Profile Completo - Compressed

Ararat Music School’s Profile and Project
All Rights reserved to the Producer Alejandro Aznavwrian

CDMX 2017
Ararat Music School
Index
Mentor’s Profile.......................................................................................................................... 1
Ararat Music School’s History................................................................................................ 5
About Us....................................................................................................................................... 7
The Professional Course.......................................................................................................... 8
Subjects........................................................................................................................................ 11
Psychological Education........................................................................................................ 30
Investigations............................................................................................................................. 31
Altruism........................................................................................................................................ 33
Altruism Annex....................................................................................................................... 34-A
Ararat Music School’s Alumni............................................................................................... 35
A Day in Ararat Music School................................................................................................ 44
Ararat Music Records- Recording Studio.......................................................................... 45
Gymnastic Ideas......................................................................................................................... 49
Ararat Music Records’ Productions..................................................................................... 59
Ararat Music School Concerts............................................................................................... 76
Flamenco in Ararat Music School........................................................................................ 79
Paco de Lucía.............................................................................................................................. 82
Arcángel Fernández Guitars.................................................................................................. 90
“La Técnica Al Filo”: Practical Method for Fusion Guitar...............................................92
Contact......................................................................................................................................... 98
Index Ararat Music

Ararat Music School 1
Mentor’s Profile
Alejandro Aznavwrian
Recognized musician, composer, audio engineer, multi-instrumentalist,
producer, arranger, session musician, author of the Practical Method for
Fusion Guitar “La Técnica al Filo”, Human Development professional; Founder,
Director and only teacher of Ararat Music School and Performing Arts Centre.
Alejandro Aznavwrian Salas was born in September 7th 1979, his father’s last
name and family come from Armenia, and his mother’s from Cuba; he grew
up in a family full of artists and academics. His father, Pablo Aznavwrian, had
a successful career as an Opera singer, writer, actor, philosopher and
psychologist, author of “Sinergética Creativa” (Creative Synergetic); his
mother Doraída Salas, daughter of the famous Cuban baseball player
Wilfrido Salas Cantú “Bola de Fuego” (Fireball), was a painter and an artistic
ice skater; Alejandro Aznavwrian’s two sisters also ventured into the arts,
including paint, dance, philosophy and vocal training. He first studied violin
at the age of five, with violinists Anatoli Chershenko and Ivo Valenti, and at
the same time he studied Piano, later on, at the age of ten he started playing
the acoustic guitar, an instrument that he would embrace from that
moment on, later, he would also approach to the electric guitar.
Mentor’s Profile Ararat Music

2 Ararat Music School
In 1996 Alejandro Aznavwrian meets Raúl Cobián “Tanguito”, one of Carlos

Gardel’s pupil and protégée, who teaches him Tango, his first approach to
Latin American music.
In 1997 at the age of eighteen, Alejandro Aznavwrian discovers a new way of
playing the acoustic guitar, “La Técnica al Filo”, a Fusion Guitar technique that
became, in his author’s words “the natural way of playing all the music that wasn’t
in my classical music repertoire”.
During his teenager years Alejandro Aznavwrian managed to live by his own
working in different jobs, but always working at night as a DJ, in those years
he composed and recorded electronic music albums, and reached the peak of
his career as an electronic musician with the album “Ciudades Libres” (1998),
where he presents a new electronic music genre he called “Age Flamenco”.
In 1998 Alejandro Aznavwrian wins a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music

in London, to study composition; there he meets and studies with great
musicians like András Schiff. During his years in the academy he developed his
guitar skills, harmony concepts and compositional techniques. He graduated
with a reduction of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana’s” third movement “O’ Fortuna”
for one guitar, where he demonstrates the “Técnica al Filo” in a classical
masterpiece.

He then travels to Spain, searching for the “Hermanos Conde workshop”, one of the best
Flamencan guitars workshop in the world; there he meets Rubén Díaz, a Spanish guitarist that
introduces him to Paco de Lucía, Alejandro Aznavwrian showed them “La Técnica al Filo” and
both appreciated it as an original invention and offered to construct a Flamencan guitar specially
designed for playing “La Técnica al Filo”, this guitar’s characteristics are:
-5 plastic micas that protect the soundboard
-Trimmed frets
- An extra harmonic bar
Later on, Paco de Lucía bestows Alejandro with the “Aznavwrian Standard”, signature model
from “Andalusian Guitars”, Rubén Diaz and Paco de Lucía’s brand. The Aznavwrian Standard model
was created in proportion to Alejandro Aznavwrian’s body, with a total weight of one kilogram,
the fretboard was designed to have the exact size of his forearm, the head, the size of his hand.
The Aznavwrian Standard signature model was replicated and sold all over the world. Paco de Lucía,
who had recognized Alejandro’s talent gifted him with another guitar, an exact replica of his own
guitar, Andalusian Guitar’s Paco de Lucía signature model, reassuring their professional
relationship and friendship.
With his brand new guitar, Alejandro Aznavwrian continued his Professional Guitarist career with
a world tour, performing in festivals such as:
- Queen Elizabeth Festival Hall, England -2002
- Montréal Jazz Festival, Canada -2004
- Festival de la Guitarra de Sevilla (Guitar Fest Sevilla), Spain -2007
Mentor‘s Profile Ararat Music

He finished his career as a guitarist and started producing in 2002, starting with Pepe Arévalo,
Ruben Gonzales’ pupil, both Salsa music international legends, pianists and composers.
Pepe Arévalo taught Alejandro Aznavwrian Latin American music, and took him on tour.
He came back to Mexico where he became a recognized seminarist in prestigious universities
and museums all over the country, where he established Ararat Music School and continued
producing his own records. In 2008 he released his album “La Guitarra al Filo”, the first album
that features his innovative technique and the rich genre fusion that includes Flamenco, Jazz,
Son Montuno, Bossa Nova, etc.
Alejandro Aznavwrian continued performing in his forum “Truccactore”, located in Higuera #31,
Coyoacán, Mexico City, and there, from 2006 to 2009 he performed more than 510 Flamenco
concerts as a soloist guitarist and with his student ensemble “Aznavwrian Band”. In 2012 he
musicalizes UNAM’s (National Autonomous University of Mexico) documentary “Estridentópolis”,
the only document that registers and evokes the Mexican Vanguard known as “Estridentismo”
(Stridentism), Alejandro Aznavwrian’s version of “Homenaje a García Lorca” (Silvestre Revueltas
1958) is an electronic and concrete music version of the original orchestral piece. In 2014 he
released his album “The Modes of the Spirits”, an all Jazz guitar album sponsored by Fender USA.
Afterwards he founded “Ararat Human Development” and “Transcendens” in 2016, spaces
dedicated to courses and seminars for the study and development of human growth. Nowadays
Alejandro Aznavwrian is fully dedicated to the formation of young musicians in Ararat Music
School and Performing Arts Centre, and continues producing albums for music labels, students
and himself.

