Raphael Minaskanian
Audio of the Entire Interview
Interview Transcript
Part 01
I was born in 1941 (1320) in Tehran.
My parents were the Russian immigrants –
they met each other here in Iran and got married.
They were both active in music.
My mother was a qualified pianist and my father was a violinist.
I have heard piano and violin since I was an infant.
When I was 2, I pounded on the piano keys to play.
My father was self-employed.
My mother was daughter of Arezooman – you certainly know him.
He founded the industry of Sausage and Ham in Iran
so my father continued running the factory;
but unfortunately the factory was confiscated.
I have a brother and a sister.
Me and my sister were Mr. Onanian’s trainees for piano
but my sister did not continue playing the piano professionally
and travelled to America to stay with me.
She got married and stayed living there in America.
Some years after my sister travelled to America,
my brother travelled to America, too.
He was also active in music; pop, bass guitar and keyboard.
He has played with some Iranian singers for a short time
like Googoosh, Martik and Andi;
but I don’t know exactly about these music bands.
He doesn’t play with any music band recently.
When I was 6, my mother took me to her piano teachers
and I started learning music including solfege
and piano – the teacher was Mrs. Haghnazarian.
At 9, Mr. Onanian was my piano teacher – he was also a Russian immigrant.
He was Armenian but didn’t know Armenian
so we spoke with each other in Russian.
I was the trainees of this great teacher till I was 14.
Then, Mr. Emanuel Melik Slanian came to Iran from Germany.
Mr. Onanian travelled to America.
Therefore, I seriously decided to continue learning and playing the piano.
Piano Recital,
Emanuel Melik Slanian,
Vahdat Hall, 1996
Mr. Slanian came to Iran from Germany in 1955.
He was in Germany while the second World War, in Berlin.
He was so talented that his parents
took him to Germany since his childhood.
They lived in Tabriz (a city at north-west of Iran)
and he travelled to Germany with his mother.
He passed all the courses at Germany Conservatories
in Berlin and Hamburg.
His house was bombarded in Hitler’s Era, I think.
He had many hard times there until coming back Iran in 1955.
There was a great change in teaching piano
and playing the piano at that time – rather more seriously than before.
The teachers taught many new thing to the trainees.
That’s why I could learn many things at 13 or 14.
Piano Recital, Zipper Hall, 2014
I passed primary school at a Private French School.
There, Mademoiselle Marika taught French.
She was Greek but she taught French.
All the teachers there were French.
So, I learned French, Russian and Armenian since childhood.
I learned Persian better at the grades of 5 and 6
because I was rather weak at Persian Language.
I got my diploma at Firooz Bahram High School
(one of the oldest high schools in Tehran). Then, I travelled to America.
Photos of Raphael’s family
I wanted to study Medicine in America
so I studied the pre-medical course for 2 years.
There was a professor at the university that heard my playing piano.
He told me not to waste my time there to study Medicine
and work on learning and playing piano, instead.
I asked him whether I could do both or not
– studying Medicine and playing the piano.
He told me that I could not do both at the same time
because I was talented enough in piano playing.
I had to choose between studying Medicine and playing the piano.
So, he directed me in learning and playing piano.
I was at City College in Los Angeles at that time to become ready for UCLA.
That professor discovered my talent in piano there.
I didn’t study at UCLA but my classes were held there.
I received a student grant on behalf of City College
in Los Angeles for Mount Saint Mary’s College.
It was a college for girls but
there were 6 boy music trainees that they were all granted.
Mr. Aube Tzerko was my teacher at UCLA;
his classes were held at UCLA.
He also held public classes, very instructive and interesting.
– What did you study there?
– Music, the course I was accepted for.
– I mean was it music composition?
– No, playing the piano.
There were also other courses related to the music.
– Of which of the musicians you were affected by?
– Of all the great ones.
– Any special music genre?
– It was periodic for me. I was more affected by Beethoven
because I know him as the God of Music.
But all the great musicians affected me
including Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Schuman.
I cannot say that which of them has affected me more, all the same.
I am not interested in the super modern music
because I cannot deal with that.
The contemporary music of the 20th century is a challenge for me.
