Ara Dinkjian
Encyclopedia
Ara Dinkjian is an Armenian-American
musician. He is the founder of the band Night Ark
. Ara Dinkjian is considered one of the top oud
players in the world, his compositions have been recorded in thirteen different languages, which include the multi-platinum hit "Dinata", it was performed in the closing ceremonies of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
Ara has written songs for Eleftheria Arvanitaki
, and Sezen Aksu
("Vazgeçtim", "Sarışın", "Yine Mi Çiçek", "Hoş Geldin", among others). Turkish singers Gülşen
, Kibariye, Mine Koşan, Ahmet Kaya
, Coşkun Sabah
, Burcu Güneş
have recorded his songs.
to Armenian
parentage, Dinkjian made his professional debut at the 1964 New York City World's Fair playing on the doumbag
—aged five. He accompanied John Berberian
and George Mgrdichian.
Married to Margo Sarkisian, mother of his three children: 18 year old, Arev Dinkjian, 29 year old Simone` Soultanian, and 20 year old Kyle Dinkjian.
His earliest professional musical experience was accompanying his father Onnik Dinkjian, a renowned Armenian folk and liturgical singer. He was enrolled at The Hartt School, a specialized performing arts college in Hartford, Connecticut
and was offered a scholarship to attend at the age of 18. Ara learned several western and eastern instruments (piano, guitar, darbuka) and in 1980 graduated from the Hartt College of Music, earning the country’s first and only special degree in the instrument for which he has become most well-known, the oud.
He formed his band Night Ark in 1986, which introduced listeners to a new blend of Anatolian roots music fused with jazz.
His first album under the Night Ark band name was "Picture" released in 1986.
In 2002, Dinkjian was chosen to represent Armenia in the First International Meeting Of The Oud, where twelve of the world’s top oud players gathered in Thessaloniki, Greece for three days of solo concerts, master classes, and exchange of information.
His newest album and first solo CD, "An Armenian in America", comprising 12 tracks, was recorded live at the 2005 International Oud Festival in Jerusalem.
At the 2008 Oud Festival in Israel, he recorded an album with Sokratis Sinopoulos – lyra (Greece), Tamer Pinarbasi – kanun (Turkey), Rimon Haddad – bass (Palestina) and Zohar Fresco – percussion (Israel), and name it "Peace on Earth".
On the 11/11/2010 he has gathered the Night Ark band to an outstanding performance of re-union in the Jerusalem Ud festival.
Members of his band Night Ark include, Arto Tunçboyacıyan
on the percussion as well as pianist/composer Armen Donelian
and Marc Johnson. He is accompanied by the world-class musicians Zohar Fresco on percussion and Adi Rennert on keyboards.
They have recorded 6 albums.
Armenian-American
Armenian Americans are citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in Armenia. During the United States 2000 Census, 385,488 respondents indicated either full or partial Armenian ancestry...
musician. He is the founder of the band Night Ark
Night Ark
Night Ark is an instrumental jazz quartet formed in 1986. The members are Ara Dinkjian, an American with Armenian descent, a Turkish-Armenian Arto Tunçboyacıyan, and Americans Armen Donelian and Marc Johnson. The quartet's most famous piece is a creation called: "Homecoming"...
. Ara Dinkjian is considered one of the top oud
Oud
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
players in the world, his compositions have been recorded in thirteen different languages, which include the multi-platinum hit "Dinata", it was performed in the closing ceremonies of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
Ara has written songs for Eleftheria Arvanitaki
Eleftheria Arvanitaki
Eleftheria Arvanitaki is a Greek folk singer. She originates from the island of Icaria...
, and Sezen Aksu
Sezen Aksu
Sezen Aksu is a Turkish pop music singer, song-writer and producer who sold over 40 million albums worldwide. Her nicknames include the "Queen of Turkish Pop" and Minik Serçe ....
("Vazgeçtim", "Sarışın", "Yine Mi Çiçek", "Hoş Geldin", among others). Turkish singers Gülşen
Gülşen
Gülşen is a Turkish given name for females. People named Gülşen include:* Gülşen Bayraktar, Turkish pop singer* Gülşen Bubikoğlu, Turkish actress* Gülşen Degener, Turkish carom billiards player...
, Kibariye, Mine Koşan, Ahmet Kaya
Ahmet Kaya
Ahmet Kaya was a celebrated Turkish-Kurdish singer who died on November 16, 2000 in exile in Paris. He formerly sang in Turkish...