Ararat Music
Flamenco School’s
in Ararat History
Music School
Mentor Profile
Ararat Music School and Performing Arts Centre is a talent incubator located in Mexico City
directed by musician and producer Alejandro Aznavwrian.
Along 18 years, this centre has been devouted to the formation and professionalization of
young outstanding musicians, who are prepared in a four year curriculum that includes
composition, mastering of an instrument, audio engineering, production, interpreter’s
psychology and film scoring, among others, with the very aim of obtaining, once graduated,
full scholarships in universities abroad.
Back in 2001, guitarist Alejandro Aznavwrian wanted to teach young talented musicians his
Fusion Guitar technique “La Técnica al Filo”, but due to the low level artistic education in the
country, Professor Alejandro felt the need of expanding his concept of an art school to a
disciplined and academical learning method of harmony, arrangement, history of art, sight
reading, composition, Classical and Flamencan guitar, “La Técnica al Filo”, interpreter’s
psychology, MIDI, instrumentalism, audio engineering and production; encouraging his students
to compete for a scholarship in a foreign university and subsequently live in a first world country.
Ararat Music School’s History Ararat Music

Flamenco in Ararat Music School

The fame of the school spread quickly within the artistic community in Mexico and soon, full
time students arrived. That’s how Ararat Music School was founded, the school’s name comes
from the Armenian mountain “Ararat”, a place where, it is said that Noah’s ark landed. Thus,
Ararat Music School works as a talent incubator where only the best young musicians are given
the chance to prepare for and reach an international music standard, allowing them to
compete abroad, leave their country and reach a worldwide standard.
Ararat Music School’s History Ararat Music

About Us
Ararat Music School is a talent incubator located in Mexico City, directed by musician and
producer Alejandro Aznavwrian.
Along 18 years, this centre has been devouted to the formation and professionalization of six
young outstanding musicians per generation, who are prepared in a four year curriculum that
includes composition, instrument performance, audio engineering, production, interpreter’s
psychology and film scoring, among others, with the very aim of obtaining, once graduated, full
scholarships in universities abroad.
During the four year preparation program, every student has the opportunity to prepare himself
to reach a worldwide standard, allowing him/her to compete abroad.
About Us Ararat Music

The Professional Course
The course is divided in three periods:
1. Theory
During the first period, students are introduced to the various fields of music careers, learning
music theory, audio engineering, history of art, performance, organology, composition,
transactional analysis and organizational development, among other subjects, which are listed
later on in the curriculum. These subjects allow the students to choose the field they want to
specialize in, during the second and third periods. The first period forms a crucial part for the
development of each student’s independent and critical thinking.
The Professional Course Ararat Music

2. Concerts and Professional Practices:

Students in Ararat Music School are required to complete a series of concerts in public venues,
universities and other governmental institutions in order to demonstrate their practical skills as
performers, with their principal instrument and several others, following a multi-instrumentalist
vision.
Also, professional practices, such as recording and producing audio books, albums and jingles,
are compulsory for every student, giving them the experience of participating in real
professional work inside a recording studio, with the guidance of their Professor, Alejandro Aznavwrian.
*Music theory classes and other subjects, such as performance, film scoring and interpreter´s
psychology are still studied during this period, with a practical approach.

3. Recording:
The final period of the Professional Course gives the students a chance to record professional
albums, as a soloist with their principal study instrument and as accompaniment for group
albums with their classmates, which involve popular music ensembles, as well as recording
individual classical piano and guitar demos, original and standard etudes for their principal
instrument and their composition portfolio, using MIDI and synthesis.

Subjects
These are aimed at developing professional musicians and producers.
• ABRSM Music Theory levels 1-12 (international certified examinations

depend on each student’s financial situation)
• Composition
• Arrangement
• MIDI
• Audio Engineering
• Film scoring
• Production
• Popular music ensemble (Blues, Jazz, Rock,
Pop, Jazz-Flamenco, Flamenco, Heavy Metal,
Hard Rock, Electronic Music, etc.)
• Classical Guitar
• Electric Guitar
• Percussions
• Octave intonation adjustment
• Piano
• Vocals
• Electric Bass guitar
• Flamencan Guitar
• “La Técnica al Filo”- fusion guitar technique
• History of Art
• Organology
• Interpreter´s psychology
• Transactional Analysis
• Organizational Development
• Mysticism and Symbolism
• Semiotics
• Music Business
• Business Prospecting and Profiling
All of these topics have to be duly covered and accredited by the students,
demonstrated through concerts performed in public venues and examinations applied
in the schools’ facilities; they should also compose and record their own music as well
as that of their classmates, whom they must watch and assist. In the end, they have to
demonstrate full potential to become professional musicians and producers.
Subjects Ararat Music

Harmony:
The harmony subject in Ararat Music School is characterized by specific music theory knowledge
and professional musicianship, one that has always been demonstrated with a high
performance level in alumnus’s auditions at foreign universities. One of the certified
examinations offered in the Professional Course is the one applied by the ABRSM, a board
with 125 years of experience, that in 2013 granted an acknowledgement for Ararat Music School’s
ten years of excellence in the music theory exams. Students are prepared and encouraged to
obtain a minimum grade of 9, teaching them a very useful, proactive way of studying.
This gives Ararat Music School’s students international recognition by belonging to the music
global standard.
Objective: The student will build a curriculum in order to be recognized for his added value in
complex themes such as classic harmony, counterpoint, contemporary harmony, Jazz and
composition.

Composition:
Music Composition is a fundamental subject in the life of any musician.
This subject studies the classical and modern forms of composition for concert
and popular music in a chronological order. It unifies non-occidental concepts
of music such as ancient modes and traditional Flamencan and Arab rhythms
with contemporary harmony, new music writing techniques and instrumental
composition.
The students that wish to specialize in composition take advanced Film scoring modules.
Objective: The student will acquire

the necessary tools to work in the film, television
and theatre industries, therefore they’ll be able
to compose for any artistic manifestation.

Musical Arrangement:
In this subject the students apply, in a practical way, their harmony and composition knowledge.
It is this way, in which arrangement, a minor form of art and composition, becomes the first source of
income of any professional musician.
Musical arrangement has its roots in study areas within composition, improvisation,
musical theatre and film scoring.
Objective: The student will learn how to properly use the popular and classical music
arrangement tools and techniques, preparing them for the film, television and
theatre industry.

Film Scoring:
This subject provides the necessary tools and practical knowledge for the film and television
industries with their underlying disciplines.
Objective: The student will learn composition and music synchronizing methods for film,
which include the study of: plot, script, philosophical and psychological bases that
lay behind the complex system of adapting narrative works to music for screen.
This subject is, without doubt, the basis of the future global musical education.

Sight Reading:
In an era where art and science have united and created versatile solutions, the score, the
original specific occidental language of music, has become very important; and in order to
preserve specific knowledge, sight reading becomes the art of reading and interpreting any
music score with artistic comprehension. Without scores, music loses its function as the great
compendium and registry of the knowledge and testimony of the human species.
Objective: In this subject students are taught that these techniques are not only useful for
musicians but for any artist that works with rhythm.

