Nariné Simonian

On 25. and 26. November 2009, Narine Simonian created in the heart of Paris, Le Marais area, at the Eglise Sainte-Croix de Paris Christoph Willibald Gluck's opera in 4 acts "Iphigénie en Tauride" transposed for organ, for the pleasure of an informed public. Accompanied by the Polish pianist Jozef Kapustka, Narine Simonian directed and produced this opera, staged by the young choreographer Helene Haag, with the financial help of the Halmahera family holding. In the main roles: Russian soprano Irina Tiviane (Iphigenia), Canadian-Ukrainian tenor Sergei Stilmachenko (Orestes), Raphael Schwob (Pylades), French tenor Olivier Ayault (Thoas), French soprano Anne Rodier (Diane) and Iulia Vacaru (Female Greek). One of two premieres of this opera has been the subject of an audio recording and a compact-disc has been distributed. A video has also been shot by Dov B. RUEFF, the documentary director, who works with the German-French Arte TV Channel.

Narine Simonian has given a tremendous number of concerts throughout France (from the church of Saint-Jean-de-Malte Aix-en-Provence to the Abbey of La Prée, from Notre-Dame of Valence, etc.), as well as in Paris (The Notre-Dame cathedral of Paris, the Madeleine church, the Saint-Eustache church, the Saint-Roch Armenian church of Paris, the Saint-Germain-des-Prés church in November 2008, Issy-les Moulineaux, etc...). She has also given concerts in Russia, Belgium, Switzerland (in Bulle, at Saint-Pierre des des Liens) where she has a recorded a CD, in Finland, at Kiev (Ukraine in 2003 with Dominique de Williencourt and in November 2008 at the Organ Hall), in North America (New York on 1 November 1998, at the Armenian Evangelical Church of New York, in Montreal and in South America in 1997, along with Olivier Latry (Argentina, Uruguay at the Festival Internacional del Uruguay Órgano.

In 1991, she decided to take classes in France, under the direction of famed French organist Marie-Claire Alain, Huguette Dreyfus and Andre Isoir. She was awarded the First Prize for organ unanimously at the CNR of Rueil-Malmaison, class of Marie-Claire Alain (1993) and received the First Prize unanimously at the national competition of Organ in the Paris area, in 1995 (Ile-de-France). In 1994, she received the Citation of Excellence in the competition for excellence in organ CNR of Rueil-Malmaison, class of Marie-Claire Alain, and the Award of Excellence (mention virtuosity) in organ at the CNR of Rueil Malmaison Class Susan Landale (1995). She also won the Grand Prize Contest International Mendelssohn-Liszt in Switzerland in 1994. Since 2009, she has also had the great privilege of being advised by the illustrious Andre Isoir.

Narine Simonian (sometimes written only as Nariné, born 1965 in Gyumri, Armenia) is one of the most baroque French organists, as well as a pianist, musical director and producer of operas, born in Gyumri, Armenia. Nariné is also an organist, an harpsichord and pianoforte player as well as a pianist, mainly specializing in baroque genre, with a strong emphasis on Johann Sebastian Bach.

Born in the city of Gyumri, in 1965, Narine started studying the instrument at the age of six years. In 1976, she was admitted to the Normal School of Music, where she graduated and was awarded the gold medal in 1980. From 1981 to 1985, Narine Simonian followed the Curriculum of the National School of Music of Yerevan, where she graduated as a professional concert pianist (first prize, unanimously awarded) and soloist of chamber music ensemble. She also graduated as a professional concert organist and was, again, awarded the first prize unanimously, in 1989. From 1989 to 1991, she was a soloist at the Philharmonic Hall of Yerevan Armenia and gave concerts and master-classes in Moscow, Tallinn, Helsinki, etc...