Biography
Djivan Gasparyan (also credited as Jivan Gasparyan) was an Armenian musician and composer, known primarily as a virtuoso of the duduk, a traditional double-reed woodwind instrument. Born on 12 October 1928 in Solak, Armenia, he began playing the instrument at the age of six and became a soloist with the Yerevan Philharmonic Orchestra and the Armenian Song and Dance Popular Ensemble in 1948.
Gasparyan contributed to numerous film soundtracks, including Ronin (1998), Gladiator (2000), Blood Diamond (2006) and Syriana (2005). He received the title People's Artist of the Armenian SSR in 1978, won four UNESCO gold medals for world music competitions, and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2006 for Best Traditional World Music Album. He served as a professor at the Yerevan State Conservatory and collaborated with artists including Hans Zimmer and Peter Gabriel. He died on 6 July 2021.