Interpreter’s Psychology:
In this subject students learn the main self-analysis and self-control techniques from humanistic
psychology. Through the comprehension of this knowledge, students acquire and develop the
ability to analyze film, dance, theatre, or any ephemeral art, in order to adapt a compositional
form, through psychological assessment, to achieve a more precise and realistic vision based on
facts that the human mind can relate to; key aspects of credibility as seen in masterpieces of
modern art.
The ability to read human nature at the service of art is the objective of this subject. Thanks to
artists interested in applying human development to diverse areas, Ararat Music School opened
a space dedicated to humanistic growth named Ararat Human Development, where courses are
imparted to artists of any discipline. Students will comprehend and apply the main analysis
techniques seen in:
- Transactional Analysis
- Character Analysis - Spheres of Life -Enneagram
- Neurolinguistics Programming - Humanistic Psychology subjects
-Philosophy and Mysticism

All of these subjects allow the students to find the origin of their pathologies, how to work on
them and leave them behind, adapting to their artistic discipline in a realistic and healthy way,
fully expressing their existential position and human nature. The mottos of this discipline are:
“This is what I am, this is what I have and this is what I give”
“Inventite Vextri Ego” (re-invent yourself )
Throughout Ararat Human Development’s history, many artists came across the study of this
disciplines with the desire of applying them to a professional field.
As a result, a business oriented branch was created: “Transcendens”.
Transcendens
Transcendens’ methodology studies subjects regarding practical formation in analytic,
therapeutical and transcendental psychology. Its educational commitment towards consultants
focuses on the profound transformation of the self, where the person finds plenitude,
self-confidence and wellbeing in his/her life, far away from typical pathologies, negative
compulsion and stress in modern life. In Transcendens we believe “we must do the impossible to
accomplish the impossible”. We believe in transformation, and in permanent solutions for big
problems. A continuous educational program, weekly seminars, shock therapy, modeling
exercises, self-exploration activities and the profound analysis of art masterpieces are what
continue to build Interpreter’s Psychology’s methodology. The work of Transcendens is
imparted in academic and business groups.

Multi-instrumentalism:
Objective: The students will acquire the
necessary tools to master two musical
instruments, and attain the notion of playing
3 more.
The idea of life as a musician has changed
throughout time, from mastering one musical
instrument, to becoming a multi-instrumentalist;
the modern musician must have the necessary
histrionic abilities to apply his knowledge to the
new technologies of music, but must still master
his primary instrument as a virtuoso. The program
includes a broad study of organology, focusing on
history of art and music, learning how
instruments were made, and their different and
unique techniques for playing. Within the study program the students learn the craft of repairing
modern instruments like the electric guitar and electric bass guitar, through octave intonation
adjustment. Complementary instruments: these are the basis for developing a musical sensitive
ear, enhancing psychomotor abilities and a high speed neocortex synapsis, a necessary trait of a
high level instrumentalist.

Music Genres:
This subject addresses in a global and syncretic way the unified and synthesized knowledge of
techniques related intimately with the historical foundation of all popular music genres.
By studying genres from this point of view, the students understand the origins and future of
music, getting familiarized with different genres of folk, classical, concert and popular music;
which include the study of electronic music and new musical tendencies through ensembles.
Students must meet the necessary requirements of this subject by having an advanced level of
harmony, instrument performance, sight reading and arrangement.

Objective: The student will learn to interpret music of every genre seen in class with an
informed cultural background.

Principal Study Instrument:

In this subject, students learn how to develop “The Mechanical Artist” (a concept used in Ararat
Music School to describe an artist’s practical skills), mastering as a virtuoso, the execution of their
instrument. By comprehending concepts such as “The Psychological Artist” (a concept used in
Ararat Music School to describe an artist’s conceptual framework of art which includes
philosophy, science, art and mysticism), students can give a profound meaning to instrument
playing throughout their life. By being accepted and chosen in their community as the voice of
many, students comprehend “The Social Artist” (a concept used in Ararat Music School to
describe an artist’s commitment to society). And by aspiring to become a consecrated
instrumentalist that seeks human transcendence through an instrument students learn the
concept of “The Spiritual Artist”.

Objective: students will master execution, sight reading and interpretation techniques in their
instrument.

GIM (Gymnastic ideas):

In this subject students learn through physical education techniques, the
importance of having a united mind, body and soul; besides acquiring a suitable
physical condition, students also apply this to music, using rhythm and dancing
exercises.
Objective: The students will build and reflect an artistic character in their body,
through cathartically orientated exhaustive exercises.

Flamenco:
This subject is the link between the ancient and modern world, its study is vital for any artist
formation.
Objective: Students will learn the basic “Palos” and how to improvise in them, they will also
develop their playing in a virtuosic way. Ararat Music School teaches and preserves Flamencan
heritage, cultivated by one of the greatest guitarists of all times, Paco de Lucía.
Subjects Ararat Música

Audio Engineering:
Like any engineering discipline, this subject provides the students with scientific knowledge
applied and learnt through techniques and procedures done from a musician’s point of view. In
Ararat Music School we firmly believe that an audio engineer should have previously been a
musician, due to the advanced nature of this discipline, composing music plays a vital role in
becoming an audio engineer; and if the students wish to become producers, they must learn the
function and the practical work of an audio engineer. Production and audio engineering must be
taught simultaneously to any music student, but many years of practice are required before fully
learning how to produce.
Objective: Students will comprehend scientific and mathematical principles in analogue and
electronic technologies such as: analogue and digital synthesis in MIDI platforms, loop creation,
sound architecture, mix and mastering basics in popular and classical music genres. These type of
studies are applied by students in their professional productions and demos, where they
demonstrate the basic knowledge of an audio engineer, which enables them to record, edit and
mix.

History of Information Technologies:

Modules are taught by Professor Samuel S. Guilliem, professional in video edition, information
technology (IT), graphic design, professional photography, 3D modelling and custom PC
building. During the first year of the Professional Course, studying Information Technologies is a
crucial part of the student’s education, due to the accelerated growth of today’s technology.
This class focuses on the historical development of Information Technologies, starting with
primitive serialism and finishing in today’s user interfaces and applied sciences such as robotics,
software and hardware development. Studying webpage design, custom PC building and
thermodynamics provide the students with enough knowledge to create an artist webpage and
build their own personal computer, the first step for starting their own home recording studio.

History of Art:
A vital tool for any young artist is remembering the past, with its different ideals, feelings and
expressions that resonate through years and epochs. History of art gives the students an
organized and lineal form of understanding art and music through the ages, at the same time
promoting the interest and joy of appreciating other forms of art by analyzing important works
that synthesize and encompass social, cultural, political, economic, religious and philosophical
beliefs of a specific time and place.
The only way of figuring out where we come from and where are we going next is by studying
history, for if we are to understand the upcoming tendencies we must first comprehend the
essence of today’s aesthetics. Students of the Professional Course learn about the origins of art
and music, studying each period with its respective artistic current and main representatives.
Painters, philosophers, composers, poets, instrumentalists, etc. are analyzed in class with books,
documentaries, visits to art museums and monthly student presentations.

Ensemble:
In this subject students put into practice their harmony concepts, instrumentalist skills and
improvisation techniques, they play along the different genres seen in class and they learn on the
go, the feel and the cadence of each one. The students play together as an ensemble, rehearsing
3 times a week and performing in free concerts at museums, festivals, universities and
governmental institutions within Mexico City, in order to develop confidence on stage and the
experience of performing live. At the same time students put into practice their audio
engineering concepts; in some of the concerts, students set the stage, connect the backline
equipment and learn about the frontline sound design, panning and effects.
Ensembles include genres such as: Blues, Jazz, Flamenco, and Electronic music, Funk, Classical,
Rock and Heavy Metal. Ararat Music School’s curriculum is recognized internationally for its
specialization in Flamenco, this knowledge is transmitted to the students by guitarist and
Professor Alejandro Aznavwrian. The students learn traditional Flamenco and their teacher’s
fusion guitar method “La Técnica al Filo “ *,through ensembles that interpret his music of the
album “La Guitarra al Filo”, allowing students to comprehend and apply fusion between genres,
cadences and rhythms, analyzing the origin of Latin American music, Flamenco, Jazz, Blues, and
Afro Cuban music.
* “La Técnica Al Filo”: Practical Method for Fusion Guitar. See page 92

Organology:
Students learn general knowledge of music instrument’s origin, construction and classification.
With weekly texts and exams of woodwind, strings, percussion, brass and key instruments, they
reinforce concepts and cultural background for their careers in music. They also put their skills
into practice by cleaning, changing strings and doing octave intonation adjustment in acoustic
classical and flamencan guitars, electric guitars, bass guitars, drum sets and harmonicas.

