Sevana Tchakerian about Medz Bazar, their songs and concert in Turkey

19:15, October 24

It is already ten months, since one of the members of French, Armenian, Turkish band Medz Bazar, Sevana Tchakerian is in Armenia. “I like the atmosphere in Armenia. In other countries if you want to meet your friends, you have to arrange that meeting beforehand. It’s different in Armenia”, says the singer.

In November and December Medz Bazar is planning to have concerts in Canada, Toronto and Belgium. The singer informed us, that maybe Medz Bazar will release a new CD in 2016.

Before that the band has recently had a concert in Turkey. Sevana told NEWS.am STYLE about the details of Istanbul’s concert and a lot more.

-Sevana, who created the band Medz Bazar?

-All the members of the group participated in its creation. We were playing music in different places and were introduced with each other for a long time. Soon we decided to create a group, where we could play music together.

-The group consists of Armenian, Turkish and French members…Was it initially planned that the members of the band should be of different nationalities?

-No, we didn’t plan it. Our priority is the music. We all met by chance and realized we share the same values and passion for folk music, and we became friends before starting the band.

-Is it easy for you to choose the songs without having arguments?

-Yes, it is. Actually we try to be very collaborative with each other. Everyone can choose a song or offer its translation. That’s how we work.

-How the foreign audience accept your group?

- Our band was formed in France, where the French audience doesn't focus on the ethnic diversity of the group; they come to listen to us because they like our music. We did a lot of concerts in different countries, the audience like our style. Of course, it’s interesting for them to see so many nationalities in one group, but this is not the most important part connected with our group. But when we went to Los Angeles, some members of the Armenian community could barely understand how Armenians and Turks can stand in one stage and perform with each other. This notion is new and odd for them. But on the whole, people accept us with applauds.

-Recently you had a concert in Turkey. Speak about it, please.

-Last month we were in Istanbul to take part in a ceremony called A Corner In The World. A lot of musicians from neighbor countries were taking part in that event. The concert passed very well. The audience was also of different nationalities-Armenians, Kurds, Turks…

-And what about having concerts in Armenia?

-We have such plans. Hope we can realize them next year. It’s just very difficult financially to organize the other members’ trip to Armenia, because they all live in France.

-Sevana, what are you engaged with in Yerevan?

-I’m here for already ten months. I started working with Children of Armenia Fund, which has different projects-educational, social and so on. As a musician I wanted to work on musical programs in different parts of Armenia. Now I’m training Armenian teachers, in order to help them to learn how to develop that music programs in their own regions.

Syune Arakelyan, Meline Tonoyan

Photos by Arsen Sargsyan

The shooting took place at café Gatsby

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