Mr. Slanian, the great pianist, has wrote some pieces for piano solo
but I never play them since he was alive. I afraid that ….
– That you may heart his feelings?
– Of course not. I afraid that he found fault with me because
I wanted to play the pieces he has composed.
I could learn playing his pieces just after his death –
I played his three pieces at a concert in memory of him.
There was Iranian Theme for all these three pieces:
Chahargah, Armenian (on Comita theme), Azari (Caucasian Theme).
Piano Recital, Vahdat Hall, 2004
I lived in America for about 6 years but I had to leave there.
Me and my father had travelled to USA
by the Green Card, immigration visa.
It was a rule that anyone with immigration visa
had to serve the military service.
Unfortunately, I was in America at the time of Vietnam War
so they ordered me the draft of A1 to go to Vietnam.
Well… I slunk! I travelled to England because I loved London.
There was a great instructive musical atmosphere.
I had a good teacher there named Ilona Kabos;
you can see her photo here at my back.
I have the photos of all my teachers,
except my first teacher. I couldn’t find her photo.
I started learning piano since I was 9
and continued learning till I was 33.
During these 23 years, I also held some concerts
at the universities or the institutes, beside learning the piano.
There were music clubs even in the villages of England
and they invited me to play their bad pianos.
Of course it helped me to gain more experiences. Great!
– When did you travel to England?
– in 1967.
– You stayed there?
– Yes, until 1978, a year before the Islamic Revolution.
– Haven’t you travel to Italy?
– I often travelled to Italy.
I had another piano teacher in Italy named Mr. Schnabel.
He lived near Lake Como, known for its dramatic scenery.
I sometimes travelled there and stayed for one or three months;
I had piano classes with him and learnt much of him.
Mrs. Kabos and Mr. Schnabel were my piano teachers at the same time;
the former in London and the latter in Italy.
Both were teachers in New York.
I attended Mrs. Kabos’s classes at Julliard School
and we were also in the same flight.
She had phobia of airplane
and someone should hold her hand while flying.
Mr. Schnabel has sometimes travelled to America
and I could visit him whenever I was in America.
Some time, they were both in America and I tried to visit them both
but I didn’t let them know about such meetings.
Of course they knew about that. Finally,
I made them visit each other, therefore, they made friends.
Photos with Mr. Schnabel
– What is your favorite music genre, rather than the classic one?
– I love listening to the real folklore music.
Of course the original versions.
Imagine that there are many changing
versions of Mozart’s symphonies, rather than the original ones.
I love the high level of Iranian Folk Music.
You may know about the Youth Music Festival;
I was of the juries and the closing ceremony was held some weeks ago.
There were great performers in this genre of Iranian Music.
There was a girl who played Daf (an Iranian Musical Instrument)
very well – she made me really crazy! Daf solo.
I wanted to search and find her. She really performed dramatically.
– What did music give you? What did you give it back?
– It gave me LOVE. I gave it LOVE, too.
We were real lovers! You must love the music
otherwise you are not a musician.
Part 02
– You came to back Iran after the Islamic Revolution, didn’t you?
– Yes, I did.
– What did you do in Iran at that time?
– Iran… About some years…
– Why didn’t you stay in England?
– I don’t know exactly! Nothing especial.
– My father preferred to live in America because
he had a grandchild and wished to stay there with him.
He asked me to run the factory and I accepted.
I got tired of playing piano so I decided to be a businessman.
But that wasn’t a suitable job for me, ever.
– What happened for the factory? Did you go there to run?
– I did nothing. Others did something with that!
– Closed down?
– No, it is still open but they confiscated the factory.
There was no problem with the factory ownership but they confiscated it.
Now it is known as the brand of “Gooshtiran” (a famous factory
to produce Sausages, Ham, Luncheon Meat, Nugget, Kentucky).
My grandfather, Arezooman, was the founder of this industry in Iran,
about 85 years ago.
<i>Raphael with his grandfather – a film about the factory. </i>
You know that performing music was forbidden in Iran
during some years after the Islamic Revolution in 1357 (1979).
Some concerts were held at the embassies
and cultural associations, only.