Seminars
Other topics give the student general knowledge of work as a professional,
such as:
-Legal Advice
-Booking for radio and television
-Professional CD recording
-Copyright in the Music Industry
-Professional curriculum performing in
music labels like “Prodisc” (Mexico).
Periodically, the school invites artists and
professionals to convey with us:
-Mario Aguirre - Visual and performance artist
-Rubén Maya -Famous Doctor in Arts
-Sergio Plascencia -Director of Prodisc Label
-Paola Lupi - Show business -Playboy model
-Leonor Urbina -Warner Consultant
-Maria Salido -Painter
-Vanessa Castillo -General Director of Mercedez
Benz Fashion Week, Twenty one minds, PSP
and Colors.
-Oswaldo Valderrama - Professional Photographer
-César Bañuelos- T.V. Producer
-Nury Álamo- Makeup Artist- Apocalypto, Species: The Awakening, The Walking Dead
Seminars Ararat Music

Psychological Education s:
Education in Ararat Music School has integrated psychological as well as art and philosophy
subjects, so the curriculum includes interpreters’ psychology, which in turn uses formative
education based upon the modern humanistic approach.
Authors:
Psicología
-Carl Rogers Ararat Música Cuaderno de Trabajo
Cuaderno de Trabajo - Psicología del Interprete

-Carl Gustav Jung
-Wilhelm Reich
-Abraham Maslow
del Interprete
Formación Profesional de Talentos
-Eric Berne
-Daniel Goleman
With these subjects, the students

CUADERNO DE TRABAJO
PSICOLOGÍA DEL INTERPRETE
MATERIAL DIDÁCTICO
learn how to confront cultural TODOS LOS DERECHOS RESERVADOS ARARAT MÚSICA 2015
PROHIBIDA SU REPRODUCCIÓN TOTAL O PARCIAL
[email protected]
MÉXICO D.F. TEL.: 6379-6003
Ararat Música
www.araratmusica.com
and social problems that can
affect basic phases in their lifes, such as
Family, Work, Couple relationships and Friends, with an assertive profile.
The topics seen in these classes are useful for the student because he can later apply this
knowledge in human development classes and the analysis seen in film scoring.
Reading Material: Ararat Música

-Carl Rogers - On Becoming a Person
-Stephen R. Covey -First Things First
-Daniel Goleman- Emotional Inteligence
CUADERNO DE TRABAJO
MATERIAL DIDÁCTICO
TODOS LOS DERECHOS RESERVADOS ARARAT MÚSICA 2015

[email protected]
Ararat Música
Psychological Education Ararat Music

Investigations
Students must investigate and develop the following topics, with the guidance of their Professor:
• History of Art: Egypt, Greece and Rome
• History of Art: Orchestral Instruments
• History of Art: Gothic times
• History of Art: Flamenco
For Production and Audio engineering practices:
• Safety measures for maintenance in a recording studio
• Recording Drums
• Sound Diffusers
For Information Technology classes:
• History of Information Modules 101-105
From the concept of cero to the development of
user interfaces.
Ararat Música
CUADERNO DE TRABAJO
MATERIAL DIDÁCTICO

[email protected]
Ararat Música
Investigations Ararat Music

Students in Ararat Music School must learn to investigate and deliver a full report of important
topics for their development as musicians and artists. These investigations are completed by
going to public venues and/or universities, interviewing, recording and writing a report with a
conclusion based on their results. The topics include: (check our website for more information):
http://araratmusica2013.blogspot.mx
http://ararat2014turnovespertino.blogspot.mx
• The Social Function of Music
• Astor Piazzolla
• Juventino Rosas
• Mexico’s 1968 Student movement and its identical world movements
• Women’s role in Art
• The conception of art in Mexican youth
• The faith in God and existential position
• Production research- Reaction towards the song “Ay mi vida”-Produced for FOX Colombia TV
• Mozart in the XXI century
• The Meaning of Art in Life
• Motivation and expectations of college students
• Technology in music
• Learning knowledge and education in the XXI century
• The Mexican Revolution and its music
• The Mystic experience
Investigations Ararat Music

Altruism
As part of the educational program, Altruism activities
occupy a place of great value for the human development
of the students, making them conscious about the
importance of doing gestures of solidarity, empathy,
respect and tolerance to those in need.
This help provided to people with a lack of resources or
poor resources, causes the students to be grateful for
what they have, and to take advantage of the opportunities
that they’ve been given to fulfill their dreams of becoming
professional musicians.
These activities provide:
· Winter Clothes
· Medicine (first aid kit, parasiticidal medicine,
vitamins and minerals)
· Food (canned and dry)
· Cooking utensils
. White goods
· Personal hygiene products
Donations are delivered to the “Hogares Providencia Padre Chinchachoma”, an altruism
association in Mexico City.
CUADERNO DE TRABAJO
MATERIAL DIDÁCTICO

[email protected]
Ararat Música
Altruism Ararat Music

One of the most important objectives in Ararat Music School’s
Altruism activities is creating a free music school for people in need,
with the purpose of giving them the chance to become
technicians and/or facilitators.
Professor Alejandro Aznavwrian provides a personalized musical
education with the high quality standard of the Professional Course,
the same education that students such as Alejandro Guerrero,
Jorge Orpinel, Yaird Alanis, Carlos Azucena and Daniel Hernandez
received in order to win a scholarship in prestigious universities
of the United States.
These people receive donations and financial aid with a
full scholarship sponsored by Stelpitts S.A de C.V
(construction and maintenance organization), company
partnered with Ararat Music School.
Students of the Professional Course helping with repairs and maintenance in the Church
“Ministerio de Abundante Gracia” a low resources Christian community in Mexico City.

Ararat Music School 34-A
Letter extracted from the school profile of alumni Daniel Hernandez.
“In the studio we helped make his dreams come true. He wanted to record his songs and leave a
legacy of his music, because, he said: ”I will do one of the most important things a man can do in his
life”.
“Living without a goal is to die being nobody, and to die being nobody is to never have existed at all”
Carlos Fernando Saavedra Cárdenas.

34-B Ararat Music School
Second part of the letter extracted from the school profile of alumni Daniel Hernandez.

