Since I grew up in a household of visual art professionals, the connection of art forms always fascinated me. I think my presentation is quite unique because if you look at existing research it is first of all scarce and second it’s very science and physics based. Which is still fascinating. My project explores the philosophical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual connections between music and painting and how these two art forms have reflected and influenced one another across time.The other similar project I am working on investigates the concept of the five elements as a symbolic framework for understanding relationships between nature, relationships, health and artistic expression across cultures. I originally started these projects for children as educational projects. But yesterday for example I was invited to present it for adults as a form of entertainment. Another thing that I cherish is my experience with the theatre and I hope to have more of it. Christine Kharazian is a concert violinist, a graduate of the Komitas State Conservatory and the Tchaikovsky Advanced School of Music in Yerevan, Armenia. She studied violin with Pof. Edward Dayan, a pupil of David Oistrakh and Prof. Hrachia Harutunyan, a pupil of Leonid Kongan. Her early performance experience includes 5 years with the Armenian National Opera's Symphony as a member of the first violins, and with the Sharakan Ensemble of Ancient and Medieval Music of Armenian TV and Radio, as a soloist. She has performed in concerts at the Kennedy Center, Strathmore Hall, Dumbarton House, the Gallery at The Ellipse, and various Embassies in Washington, among other venues as a soloist and with various groups. Christine is an experienced educator. An alumna of the Inspired Teaching Institute, she taught string orchestra at Fillmore Arts Center in Washington, DC and Churchill Road Elementary of Fairfax County Public Schools. Currently she teaches violin technique at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and Sidwell Friends. Christine is also the author and presenter of a series of interactive programs in music education. As a versatile and adventurous musician she loves exploring various styles, from Gypsy Jazz to Brazilian Choro and performs often with various ensembles including Orchester Praževica. Christine Kharazian enjoys experimenting with the merging of various art forms, such as theater and music. She was cast as the Wind in Quotidian Theatre Company’s 2015 production of Anton Chekhov’s “A Little Trick.” and later in 2016 another production of Chekhov’s “The Lady with the Little Dog”. The director Stephanie Mumford, in crafting her adaptation of Chekhov’s short story, devised a part with Kharazian in mind: the violin-playing wife of Dmitry Gurov. She served as a Chair of Student Activities at Friday Morning Music Club, coordinating concert series for young aspiring musicians from 2012-2022, and is currently a board member of Blues Alley Jazz Education Society. Christine's original composition Valse Astolfi was a winner of the 2nd prize of the Unsigned Only competition in 2021. I entered the competition just because I was helping my sister with the submission for the competition. And decided to add mine too. I consider my sister one of my biggest musical influences and mentors. Also I am about to release a new original single Flamingo”s Dream .