Pianist and composer Tigran Hamasyan has always woven the threads of his native Armenian culture into his music, creating a sound that is uniquely his own. And with his latest project, The Bird of a Thousand Voices, he has taken this intermingling to an even higher level. He’ll be performing this music on March 20 at Los Angeles’ Regent Theater and on March 21 at SFJAZZ, joined by an ensemble that includes Yessaï Karapetian on keyboards, Marc Karapetian on bass and vocals, and Matt Garstka on drums.
Hamasyan found the inspiration for The Bird of a Thousand Voices in 2019, when he encountered a version of the ancient Armenian folk tale “Hazaran Blbul” and was immediately taken by it. The story tells of a generous king who decides to give away all his wealth to the local people, who then swarm in, causing a stampede in which a child is trampled to death. The child’s grandmother punishes the king with a curse that can only be ended by the song of a mythical bird. So the king’s youngest son, Prince Areg, sets out on a perilous quest to find the bird that will bring harmony and spiritual awakening to the world.
“I was completely blown away by the depth of the story,” exclaimed Hamasyan in a recent interview with SF Classical Voice, “particularly the song, the music aspect, which of course is not really a piece of music but the poetic comparison of spirituality to music and song, which I thought was really beautiful. Storytelling is really important for me in music. But this is actually the first time I’m literally taking a story and writing music [for it] as if it was an [opera] libretto.”
The Bird of a Thousand Voices is in 24 parts, with each movement’s title revealing another bit of the tale. “When people read the song names, I want them to understand that they are reading a story, like they have a synopsis right there,” explained Hamasyan. He added that listeners shouldn’t worry — this won’t give away the plot’s essential mystery.
The music showcases Hamasyan’s signature style, often beginning with hauntingly beautiful melodies that he sings and whistles over chord progressions, which he then contrasts with emotionally intense interludes on piano.
Hamasyan recalled how once he started composing The Bird of a Thousand Voices, he realized that he wanted to do more than just make an album — though he did ultimately release one in August 2024. Before then, he sent some music to his friend, director and filmmaker Ruben Van Leer, and they decided to collaborate on a multimedia production incorporating kinetic sculptures, light installations, and projections. They also created an online video game, a short film, and a musical toy.
“The initial idea was to only do it as a fully staged production with the music in the background, like mixing cinema with a live concert,” Hamasyan explained. But because the stage show turned out to be so complicated and expensive to move, the creative team decided to also tour just the music. This year, five productions of the full show have been booked around the globe; none will be in the U.S.
Hamasyan said that although “Armenia is basically always in my heart,” he is also interested in the many different versions of this folk tale, including a few with connections to the story of the Buddha. “In one version,” Hamasyan related, “[Prince] Siddhartha, in disguise, goes out to the common people to see what’s going on with his kingdom, and he’s shocked and wants to do something to remedy [the problems in] the world.”
When asked what he thinks this story represents, Hamasyan replied, “It’s all about guidance in life, connecting with nature, and knowing how to overcome a big tragedy. These are timeless tales, and we can draw parallels to the ecology and the state of the earth right now and what humans are doing to it.”