Music was taught at Azad University in 1972 (1993) as the course of
Radif of Classical Music – Radif refers to the Iranian Music.
I was one of the first teachers at Azad University under the
supervision of Mr. Hassan Riyahi (Ph.D in music) and Mr. Ariyanpoor.
I taught at Azad University for about 6 years.
– Teaching just as Azad University?
– No. Music was taught first at Azad University.
Then, it was presented at Tehran University.
I am teacher at Tehran University for about 20 years.
– Do you still teach at Azad University?
– No, because of my lack of time.
I was also the teacher at the University of Art (located in Karaj) M.A.
but it was difficult for me to go to Karaj (a province near Tehran). Now,
I teach at Tehran University.
It is for 3 years that I teach at Girls Music Conservatory, too.
I have only 5 trainees.
– Trainees at B.A. or M.A.?
– Both. I don’t care about the academic level of my trainees or students.
We should pay attention to a talented trainee
and teach him/her well,
whether at the first term of B.A. or at the last term of M.A. My classes
at University hold in group, including the students and other people…
– In such classes, the students can learn from each other
and they also learn to play the piano in front of the others.
It is rather a very hard task.
Many of the students ignore to take part at these classes,
therefore, they would have stress at the concert.
Even me myself would be under stress at my recitals, so do them.
– Have you ever joined any music band?
– Before the Islam Revolution,
I played in the Iranian National Television Chamber Orchestra.
After the Revolution, I joined the Parsian Orchestra;
unfortunately it was disbanded some years ago.
I have played in some other chamber orchestra and
also in string quartet. Some experiences for duet, triplet and quartet.
<i>Beethoven, Op. 11 </i>
<i>Violin: Mr. Khachik Babaeeyan.</i>
<i>Cello: Mr. Abbas Zahredini </i>
– May I ask you about any project you are working on?
– There is a concert at Vahdat Hall and Roodaki Hall in Esfand (March) and
I am practicing on some pieces.
– Any Album you have?
– Nothing.
– The album of your works is useful for the trainees, isn’t it?
– Of course! Everybody suggested this to me but
I have the phobia of microphone, of camera, and of studio
but not of the stage because I wouldn’t have to stay
in front of the people and they watch my profile.
<i>Joseph Hayden</i>
R major Sonata
Piano Recital, Vahdat Hall, 2013
– Did you hold any concert while you were a teacher of piano?
– I held a concert once in a year at Vahdat Hall;
some concerts in the other provinces of Iran.
I held many concerts in Shiraz, recently;
some other concerts in Mashhad and Isfahan last year.
I have programmed for many other concerts for this year;
south of Iran: Booshehr, Bandar-e-Abbas and in some provinces
that the people had never had recitals.
Two other provinces named
Rasht and Tabriz are also in this program, if possible.
– Are there any piano and other necessities or accessories?
– Nothing! No piano.
– Well, what do you want to do then?
– I have a very nice friend named Mr. Molazem – owner of Barbad Gallery
and the factory of Piano-Making in Shiraz (a province, south of Iran).
He always does me a favor to send me a concert piano with a technician
for any concert I have in other provinces. A nice friend!
– Who are your addresses? I mean of which age group or social class?
– Fortunately, the young really love classic music
and they are of a special social class.
Those who are not young are also of another social class.
Imagine I go to a non-classic concert.
Of course nobody would know me there.
At all! So nobody would greet me.
But it would be another story in a classic concert;
as soon as I enter the Hall, I may greet so many people.
I hope that more people follow the classic music,
as the people following Pop or other genres.
<i>Piano Recital </i>
– What is your daily program?
– Mostly practicing the piano. One or two cups of bitter coffee.
Then, playing with this shark!
(referring to the white and black keys of the piano).
I consider the white keys of piano as the teeth of a shark.
– Any private teaching?
– Yes. Some trainees from other provinces.
There are talented pianists living in other provinces rather than Tehran,
especially from Mashhad and Shiraz.
I enjoy teaching rather than holding the concert.
– What do you suggest to your trainees?
– Be a human and play music lovely!