, Coşkun Sabah
Coskun Sabah
Coşkun Sabah is a Turkish musician. An ethnic Assyrian/Syriac, originally from Diyarbakir, he has composed more than one hundred Turkish songs and from the late 1980s to the early 1990s he attracted a large following, and became known as "the Frank Sinatra of Turkey".Some of his notable songs...
, Burcu Güneş
Burcu Günes
-Early years:Burcu Güneş was born on the 12 of August, 1975 in the city of İzmir. Since her early childhood, Burcu grew up surrounded by music allowing for her early exposure into the music industry. When she composed her first piece at the age of 12, it became clear to her along with those that...
have recorded his songs.
Biography
Born in New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
to Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
parentage, Dinkjian made his professional debut at the 1964 New York City World's Fair playing on the doumbag
Goblet drum
The goblet drum is a hand drum with a goblet shape used mostly in the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe....
—aged five. He accompanied John Berberian
John Berberian
John Berberian is an American musician known for his virtuosity on the oud, the Middle Eastern stringed instrument.Berberian was born in New York City; his parents were Armenian immigrants...
and George Mgrdichian.
Married to Margo Sarkisian, mother of his three children: 18 year old, Arev Dinkjian, 29 year old Simone` Soultanian, and 20 year old Kyle Dinkjian.
His earliest professional musical experience was accompanying his father Onnik Dinkjian, a renowned Armenian folk and liturgical singer. He was enrolled at The Hartt School, a specialized performing arts college in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
and was offered a scholarship to attend at the age of 18. Ara learned several western and eastern instruments (piano, guitar, darbuka) and in 1980 graduated from the Hartt College of Music, earning the country’s first and only special degree in the instrument for which he has become most well-known, the oud.
He formed his band Night Ark in 1986, which introduced listeners to a new blend of Anatolian roots music fused with jazz.
His first album under the Night Ark band name was "Picture" released in 1986.
In 2002, Dinkjian was chosen to represent Armenia in the First International Meeting Of The Oud, where twelve of the world’s top oud players gathered in Thessaloniki, Greece for three days of solo concerts, master classes, and exchange of information.
His newest album and first solo CD, "An Armenian in America", comprising 12 tracks, was recorded live at the 2005 International Oud Festival in Jerusalem.
At the 2008 Oud Festival in Israel, he recorded an album with Sokratis Sinopoulos – lyra (Greece), Tamer Pinarbasi – kanun (Turkey), Rimon Haddad – bass (Palestina) and Zohar Fresco – percussion (Israel), and name it "Peace on Earth".
On the 11/11/2010 he has gathered the Night Ark band to an outstanding performance of re-union in the Jerusalem Ud festival.
Festivals
Dinkjian has performed in several festivals, mostly in Israel, where his music is very popular:- Ethnic music festival: Songs of the oud
- Jerusalem International Oud Festival
- ArmenStock 2004
- Días del laúd Festival
- 1980 Montreux Jazz Festival
Night Ark
Ara Dinkjian's band, Night Ark, came together in 1986 after Steve Backer, a producer for RCA, heard a demo of one of Dinkjian's original compositions and promptly issued an invitation to record.Members of his band Night Ark include, Arto Tunçboyacıyan
Arto Tunçboyaciyan
Arto Tunçboyacıyan is an Armenian-Turkish musician. A famous avant-garde folk artist , he appeared on more than 200 records in Europe before arriving in the United States, where he went to work with numerous jazz legends including Chet Baker, Al Di Meola, and Joe Zawinul as well as a semi-regular...
on the percussion as well as pianist/composer Armen Donelian
Armen Donelian
Armen Donelian is a jazz pianist who was a member of the Jazz fusion group Cosmology. He has performed since 1975 as a member of a group or as a solo act...
and Marc Johnson. He is accompanied by the world-class musicians Zohar Fresco on percussion and Adi Rennert on keyboards.
They have recorded 6 albums.
Night Ark
- 1986 - Picture, RCA/Novus
- 1988 - Moments, RCA/Novus
- 1998 - In Wonderland, Polygram
- 2000 - Petals on your Path, EmArcy
- 2000 - TreasuresTreasures (Night Ark album)-Track listing:#"Picture"#"Homecoming"#"Trilogy: Part I - Birth"#"Moments"#"Adolescence"#"Of Song & Silence"#"Offering"#"Worm"all tracks composed and arranged by Ara Dinkjian, except track 06 by Ara Dinkjian and Sid Clark-Personnel:...
, Traditional Crossroads
Ara Dinkjian - solo and with friends
- 2006 - An Armenian In America, Krikor Music
- 2008 - Peace on Earth, Krikor Music