Ararat Music School 34-C
Translation of the letter extracted from the school profile of alumni Daniel Hernandez.
Letter from Carlos Fernando Saavedra Cárdenas
Hi, my name is:
Carlos Fernando Saavedra Cárdenas.
I´m a patient with a chronic renal terminal phase disease, illness that was not detected until
March of 2005.
“In April of 2005 a peritoneal dialysis catheter was placed in me at the General Hospital of Mexico.
Two days later, because of the wrongful placement of the catheter I fell in hemodialysis and with
this, a new life full of physical limitations followed.
Several months later I had a respiratory arrest and because of it I was intubated, for my Family
and Doctors there was no hope for me. Miraculously some days later I got out of this marasmus.
Months passed and I fell again in gravity because of a bacteria that put my life at risk again.
Thanks to God and the doctors, I was able to regain health reaching my emotional and physical
stability.
As time passed, it was impossible for my mother and brother to keep paying my hemodialysis
treatment to the extent that they had to ask for money and sometimes we had nothing to eat.
I missed some of my therapy sessions because of the lack of money, a few of them, fortunately,
because of my mother and brother I was priority number one.
After three years of struggling with the General Hospital of Mexico bureaucracy, my father was
able to get for me a permanent stay at the Hospital. Several months of stability went by and one
day the love for music sprang again and its because of this that I decided to compose my own
lyrics. The very first ones were not good, yes in fact they were not.
After lots of unsuccesfull attempts, my first song called ”Nothing like this” was born (which, by
the way, has no musical arrangement as of today); it is only the harmony as in most of my songs.
I finally got my way into a Music School. I studied guitar for one year but I couldn’t go on with the
classes because I had my right arm operated. One month later i entered to voice classes in the
same Music School. The dream lasted just three months: I had no money and then I quit.

34-D Ararat Music School
After this I didn’t lose my spirit and searched for someone who could help me with my music. My
initial efforts were not successfull, however, one day when I had the idea of sending to the social
networks. In there I met a wonderfull person called Beatriz Álamo. She received my letters and
listened to my music and started to help me finding people who could help me. At the beggining
she was not able to find anybody but it was just a matter of time.
She told me that she knew a professional musician who was interested in my case and wanted to
help me with my dream. Months later I knew Alejandro Aznavwrian and he started to work with
my music, with the very purpose of helping me.
Just three songs out of fifty were recorded, but I’m grateful that he spent his time helping me.
This is just part of my story.
Nowadays I’m still composing and living with no limitations whatsoever, right until God wants
me to leave this world.
This is my advice: Keep on dreaming because life is based on hopes and dreams, you are the only
one with the power to make or not make them come true.
“Living without a goal is to die being nobody, and to die being nobody is to never have existed at all”
Transcend...never stop dreaming with what you don’t have, rather make as much as possible to
make your dreams come true, as it happened to me.
Your friend and humble servant, Carlos Fernando S. C.
THANKS GOD FOR LEAVING ME IN THE WAY OF SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HELPED ME. AFTER THIS, I
BELIEVE THAT ANGELS REALLY EXIST.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

Ararat Music School's Alumni
Throughout 18 years, Ararat Music School’s development has improved considerably,
allowing students to learn more and use their abilities to become a professional musician,
audio engineer, composer, instrumentalist or producer.
Graduated students from the Professional Course have won several competitions taken
place in foreign universities.
This article focuses on showing examples of students that completed the Professional Course,
and gained a scholarship in different universities of the United States:
Ararat Music School's Alumni Ararat Music

Jorge Orpinel:
Jorge Orpinel won a scholarship for NYU: NYU Steinhardt Dean's Scholars after graduating from
the Professional Course in 2010. He entered a Music Technology program in NYU Steinhardt.
2011-12 Publications:
Demonstration of the Gordon Music Database project at the ISMIR 2010 conference at
Utrecht, Netherlands.
Demonstration of the Music Inter-Visualizer project at the ISMIR 2011 conference at Miami, FL.


Alejandro Guerrero
Alejandro Guerrero won a scholarship for Michigan University, after he graduated from the
Professional Course in Ararat Music School. He also won a record deal with Block M Records,
Michigan University’s music label for winning a 60x60 music competition.
Alejandro Guerrero in Ararat Music:
Alejandro Guerrero in Michigan University


Fernando Yaird Alanis Arguello

He graduated from the Professional Course in Ararat Music School and won a scholarship for guitar
performance in DePaul's University, Chicago.
Featured in the university’s page:

http://resources.depaul.edu/distinctions/featured-stories/Pages/sounds-just-right.aspx
Yaird in Ararat Music School with Alejandro Aznavwrian:


Daniel Alejandro Hernández López

Daniel Hernández won the Sterling and Vila Thompson Scholarship Fund in Waldorf
College, Iowa, after graduating from the Professional Course in Ararat Music School:
Daniel Hernández in Ararat Music School with Alejandro Aznavwrian:
Listen to the music made by Alejandro Aznavwrian, and our students, recorded in Ararat Music School:
https://alejandroaznavwrian.bandcamp.com/


A Day in Ararat Music School
A normal day here in Ararat Music School, is one full of activities, that certainly changes your
way of life, aiming to be more proactive at the end of the week.
The day starts at 7:00 am with music theory, MIDI, composition or arrangement classes, followed
by instrument studies, and at the end of these, at 11:00 am it’s time for Gymnastic Ideas, where
you learn how to defend yourself, which boosts one’s self-esteem and lets you apply Gestalt
Psychotheraphy theory to comprehend how your body works.
After intense training, which finishes around 1:00 pm, students can take a shower in the school’s
facilities or return to their homes.
Then, classes resume at 4:00 pm, where professional practices take place at the Schools’
recording studio, and focus on developing practical skills, we can either record, edit or have
MIDI classes, which gives us students a broad view on the different skills needed as a
professional musician or producer. The day ends at around 8:00 pm, or can be extended, if you
are a second period student and wish to stay and work on your own productions.
Alejandro Urbina Díaz 2017.
A Day In Ararat Music School Ararat Music

Ararat Music Records - Recording Studio
The School’s curriculum focuses on developing each student’s unique artistic personality, and
thus, gives them the chance to record multiple professional quality albums, demonstrating their
abilities as musicians, producers and showing their own perspective as artists.
Recording multiple productions is part of the school’s mission of giving students the chance
of acquiring an international multi-instrumentalist level, making them proficient
session musicians and producers.
The Professional course provides support for talented students, the school grants scholarships
based on merit to students that demonstrate exceptional ability, enthusiasm and commitment
to their studies, investing more than 1.8 million pesos in each talent, allowing each student to
record and produce their own music, with full use of the studio facilities, under the guidance of
their Professor, Alejandro Aznavwrian, and once finished, manufacture 1,000 copies of their
albums, thanks to the partnership of the school with the label “Alternativa Records”, which was
known as “Prodisc” until 2016.
Ararat Music Records - Recording Studio Ararat Music

These type of professional practices help the students understand the process of making an album
by doing it themselves, learning and doing the work of staff and audio engineers, by recording,
editing, doing analog and digital mix and mastering; recording as a session musician, working as
multi-instrumentalists for individual and group proyects that each student develops throughout
the course, allowing multiple collaborations that are included in each of the graduated students’
curriculum.

