Henrik Barkhudaryan “Gena Barkhudarov” 1934-1989

Henrik Barkhudaryan’s guitar monument has been located in Stepanakert city park for many years due to the efforts of his close friend, Roman Yeritsyan.

“After Henry’s death, I had promised, in memory of him to do something,” he says. – We, with friends, native Stepanakert, have built a monument. ”

Certainly, the stone musical instrument can not convey the full charm of emotions, flying, fall, creative efforts, which has survived a lifetime musician who has become a legend for several generations of Artsakh people.

Like many talented, creative people, Henrikh’s life was also not easy.

“I visited him in Jitomir,” says Roman Yeritsyan. “When we were alone, he took the guitar and cried before playing:” What am I doing here? Why am I here? And he began singing about his works about Stepanakert. He repeated. “Where is Stepanakert, where am I?”

Here Henrik married for the second time with the Jewish nation, Faina. He created a great orchestra that soon gained a great reputation and gathered a large army of fans.

In 1978, in Ukraine, the orchestra led by Henrik Barkhudaryan did not attend the Jazz Music Festival.

Zhitomir really loved him and respected him, he was always the center of attention.
What else is needed for happiness?

Henrikh became native to Ukrainians, but Ukraine did not become his homeland.
He was very faithful to Stepanakert, watching all the events in his homeland, mourning, worried that something was not done in his own way.
In Jithomir, a monument was erected to keep his memory alive, appreciating what he did in jazz music.

Thus, Henrikh Barkhudaryan was born on January 1, 1934 in Stepanakert, in a so-called musical family.
His father Suren, being a wonderful locksmith, played at Nikolay Zaseev’s orchestra, who was one of the founders of a music school in Nagorno-Karabakh, and created simple musical instruments.

His brother, Vova, was a double bassist, and uncle Kim Barkhudaryan was a well-known drummer. When everyone played something, Henrikh’s mother also played on some musical instrument.

Henrikh made the first steps in music at the Pioneer House.
He graduated from secondary school, music school, Yerevan Conservatory.

Young Henrikh won the Orbelian Orchestra competition, taking the second place.
But he was unable to work due to an accident.
In addition to the fate, he always met with unique people who had a great role not only in becoming a musician, but also for personality.
In Stepanakert, Felix Charny, who promoted pop music development from Stepanakert, moved from Poland to Nagorno-Karabakh during the Great Patriotic War and got married here.
Charny, who was playing a few instruments, brought American jazz and pop songs together.

“These songs were performed on Saturdays and Sundays,” says Roman Yeritsyan. – We were eagerly awaiting Saturday to enjoy the performances of Henrikh Barkhudaryan, Henrik Berberyan, Kim Barkhudaryan, Felix Charni, Vova Astsatryan and others.They were the happiest days in our lives. We, like lovers, waited for these concerts. People of all generations went to their concerts. ”

It was one of the five state orchestras of the Soviet Union, alongside with the Azerbaijan State Orchestra, Stepanakert also had his state orchestra.

Looking ahead, I would say that the orchestra was dissolved because on the eve of Great Holidays in Moscow in August 1972, Henrikh Barkhudaryan was arrested for “hooliganism” .

“He created folk songs for the orchestra, played guitar, performed classical works,” says Berkhudaryan’s colleague Valeri Gasparyan. – Henrikh was the founder of the Nagorno-Karabakh guitar school and taught music at the school. He was a great teacher, never raised the voice, but only insisted on his own position. ”

Friends describe him as a joyful, kind, simple, modest, incredibly industrious and purposeful young man.
In the late 50s and early 60s Henrikh included the best musicians of the city – Arthur Tovmasyan, Kim Barkhudaryan, Gerasim Khachatryan, Gennady Astzatryan, Vladimir Barkhudaryan, Karlen Hovsepyan, Grigor Sargsyan and Suren Jabyan. Later, the collective was added to musicians from Russian cities. Henrik was the driving force and spirit of the orchestra.

Henrikh’s family, according to friends, was not bad, but they did not have their own home, had to hire an apartment and moved from one place to another. Gradually, the mutual misunderstanding grew and broke down. As the Karabakhi people say, the life splinter began to collapse.

Today, Henrikh’s son, Gor and his eldest daughter, Susanna, live in Toronto, Canada, and the youngest daughter, Anna in Yerevan. Henry’s remains were buried outside his homeland, and it does not give rest to his faithful friend Roman Yeritsyan.
“Such a person should not stay in a foreign country.I’m still thinking about moving to the homeland, because here are the father, mother, relatives and friends, “he said.

The bust of a musician was placed near the famous guitar-monument in the capital’s park, again thanks to the efforts of his friends. The monument’s author is famous sculptor Albert Sargsyan.

News.tut.am