Ruben Hakhverdyan
Ruben Hakhverdyan | |
|---|---|
Hakhverdyan (left) with Harout Pamboukjian at Freedom Square in 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | December 3, 1950 |
| Instruments | Vocals guitar |
| Years active | 1968—present |
| Website | www.roubenhakhverdyan.net |
Ruben Levoni Hakhverdyan (Armenian: Ռուբեն Լևոնի Հախվերդյան; born December 3, 1950) is an Armenian popular poet, guitarist, singer, songwriter, and lyricist. He attended Yerevan's theater institute and in 1975, earned his degree in television and theater direction.[1][2]
Hakhverdyan is one of the founders of Bard music in Armenia.[3] His songs are extremely popular and well known in Armenia, such as Navak (Armenian: Նավակ, meaning "Boat"), which is his most famous children's song, and Mer Siro Ashuny (Armenian: Մեր Սիրո աշունը, meaning "The Autumn of Our Love"),[4] which is one of Armenia's best known romantic songs. Three songs that Hakhverdyan himself says have influenced him the most and have been his all-time favorites are Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles, Amsterdam by Jacques Brel and It's a Man's World by James Brown.[2]
Biography and career

Ruben Hakhverdyan was born on December 3, 1950 in Yerevan,[2] the capital of Armenia (then part of the Soviet Union), to the family of linguist and academician Levon Hakhverdyan and philologist, critic and translator Sona Ayunts. From 1969–1974 he studied and graduated from Yerevan Fine Arts and Theatre Institute. In 1971 he got a 2-month internship at the Moscow Satire Theatre in the class of Mark Zakharov. In 1968–1989 Hakhverdyan worked in the Armenian State Television Network, initially as an assistant director and later as a director.[2]
Hakhverdyan staged plays at the Yerevan Sundukyan State Academic and at the Hrachya Ghaplanyan Drama Theatre. In 1989 Hakhverdyan left his job at the television network and acted as a free artist.[5]
Ruben Hakhverdyan is the author of a number of CDs, the first one being "Songs of Love and Hope" issued in Paris in 1985.[6] His best known songs include "Snow" (Armenian: Ձյունը),[7] "The Dogs" (Armenian: Շները), "In the Nights of Yerevan" (Armenian: Երևանի գիշերներում) and many others.[8] In 1996 he created the "My Home on the Wheels" concert-performance, as well as many children's songs.
Hakhverdyan's songs "Snow" and "Star-Spangled Night" (Armenian: Գիշերվա աստղազարդ նկարում)[9][10] were used in the "Found Dream" (1976) animated cartoon, which is very popular in Armenia.[11] In 1990 Hakhverdyan starred in Harutyun Khachatryan's "Wind of Oblivion" film[2] and in 2009, he starred in the film "Endless Return", also by Harutyun Khachatryan.[2]
He has performed in France, the United States, Ukraine, Yugoslavia, Italy, Lebanon, Germany, Czech Republic, Serbia, Iran, Syria, and Lebanon.[12]
Hakhverdyan is a member of the European Party of Armenia (EPA) and was the EPA's candidate in the Yerevan Council of Elders elections in 2022.[13]
Discography
- Songs of Love and Hope (1985)
- The Best of Ruben Hakhverdyan (1985)
- Rouben, Lilit & Vahan (1989)
- Destiny (1994)
- Midnight (1997)
- This is Yerevan (1997)
- Yerke Nayev Aghotk E (2000)
- Yerg (2000)
- Anthology (2001)
- For the Children from 0 to 100 Years Old (2002)
- That Our Mountains Are Not Left Orphan (2014)
- Testament (2017)
Filmography
Composer
- 1976 – Found Dream (Animated short)
- 1990 – Wind of Oblivion
- 1998 – Yerevan Blues
- 2001 – Roof to Roof
- 2014 – Seeds (Short)
Actor
- 1990 – Wind of Oblivion
Awards
- Movses Khorenatsi medal, 1998.[2]
- Armenian Music Awards - Best Alternative Folk Album (Yerg), 2001.
- Gold Medal of the Ministry of Culture, 2006.[2]
- Ara and Maral Award by the Tekeyan Cultural Association for the album "For the Children from 0 to 100 Years Old",[14] 2008.
References
- ^ Ruben Hakhverdyan's music profile Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Armenian Music Center. Retrieved August 26, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Ruben Hakhverdyan" by Shushan Argakanyan, Yerevan. Bureaucrat, 2011, 536 pages. ISBN 978-9939-9046-0-3
- ^ Рубен Ахвердян вновь выйдет на сцену (in Russian), Armenian Radio, 2021
- ^ The Autumn of Our Love, English lyrics by G.Veles
- ^ "Ruben Hakhverdyan". Archived from the original on 2018-11-16. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
- ^ «В моих песнях есть надежда, они не такие уж мрачные» (in Russian), Aravot Daily, 2014
- ^ Ռուբեն Հախվերդյան – Ձյունը իր երգն է երգում – YouTube
- ^ Ռուբէն Հախվերդեան, երգերի ժողովածու – Best of Ruben Hakhverdyan – YouTube
- ^ Ruben Haxverdyan – Astghazart nkar – YouTube
- ^ Vahag Rush – Gtnvac Eraz / Gisherva astxazard / Ruben Hakhverdyan Cover / – YouTube
- ^ Animation: A World History, Volume II, By Giannalberto Bendazzi, 2015
- ^ Who is who? Armenians. Biographical encyclopedia, volume, Yerevan, 2005.
- ^ "Ruben Hakhverdyan is the candidate of the European Party of Armenia in the elections of the Yerevan mayor - Infocom". infocom.am. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
- ^ "Ruben Hakhverdyan – 0-Ic 100 Tarekan Yerexanerin". imusic.am. Retrieved March 18, 2017.