Recording Studio Equipment
Ararat Music School’s recording studio is equipped with the following:

• -Two Yamaha HS80M Studio Monitors
• -Behringher Eurodesk SX4882 Mixer
• -Presonus FireStudio Project Audio Interface
• -Presonus Audiobox 1818VSL Audio Interface
• -Presonus FireStudio 26x26 Audio Interface
• -Presonus RC500 channel strip
• -Alto patch bay multi-function 48 point patchbay
• -Furman patch bay PB40
• -DBX 231 Graphic Equalizer
• -Line 6 POD Effects Processor
• -Marshall EL34 100/100 preamp
• -Furman PL-8C
• -Furman M-8Lx
• -ART SP4X4
• -3 Custom PCs, for recording, editing, mixing and mastering.
• Various Effects pedals: Fender Tuner, MXR micro amp, Marshall Blues Breaker II, Ibanez Tube
Screamer, Electroharmonix Muff overdrive, Electroharmonix Soulfood, Electroharmonix Nano
Muff, Electroharmonix Little Big Muff, Electroharmonix Big Muff, Boss Mega Distortion,
Electroharmonix Big Muff Deluxe, Boss Metal Zone, MXR Fullbore Metal, Electroharmonix
Metal Muff, Electroharmonix Nano clone, Electroharmonix Holy Grail, Boss Flanger BF4, Boss DD3
Delay, Digitech Whammy, Dunlop Jimmy Hendrix Cry Baby, Electroharmonix Ravish Sitar,
Electroharmonix Bass Balls dual filter, Electroharmonix Bass Big Muff Pi.
• -Microphones provided by the Studio:
• CAD D189
• CAD Trion 7000
• AKG 414
• Shure KSM 32
• SM58 (10)
• KMD7 Microphones: 2 km3(overheads), 1 km4(kick), 4 KM5
• Ambient Microphone Audio-Technica
• 1 Shure C607
• 10 Shure SM58
• 1 Micrófono MRS
• 1 Shure PG48
• 2 M-Audio Pulsar microphones
• -Instruments:
• Korg nano key
• Yamaha digital piano P35
• 3 M-Audio Key Station 88 ES
• Alesis electronic drum kit
• Drum Practice pad Ion
• Gibson Les Paul Jr Guitar
• PRS SE Custom Guitar
• Gibson De Paul Guitar
• Gibson Les Paul Melody Maker 120th anniversary Guitar
• Gibson SG 120th anniversary Guitar
• Yamaha SLG 110 N model
• Jackson Dinky Guitar

• Aznavwrian Guitars Erevan Standard

• Aznavwrian Guitars Erevan Special
• Aznavwrian Guitars Erevan Special Red, Concert series
• Andalusian Guitars Aznavwrian Standard
• Andalusian Guitars Paco de Lucía
• Yamaha Bass guitar RBX 260
• Phil Pro Rockwood Bass guitar LX90 B
• Red Rockwood Pro Bass guitar RPB 150B
• Ibanez Soundgear GIO Bass guitar
• Fender Jazz Bass guitar
• Egyptian Lute
• Violin
• Harmonica Hohner Blues Harp in G
• Harmonica Hohner Big River Harp in E
• Armenian Duduks G, A, Bb
• Ancora Clarinet
• Didgeridoo
• Jazz Drum kit MAPEX
• Drum kit Pearl Vision SST
• 2 TAMA snares
• Paiste Cymbals
• Zildjan Custom Series Cymbals
• Claves Meinl
• Tambourine Meinl
• Darbouka Meinl
• Mbira Kalimba
• Triangle
• Wooden Shakes Copacabana
• Cowbell Copacabana
• Black egg Shake Meinl
• 4 Shakes Latin Percussion
• 1 Aztec Rain stick

Gymnastic Ideas
“Mind, body and soul”
Ararat Music School Professional Course’s methodology encourages students to begin a journey
into the world of art and music, focusing in these three critical aspects of the human species; in
this class we develop The Body.
Exercise discipline is required for all the students of the professional course, therefore, students
exercise three days a week, throughout the four year curriculum, following a strict diet, which
promotes awareness of the health related problems in musicians. This class is designed to
develop four aspects:
1.-The Body of an Artist: this must be elastic and strong for performing, developing muscular
fiber that does not block nor paralyzes the body´s energy cycle.
2.-A Healthy Body: students work towards liberating Gestalts and energy blockades, and are
taught to analyze how their own bodies speak for themselves and how their character is reflected
in their body; self-analysis in which the student solves his pathologies in a support group,
practicing modeling, shock therapy and self-criticism.
3.-Self-defense: this gives the student self-confidence and the ability to confront fear and panic,
react fast, with strength and endurance.
4.-Mentalizing goals and objectives: this enables the student to attain mental clarity, personal
preparation to achieve a task, relaxation techniques, resistance to frustration and to stress.
Gymnastic Ideas Ararat Music

In this discipline, every subject is aimed towards the growth of the students. They learn and
apply, through practice and theory: self-defense, stretching and strengthening specific muscles
used by different instrumentalists, Gestalt psychotherapy and general exercise to maintain a
suitable physical condition for on-stage performers.
And more importantly, developing resistance to frustration and self-control under pressure.
This class works with the unconscious mind, teaching students to react quickly when in stress,
and giving them the chance to learn about themselves, their bodies, their strengths and
weaknesses; to fail and keep charging until the goal is achieved. Students are taught about the
anatomical and psychological way the body reacts under pressure; the amygdala, the body´s
trigger for panic; and the neocortex, together allow humans to feel and comprehend fear.
To complete these four aspects, specific situations and exercises are presented to students, in
which they must use their reflexes to complete the goal, stimulating the amygdala and becoming
used to an adrenaline rush: relay races; “the rabbit & the hunter”, a running game with two roles
in which one randomly selected hunter must chase the rabbit; low impact self-defense with eyes
closed; fast series of kicks, sit-ups, push-ups and jumps; one on one combat, and defense against
multiple opponents; controlled reaction to asphyxia; how to escape and react in recreated
scenarios of robbery, mug, kidnap, conflict etc.

Other exercises are designed to develop strength and endurance, classmates work in pairs, lifting
each other, creating empathy and a group protective-oriented conscience; instead of using
apparatus, bars or weights for anaerobic exercises, students work with trees, promoting an
ecological way of exercising and connecting with nature. They also practice holding specific
positions all at once, and if one fails the whole group must repeat the exercise, creating a sense
of responsibility within the group, encouraging teamwork. After finishing with the exercise
mentioned above, students stretch and cool down the body with Chinese Tai Chi forms*,
learning how to slow down heart rate, stretching the full body in one position instead of doing it
separately, and making one last effort with the body by clearing their minds, filling themselves
up with energy and assuming a peaceful and self-conscious state of being.
*Oriental philosophies help students comprehend the integration of body and mind from a
non-occidental point of view.

This progressive training helps the student become a self-aware individual and artist,
capable of acting confident and focused under pressure, panic and fear.
The abilities acquired during the training come to merge with all the other subjects, classes and
seminars; Ararat Music School’s inductive methodology includes improvising during rehearsals,
memory exercises, mental mechanisms and procedures; in class, students learn that the brain
is also a “muscle” and that it must be exercised in order to get it to react in a certain way;
sight reading exercises, forwards and backwards; fast memory-question-and-answer exercises
in subjects such as harmony, history of art, history of information, etc.; preparing for concerts
by doing the “mental race” which consists on mentally visualizing oneself throughout the concert,
playing the music, feeling the public, being aware of possible mistakes, and getting a confident
idea of how the concert will develop; learning to correct mistakes without losing continuity while
playing; following a band leader that can change the order of songs in a concert and sudden
improvisation segments with the teacher.

