Ara Dinkjian

Ara Dinkjian (* 1958 in New Jersey ) is an American oud player and composer of Armenian origin who has made a name for himself primarily through his contributions to world jazz .

Live and act

Dinkjian started performing in public at the age of five. He initially accompanied his father, the singer Onnik Dinkjian, as well as John Berberian and George Mgrdichian as percussionists. He learned other instruments such as piano, guitar and darbouka and studied at the Hartt School in Hartford (Connecticut) , where he graduated in 1980; in the same year he performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival . In 1986 he founded the band Night Ark with Ed Schuller and Arto Tunçboyacıyan . This interpreted mainly his compositions interpreted and merged oriental music and jazz; in the line-up with Armen Donelian and Marc Johnson (who took Schuller's place) she was very successful internationally and has given concerts in many countries. He also released albums under his own name and recorded with musicians such as Ben Allison , Thomas Chapin , Nana Simopoulos , Omar Faruk Tekbilek and Richard Hagopian.

His song Dinata ( Home Coming ) was performed at the 2004 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Athens . He continued to write songs for Eleftheria Arvanitaki and Sezen Aksu ( Vazgeçtim, Sarışın, Yine Mi Çiçek, Hoş Geldin and others).

In 2002 he represented Armenia at the First International Meeting of the Oud in Thessaloniki .

Discographic notes

An Armenian in America (2005)
Peace on Earth (2008)

Web links

Web presence with discography
Ara Dinkjian at Allmusic (English)
Ara Dinkjian in the Internet Movie Database (English)

Individual evidence

↑ Life in the Armenian Diaspora: Ara Dinkjian . June 1, 2007. Archived from the original on February 12, 2012. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
↑ Short biography (Alwan for the Arts)
^ ^A ^b Three Ouds: Arab, Greek and Armenian . Alwan for the Arts. November 21, 2007. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
^ Ara Dinkjian Is One of Featured Musicians in Eleftheria Arvanitaki's New CD to Be Launched with Series of Concerts Starting Next Sunday . In: Armenian Reporter . May 12, 2001. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved on April 26, 2013.

personal data
SURNAME	Dinkjian, macaw
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American musician
DATE OF BIRTH	1958
PLACE OF BIRTH	New Jersey

[1] Life in the Armenian Diaspora: Ara Dinkjian . June 1, 2007. Archived from the original on February 12, 2012. Retrieved April 26, 2013.

[2] Short biography (Alwan for the Arts)

[alwan142-3] A ^b Three Ouds: Arab, Greek and Armenian . Alwan for the Arts. November 21, 2007. Retrieved April 26, 2013.

[4] Ara Dinkjian Is One of Featured Musicians in Eleftheria Arvanitaki's New CD to Be Launched with Series of Concerts Starting Next Sunday . In: Armenian Reporter . May 12, 2001. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved on April 26, 2013.