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Lévon Minassian was born in Marseilles, a city with a very tightly knit Amenian community. From the beginning, associations were created to perpetuate the memory of the country that had been lost. Born into a family of musicians- his father was violinist- Lévon played the mandolin in a folk music group as a child .
In 1974, at the age of 16, he made his first trip to Armenia. This return to his roots represented a decisive step in his musical evolution., because he brought back a doudouk and announced to his family that he intented to learn to play it. Starting at the end of the 1970's, he returned to Armenia several times to study the doudouk with the masters, notably with Djivan Gasparian and Valodia Hartoutionian.
In 1992 Peter Gabriel invited Lévon to record an album with him. Then , in 1993-1994, Lévon joined Gabriel on his world tour "secret world", opening the concerts with a doudouk solo. It was inthis context that he discovered world music, which was a revalation for him.[...]
After Levon Minassian journeyed to Armenia in search of his roots, he decided to devote himself to playing the Doudouk. He is now considered the world's undisputed master of the instrument. He has performed all over the world, in concerts or for recordings for composers such as Peter Gabriel (cameos on the albums Secret World, Passion and Us), Jean-Claude Petit, Ravi Shankar and Manu Katché. He is also much in demand for film music (Verneuil, Scorsese).
Source:http://levonminassian.calabashmusic.com/
In 1974, at the age of 16, he made his first trip to Armenia. This return to his roots represented a decisive step in his musical evolution., because he brought back a doudouk and announced to his family that he intented to learn to play it. Starting at the end of the 1970's, he returned to Armenia several times to study the doudouk with the masters, notably with Djivan Gasparian and Valodia Hartoutionian.
In 1992 Peter Gabriel invited Lévon to record an album with him. Then , in 1993-1994, Lévon joined Gabriel on his world tour "secret world", opening the concerts with a doudouk solo. It was inthis context that he discovered world music, which was a revalation for him.[...]
After Levon Minassian journeyed to Armenia in search of his roots, he decided to devote himself to playing the Doudouk. He is now considered the world's undisputed master of the instrument. He has performed all over the world, in concerts or for recordings for composers such as Peter Gabriel (cameos on the albums Secret World, Passion and Us), Jean-Claude Petit, Ravi Shankar and Manu Katché. He is also much in demand for film music (Verneuil, Scorsese).
Source:http://levonminassian.calabashmusic.com/
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