SOUND OF MUSIC
SCHOOL
PIANO, CHOIR, MUSICIANSHIP, EAR TRAINING
Sirarpi Zirekyants
Sirarpi Zirekyants is the founder/director and piano teacher at the Sound of Music School. Mrs. Sirarpi has been a piano teacher for more than 30 years in the former USSR and Los Angeles areas. Her students have been recognised worldwide winning competitions and awards. Mrs. Zirekyants was born in the former USSR/Armenia, Yerevan. She began studying piano at the age of 6 and studied at the Tchaikovsky School of Music in the former USSR/Armenia. After graduating she received her P.H.D from Yerevan State Komitas conservatory in 1981. She studied piano with renowned pianist Erza Apreseva. During her school and college years Mrs. Sirarpi performed as a soloist and an accompanist in numerous concerts, award shows and musical events. As a concert pianist and accompanist Sirarpi has performed in every arts and theatrical venue in Armenia including Sundukyan theatre and both Philharmonic halls. She was also invited multiple times by the Russian ambassador’s wife, to perform at the Russian consulate in Armenia. For seven years Sirarpi worked as a music arranger, vocal teacher, an accompanist and staged small plays in Yeravan State Institute of Theatre and Film before moving to Los Angeles.
In Los Angeles Mrs. Sirarpi was the choir accompanist in North Hollywood High School, choir teacher for more than 200 kids in Arajnordaran Saturday school, piano and choir teacher in Miracle Art center and Holy Trinity Armenian preschool, and also piano teacher and accompanist in World Music Academy school. Mrs. Sirarpi is the organist for Holly Trinity Armenian Church. She has played organ for St Astvacacin Church in Ejmiatsin, St Sarkis Church, St Marine Church, and St Leon Armenian Cathedral in Burbank Parish.
VIOLIN, MUSICIANSHIP
Baghdasar Marukyan
Prof. Marukyan has more than 30 years of experience as a violin teacher and performer. His students have gone on winning many competitions and performing in some of world's most famous stages. Prof Marukyan was a violin teacher in prestigious Tchaikovsky private School of Music, Arno Babajanyan music college to name a few. He received his Ph.D from Erevan State Komitas Conservatory in 1981 majoring in Violin Performance. Prof. Marukyan was a student of Prof. Villy Mokatsian. As a young student he participated in many competitions winning many awards. As a soloist and an orchesta musician Prof. Marukyan has performed and toured in many USSR and Armenian cities. He was also a member of the prestigious Armenian Philharmonic orchestra, Erevan state Opera symphony, the Radio Symphony, Ikar chamber group and many more. Currently Prof. Marukyan teaches violin in various Los Angeles music schools. He often performs chamber music and plays in different orchestras. Some of the places that he has performed include Los Angeles, Kiev, Russia, New York, Lebanon, Las Vegas and many more.
VOICE, VIOLIN, PIANO, CHOIR, EAR TRAINING
Lucine Fyelon
Lucine Fyelon has recorded for such artists as Will.i.am, Brittney Spears, Daughtry, The Tonight show with Jay Leno just to name a few. She performed alongside Madonna, John Williams, David Foster, Foo Fighters, Ricky Martin, Miley Cyrus, Al Pacino and many others. She also performed for the Grammy awards, Latin Grammies and Telemundo Awards. Lucine has been playing violin for many TV shows including Glee for Seasons 2 3 4 and 5. Recently she appeared in Iphone 5 commercial and Honda Civic commercial with Nick Cannon. She made her acting debut in psychological thriller “The Mind’s Eye” alongside Malcolm McDowell.
Lucine began studying violin at the age of five and was accepted into Tchaikovsky Private School of Music in former USSR/Armenia at age six. Lucine received Bachelor’s degree from Cal State Northridge in violin performance and Master’s degree from UCLA in Opera. Lucine studied voice with renowned Armenian soprano Ellada Chakoyan. Some of her operatic roles include Butterfly from opera “Madama Butterfly”, Musetta from opera “La Boheme”, Gilda from opera “Rigoletto”, Poppea from opera Agrippina, Barbarina from opera “Le Nozze di Figaro” etc. Lucine was also a finalist in LA opera Young Artist Program and Classical Singer competition in New York City. She won LAVC Showcase awards and Concerto Competition at CSUN. Lucine received scholarships from Mimi Alpert Feldman, SOS (Society of Singers), UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, and Marc Curb College of Arts. She also got an opportunity to sing for Nancy Regan. Last year Lucine has been touring in Spain, Cabo San Lucas Mexico, Hawaii, and Miami. This year Lucine toured with Yoshiki in Mexico, Moscow, Berlin, Paris, London, Shanghai, Beijing, Bangkok, Taipei, Tokyo and Osaka.
GUITAR
Aragas Abramian
Aragas Abramian started playing guitar at the age 10. His inspiration for music thrived from his father who was an accordion player. Soon after receiving his first guitar as a gift from his father, he started taking lessons with Varoosh Badalian who taught him Blues and Jazz for seven years. After turning 12, Aragas and two of his friends, who had pop-flamenco background, created a band called “Golden Stars”. After a short period of time, the band’s incredible success went viral and their popularity started to grow drastically to the point where their photos were posted on the first page of major newspapers. In 2007 Aragas went to Austria for five months. At that time he had his first recordings using a nylon-string guitar which then were broadcasted from different radio stations of Vienna. In Los Angeles, Aragas was offered to work with different pop stars. He has recorded, arranged, and performed live with singers such as Leila Forouhar, Kristine Pepelyan, Eurovision contestants (Finalists) Andre, Aram MP3, and many others. Some of the venues that he has performed includes: Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Club Nokia in Los Angeles, Mirage and Paris in Las Vegas, Gibson amphitheatre in Universal Studios-Hollywood, Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, etc. Aragas also has performed alongside musicians like Mario Reyes of Gipsy Kings, Oskar Cartaya and Harry Kim who toured with Jennifer Lopez, Pedro Estauche, Jimmy Gajjete Garcia, and many others. Aragas has also attended music competitions in United States and some of his awards include: 1st place for Classical Guitar Performance in Armenian Allied Arts Contest, and the winner of the best band in Armenian Pulse Radio Music Awards (achieved with A Splinter).
PIANO
Olga Fedeneva
Accomplished pianist Olga Fedeneva studied in Russia and received her degree from Kurenkeev University. Her passion for teaching started when she taught her first student at age 22. Seeing her students succeed is the most important aspect of Olga's teaching. She believes that every student can learn to play beautifly and love their instrument as long as they have a teacher that cares and is able to inspire. Mrs. Olga also has a degree in international relations and history which makes her an even more sophisticated teacher. As a young student Mrs. Olga always gave recitals and participated in many events and competitions. Later on she started giving masterclasses for up and coming young musicians and talked to them about the art of teaching. Mrs. Olga also taught Piano in European school of music and art in Palos Verdes for six years. All of her students were tested by teachers from Trinity academy of London and all received As. She always passes on her passion for music to her students.