Identical to the work done when exercising, students get used to a constant changing level of
activity, passing through a high stress moment and then immediately unto a moment of
concentration and contemplation; in concerts, plots can be designed to play a fast and energetic
piece followed by a slow, passionate and detailed piece, students must demonstrate they know
the necessary improvising techniques and the practical abilities of their instrument, so that stage
fear doesn’t betray them and get them out of focus.
All of this training is tested in the final stage of Ararat Music School’s inductive methodology, with
professional practices, planned and supervised by Professor Alejandro Aznavwrian, in which
students must work as a production team, assuming roles such as chief engineer, executive
producer, artistic producer, public relations, etc. and at the same time, the group must, plan,
compose, perform, record, and process a creative product. The whole point of these practices,
is that students must work alone, using the studio as if it was their own, repeating the processes
taught in class, planning a strategy to accomplish the goal, using all their knowledge with
confidence.

The method includes a great amount of surprise practices, in which students are asked to
produce short, yet complete products in a reduced period of time and with the premise:
“it’s a real life work”; like an advertisement radio spot, a one song demo for the studio, a short
film music synchronization, or a small 50 person statistic investigation with a specific subject of
study, in which students must write a 10 question interview, locate a specific public, audio and
video-record the interviews and deliver a statistical work with their conclusions about the
whole investigation.
These must be delivered on time, by managing deadlines and client satisfaction.
As another challenging stress factor, students must learn to deal with the idea of losing what
they have in order to change, for example: the idea of being expelled from the course for not
meeting the monthly requirements make the student aware of what he is learning,
the opportunity he has been given and this gives him the responsibility of making an effort to
complete the tasks, to study hard and to work on himself.

The whole inductive methodology works with the next four steps:
1. Setting Objectives: with weekly sessions of Transactional Analysis, Character Analysis and
Gestalt Psychotherapy, the Professional course provides plenty of psychological education;
students discover their potential with auto-analysis and aspire to become better persons by
working on their character defects, and thus, learn to work with themselves and with other
people, successfully accomplishing diverse in-studio practices and real working opportunities,
they study diverse instruments; working towards achieving an international music standard,
pursuing the goal of winning a full scholarship in foreign, prestigious universities.
2. “Mental race”: Reviewing concerts in one’s mind, preparing for certified examinations, being in
a constantly active state of mind by learning ancient and modern music concepts, studying
transpersonal psychology and music, understanding and comparing eastern and western
philosophies, are all important topics that students comprehend and then unite at the end of the
course, when recording their own music. The Professional course aims to develop each student’s
personality as an artist.

3. Self-motivation: living with one of the school’s philosophies: “Glory favors those who prepare”
plays a very important role in the mental clarity that a student must have, in order to study many
subjects and apply them to their own music, therefore, they are constantly engaged in critical
thinking, regarding general and specific topics about art in society, the social function of a
musician, the meaning of music, creative thinking, semiotics, mysticism in art and music, etc.
These topics help students create their own independent thinking, helping them self-motivate
by focusing and living their victories accomplishing small goals throughout the day,
“Every day is a new day to become a better person”, “Change starts with new ideas about oneself”,
“If you want to change who you were, you must change what you do”, “Only you create, represent
and recreate your own version of wellbeing”.

4. Stress management: students learn to liberate their Gestaltic energy blockades, meditate,
contemplate through oriental martial arts, eat healthy and exercise to reach a focused and
self-conscious state of being when needed. Students learn the stages of an artist’s growth, as
seen in Ararat Music School’s philosophy:
- “The Mechanical Artist”: the path of practicing techniques in order to achieve mastery of an
instrument, composition or procedure in any art form.
– “The Psychological Artist”: the full understanding of concepts and cultural background that
enables the artist to express and transmit his/her idea.
- “The Social Artist”: knowing and fulfilling his/her responsibility as a public figure, affiliating to
organizations that promote human progress and development.
-”The Spiritual Artist”: who understands, reaches and transmits the transcendental
responsibility of art. Due to the workload and short time students spend in the Professional
Course, this full transformation is only introduced as the ideals of an artist life’s mission.
Students in Ararat Music School work towards developing “The Mechanical Artist”, and are
provided with the necessary tools to comprehend and later apply all the other stages to their life
as artists.

Professor Alejandro Aznavwrian places his students in situations where they must use
specific knowldege to complete a task. For example, during recording sessions, instrumentalists
are required to improvise and speak with their own voice, maintaining the required conceptual
framework of philosophy, science, art and mysticism around musical motifs within the selected
music project. This is what we call being in “the zone”, when movements and ideas flow effortless,
and music speaks for itself. Throughout the course, students learn that stress is necessary for
evolving and growing as a person and that artists, by human condition, must be histrionic, but
well directed, to use their histrionism on stage, knowing the time and place for everything.
Students are taught that artists must reach their limits to the point of attaining extrasensory
perception. All this hard work gives the student the ability to use his body at will throughout his
life as a professional musician and artist, knowing his physical and psychological boundaries and
going beyond them, acknowledging his character and personality, gifts and pathologies, staying
calm and focused under pressure, following specific procedures with confidence and improvising
when needed, investigating data to make conclusions, working with a team and on his own,
accepting failure and critics to become a better person, open to self-exploration and analysis of
his daily struggle, assuming his current existential position and seeking a wellbeing state with a
healthy body, mind and soul.

Ararat Music Records’ Productions
These are the productions made in Ararat Music Records by producer Alejandro Aznavwrian and
the students of the professional course.
Ciudades libres
Release date:
1998
Arranged, produced, recorded and edited by Alejandro Aznavwrian
Original idea: Alejandro Aznavwrian
Original music: Alejandro Aznavwrian
Instrumentation: Alejandro Aznavwrian
Genre: Age Flamenco
Description: Syncretic fusion of an organic-electronic musical juxtaposition of electroacoustic
music, with crossed and additive synthesis.
Flamenco, Jazz arpeggios, anime and futuristic science fiction paint a utopian world where ideas
from the ancient world, spiritual and mystic doctrines; Alhambra, a fascination for style, and
futuristc aesthetics collide. Age Flamenco is a tendency built by Flamencan harmony and Jazz,
interpreted like music of the genres within synthetic music, such as New Age and Ambient.
With this album, Alejandro Aznavwrian demonstrates how he finds, through his music, a
comunion between the ancient and modern world.
Ararat Music Records’ Productions Ararat Music

Human Element
Release date:
2000
Voice: Isabel Malchoni
Genre: Syncretic music
Description: This music talks about the essence or element that conforms the human species as
one with a sense of transcendence. Tibetan bowls, additive and crossed synthesis were used in
this album.

My bar
Release date:
2001
Genre: Lounge
Description: Proyect created during his studies at the Royal Academy of Music, in London;
created with original loops.
Axis Mundi
Release date:
2002
Genre: Tribal Beat and Jungle, deriving from Jungle Fever.
Description: Based on the theory of the “Axis mundi”, the connection between
heaven and hell, a starting and ending point. Biblical traditions situate the
Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of the Good and Bad in the Garden of Eden.

Ergophonic
Release date:
2006
Voice: Fabiola Ruano / Caroline Simone / Isabel Malchoni
Genre: Trip hop
Description: Trip hop proyect spontaneously created with the opening of the
new studio location of Ararat Music School.
La Luz de la sabiduría
Release date:
2007
Genre: New Age
Description: This album was accomplished by composing symphonic music and using
synthesizers. This music talks about a Hindu Mantra.