– What is your key to success in following the music
and practicing the piano?
– Sorry but I do not consider myself as a successful performer…
– I mean the key to continue the music successfully?
– Very hard.
– In continuing the practicing…
– I made myself to practice by slapping on my neck!
– So you made yourself to practice. Why slapping?
– It’s hard, too hard.
– What? The music is hard?
– Not the music. Sitting at the piano and practicing
on a piece of music is rather time-consuming and difficult.
Well, I suggest such a way of practicing to my young trainees
so they can obey his method to be successful.
<i>Piano quintet by Robert Schuman</i>
<i>Roodaki Hall, 2000</i>
– What about other arts like the cinema or the theater?
– I love them, too. But I haven’t enough time to go to the cinema
to watch a film for two hours. I prefer playing the piano instead.
Recently, I haven’t enough time for that. I go visiting the painting galleries
and also I go to the theater, especially when I am abroad.
– Marriage?
– Fortunately or not, never.
– Never?
– It never happens.
– Would you choose the same way if you were back to your young times?
Please tell me based on your experiences.
– The way of my life you mean? Since childhood?
– Yes, I mean this way in music.
Or you would do another task or job? Medicine?
– Yes, maybe.
– Maybe what?
– It is really hard to answer.
– Please answer me based on your experiences.
You wish to do another job?
– Not at all. I have no regrets about
the things I’ve done and also staying in Iran.
You know, my family are abroad.
None of them are here in Iran.
I’m happy to help the music lovers especially the young… so happy.
Piano Recital
Part 03
What do you think about the current situation of music in Iran?
Producing and performing the serious music is not enough in Iran.
More producing and performing Rock and Pop.
On the other side, there are young talented composers
who write and produce good music.
Most of them are the trainees of Mr. Mashayekhi (musician, composer).
What do you predict about the future for music in Iran?
I am usually optimistic about the life
otherwise I would not stay here in Iran.
I predict a good future for music in Iran – no serious threat.
We will reach to a higher point in music if it continues as it is now.
What do you think about the criticism of music in Iran?
There is no high-knowledge criticizer of music in Iran.
Really no one!
Some criticizers, who make some points in music,
know nothing about music or have limited knowledge in music.
It is not good at all to criticize
without enough knowledge, especially in music.
We should learn how to criticize. The main problem about
the music criticizers is their limited knowledge in music.
Some criticizers claimed that I have played
some wrong notes in my performances!
If I ask them about the wrong note, they cannot answer me
because they do not know music.
What is the difference between
the music teaching method in past and in present?
The music teachers of my generation made a great change
in classical music teaching in Iran.
Before that time, there wasn’t a unique teaching method.
Some music teachers from Poland and Russia have come to
Iran to teach at the music conservatory – they were rather knowledgeable.
Me and some other music teachers of my generation have changed
teaching method greatly because of the good teachers we had.
Some years before Islamic Revolution in Iran,
many performers at the symphonic orchestra were from
West Europe – Romanian, Bulgarian and Polish.
They were also teachers at the music conservatory
where the music teaching method has changed greatly.
As the music was forbidden during some years after
the Islamic Revolution, they came back to their countries;
a very bad situation for music in Iran.
We started to improve music in 1372 (1993) – it was rather successful.
What is the difference between
the music generation in past and in present?
Any difference between these two generations
is related to the Islamic Revolution
because the music was stopped suddenly after this revolution.
Then, a new generation existed.
The present generation at the universities is the best in my opinion
because they are very active and talented.
What is your idea about the independent music institutes?
These are a serious threat for music.
They would appear like mushrooms growing!
I do not know how they can take the license to open a music institute.
It is a disaster.
Wrong teaching method and also wrong subjects in music.
One of trainees of trainee of trainee of my weak trainee
is a music teacher at his institute now!
What do you think about Pop music in Iran?
I am sorry about that. It is a disaster!
I mean the pop music I hear;
maybe there are some good pieces but I did not hear.
What makes you surprised in this modern world?
Development in technology.
The human being should know
that he has to compete with the robots in some years later.
Imagine a pianist that plays better than me is a robot,
not a human! Really surprising!