Zildjian's 400th Anniversary Musical Gift to Armenia

07.08.2024

Zildjian's 400th Anniversary Musical Gift to Armenia

If you're a music enthusiast, especially when it comes to percussion instruments, you've likely heard of Zildjian. This legendary company, founded in Constantinople, is celebrating 400 years of crafting exceptional musical instruments. To mark this milestone, Zildjian has gifted Armenia with top-notch percussion instruments. This generous donation will enable Armenian musicians to explore and present their rich musical heritage with fresh, vibrant sounds. Here’s everything you need to know about this significant event.

Photos: Triple A Audio 

 

 

Founded in 1623 in Constantinople, Zildjian is one of the world’s oldest and most renowned musical instrument manufacturers. Often referred to as the "gold standard" the company's origins trace back to an Armenian alchemist named Avedis Zildjian. While attempting to create gold, Avedis discovered a unique alloy with exceptional acoustic qualities. Little did he know that this material would become the cornerstone for crafting cymbals that would be celebrated for centuries to come.

To this day, Zildjian continues to use this secret compound, maintaining its position as a leader in percussion instrument manufacturing. Esteemed orchestras, as well as rock and jazz musicians, rely on Zildjian for their superior sound quality. In 1929, Avedis' descendants, Aram and Avedis, carried on the family tradition in the United States. Today, Zildjian instruments are crafted in Massachusetts, upholding the legacy of excellence that began nearly four centuries ago.

This year, to celebrate its 400th anniversary, Zildjian donated several dozen percussion instruments to Armenia. This generous gift was made possible through the initiative of Triple A Audio, an Armenian music technology company co-founded by Serj Tankian, the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band System of a Down.

According to Gevorg Mnatsakanyan, co-founder and COO of Triple A Audio, the idea for this initiative was conceived back in 2022. Initially, the plan was to acquire instruments solely for the Conservatory. However, after discussing the matter with his Boston-based partner, they realized the potential for a much broader impact. The scope was expanded  to include other musical institutions across Armenia, making this initiative a substantial contribution to the country's musical community.

 

 

Gevorg Mnatsakanyan added, "Our mission at TripleA Audio is to unleash Armenia’s music potential onto the international scene, and to achieve that mission, we needed to make sure the instruments available to the orchestras were up to standard to deliver the quality of performance expected of them by professional composers globally.”

The company met with the local orchestras, identified their needs for percussion instruments, and presented this list directly to the Zildjians. Sometime later, the company announced its intention to donate the instruments.
Craigie Zildjian, CEO and president of Zildjian, said, "In celebrating the Zildjian Company’s 400th anniversary, the family wanted to pay tribute to my grandfather’s Armenian heritage. Donating cymbals to the prestigious conservatory and orchestras of Armenia is something my grandfather would certainly have wanted us to do."

Thehistoric donation includes over 20 Zildjian cymbals, along with dozens of drumsticks, percussion mallets, and accessories from Zildjian, Vic Firth, and Balter, "I’m sure the Armenian music community will enjoy this donation of Armenian-named cymbals now made in the U.S.," added Mrs. Zildjian.

 

The donated collection is intended for Yerevan State Conservatory and five major Armenian orchestras, including the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra, the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, the Armenian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia and the Armenian State Jazz Orchestra.

"It’s hard to overestimate the importance of professional, high-end instruments in an orchestra. They’re integral to the quality of its performance. The Zildjian donation is all the more symbolic because it comes on the eve of the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra’s 100th anniversary and promises to elevate our musicians to new heights," saidNorayr Nazaryan, the orchestra's general director.

This donation was made possible thanks to the generous support of Anthony J. Barsamian, co-chair of the Armenian Assembly of America, and the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the largest Armenian charitable organization in the world. "The Zildjian family represents a unique institution in the world of music, both in the U.S. and globally. We are honored by their support for the Armenian national symphony orchestras, which arepart of the greater Armenian family," said Mr. Barsamian.

 


 


About The Zildjian Company

The Zildjian Company has been synonymous with setting the standard for the development and manufacture of high-performance musical instruments since 1623. As the world's leading maker of cymbals, drumsticks, and percussion mallets, Zildjian products are sold across the globe, under the Zildjian, Vic Firth, and Balter brands, and are the standard to which all other cymbals, drumsticks, and mallets are measured. From the beginner to the world’s greatest rock stars, jazz performers and concert percussionists, amateurs and pros alike choose Zildjian, Vic Firth, and Balter products to allow them to experience and share the joy of music.

Headquartered in Norwell, Massachusetts, with offices in Newport, ME, Los Angeles, CA, London, UK, and Singapore, Zildjian products are sold globally through distributors and via a network of dealers. All Zildjian instruments are made in the USA at our cymbal factory in Norwell, MA, and drumstick/mallet factory in Newport, ME.

For more about the Zildjian Company, visit www.zildjian.com.

 

About Triple A Audio

Started in 2023 by System of a Down lead singer Serj Tankian, American composer and producer Olajide Paris, and Gevorg Mnatsakanyan, Triple A Audio is a Yerevan-based music software company specializing in the production of music production software known as virtual studio technology (VST) instruments and the provision of remote recording services geared towards professional composers for film, TV, and video games. Committed to engaging local musicians, spreading their stories, and building their potential in a world of international music, the company focuses on crafting narratives of people and their instruments to imbue its products with a creative energy and vigor designed to help customers bloom their own inspired muses. For more about Triple A Audio, visit www.tripleaaudio.com. More about Triple A Scoring at www.tripleascoring.com.

 

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