Phonicheads - The Last Temptation of the Beat
Release date:
2012
Arranged, produced, recorded and edited by
Alejandro Aznavwrian and Eduardo Yescas
Instrumentation: Alejandro Aznavwrian and
Eduardo Yescas.
Original idea: Alejandro Aznavwrian and
Eduardo Yescas.
Original music: Alejandro Aznavwrian and
Eduardo Yescas.
Genre: Syncretic - Electronic music
Description: Electronic music proyect created by Alejandro Aznavwrian and
Eduardo Yescas (alumni), in which they join concepts of Syncretic Music, by
mixing acoustic and ancient instruments with different branches of electronic
music, such as: Techno, House, Trance, Downtempo, Drum & Bass and Trip Hop, giving the
public the organic sense of electronic music in its begginings.
This music proyect aims to leave behind the thoughts about the impossibility of combining
electronic music with acoustic instruments, playing everything they know and have, with the
purpose of communicating human testimony in the best possible way.
Interviews can be found in DJ Concept TV, that talk about Phonicheads and Ararat Music School.
Different methods such as additive, magnetic, electronic, crossed and electroacoustic synthesis
were used; and diverse genres are played, which include: Lounge, Trance, Acid Jazz, Techno,
Techno ambient, House and Jungle.
The cover represents the final scene of 2001: Space Oddysey, in which the fetus is inside a
transparent bubble the size of a planet, floating in space; the consciousness of the human
being, transcending into that of a planet. But we can also see an astronaut, representing the
modern world, in a cross-like structure, referring to a crucified Christ, inspired on “The Last
Temptation of Christ”, thus, the name of the album “The Last Temptation of The Beat”.

Electro Divas
Release Date:
2008
Arranged, produced, recorded and edited
by Alejandro Aznavwrian
Voice: Fabiola Ruano
Genre: Electronic opera
Description: An effort done by
Ararat Music School in order to bring art, napolitan singing and opera closer to students.
Electroholics
Release date:
2008
Arranged, produced, recorded and edited
by Alejandro Aznavwrian
Instrumentation: Alejandro Aznavwrian,
Alejandro Guerrero, Yaird Alanis and Jorge Orpinel.
Original idea: Alejandro Aznavwrian,
Alejandro Guerrero, Yaird Alanis and Jorge Orpinel.
Original music: Alejandro Aznavwrian, Alejandro Guerrero, Yaird Alanis and Jorge Orpinel.
Voz: Graciela Escalante, Fabiola Ruano, Jorge Orpinel
Genre: Electronic Music
Description: Electronic music compilation from Ararat Music School’s students and
Alejandro Aznavwrian. Yaird Alanis and Alejandro Guerrero won a scholarship in foreign
universities for the pieces composed in this proyect.

Rojo Carmesí
Release date:
2012
Arranged, produced, recorded and edited by Alejandro Aznavwrian and Daniel Hernández
Instrumentation: Alejandro Aznavwrian and Daniel Hernández
Original music: Daniel Hernández and Alejandro Aznavwrian
Guitar: Daniel Hernández, Alejandro Aznavwrian and Fabián Pérez.
Voice: Jossy Fuentes and Fabiola Ruano
Percussions: Armando Ortíz
Violin: Luis Hernández
Genre: Jazz Flamenco
Description: Album from alumni Daniel Hernández, containing original Rumbas composed
by him, including some pieces made by Alejandro Aznavwrian, such as:
“Lilí” and “My Foolish Heart”

Land of Dreaming
Release date:
2009
Genre: New Age
Description: This album talks about the land where dreams come from.
Eating Toy
Release date:
2010
Cerozen Productions by Mario Aguirre, famous conceptual artist
Genre: Electronic music
Description:
Gummy bears are toys and can be eaten.
This work is inspired in the childhood of generation X, where a tendency to eat while playing
was common. A generation in which kids take vitamins in the mornings, later reflected in
teenagers approaching drugs.

La Guitarra al Filo
Release date:
2008
Genre: Jazz, Flamenco, Bossa Nova, Son Huasteco, Blues, Salsa, Rumba, among other
Latin American rhythms.
Description:
Album based on “La Técnica al Filo”- Method for Fusion Guitar created in 1997 by
Alejandro Aznavwrian, representing fusion Flamenco through original pieces; these combine
different Latin American rhythms with “La Técnica al Filo”.

Music for “Estridentópolis”
Release date:
2012
Original version form
“Homenaje a García Lorca” (Silvestre Revueltas):
Genre: Down Tempo, Concrete Music and
Stridentism
Description: The music of this album is a version
of the original composition made by
Silvestre Revueltas (December 31st , Pátzcuaro, Durango- October 5th 1940, Mexico City)
“Homenaje a Federico García Lorca”, made for the UNAM’s Documentary “Estridentópolis”.
Alpha – Transcendens
Release date:
December 13th 2016
Genre: New age
Description: Named after the closest star to
the sun. Meditation music.

Naked Rock
Release date:
2012
Original versions: by Alejandro Aznavwrian, Various authors (Erasure, The Rolling Stones, Nirvana,
Radiohead, Kansas, The Beatles, The Doors, The Cure, Eurhythmics, y Depeche Mode)
Guitar: Alejandro Aznavwrian
Voice: Fabiola Ruano
Genre: Acoustic versions of iconic Rock songs, played with Folk, Country, Blues and Bossa Nova.

Solaris
Release date:
June 18th 2016
Genre: New Age
Description: Album inspired in the ancient egyptian priest, Imhotep. Solaris shows a
retrospective based on Ambient Electronic Music; about the author’s thoughts of the emotions
that were lived in Egypt’s reencarnation chamber, located within the ancient pyramids.
New Age guitar
Release date:
June 9th 2016
Genre: New age

México Son
Mastered in Ararat Music Records
Original music: Pepe Arévalo
Chakras
Release date:
2012
Produced, recorded and edited by
Genre: New Age
Voice: Delia Sanjurjo
La Ley del Cabaret
Release date:
2012
Arranged and produced by
Voice: Alejandra Ley
Piano: Pepe Arévalo
Music played by Alejandra Ley’s orchestra.
Genre: Cabaret

Quadrofonía
Voice: Delia Sanjurjo
Genre: Audiobook
Description: Guided meditation
Es Raro mi sombrero
Release date:
2006
Author and voice: Claudia Pichardo
Genre: Educational / Children music
German songs that help children learn
the language by singing and playing.
El Círculo de Sal
Release date:
2006
Author and voice: Luis Flores

Tarot
Produced, recorded and edited by Alejandro Aznavwrian
Voice: Marcela Aznavwrian
Genre: Audiobook
Description: Information about Tarot mancy and guided meditations.
Never Look Back
Release date:
2014
Daniel Hernández
Guitar: Daniel Hernández
Genre: Rock
Description: Professional course demo
done entirely by Daniel Hernández.

Caperucita Roja
Release date:
2016
Alejandro Aznavwrian, Alejandro Urbina,
Carlos Jiménez and Emilio Yáñez.
Voice dubbing actors:
Alfonsina Aguirre (Little Red Riding Hood, Mother
and Granny), Alejandro Aznavwrian (Faun),
Emilio Yáñez (Wolf ), and Alejandro Urbina (Hunter).
Genre: Children Audiobook
Description:
Student project from the Professional Course,
done during their second period for production class. Produced with a “Rompelibro”
(coloring book with magnetic puzzle) and a “Capebolsita” (low cost manufactured bag, that can
carry books and transform into a red raincoat).

Close Encounters
Release date:
25 of july 2016
Produced, recorded and edited by Alejandro Aznavwrian, Alfonsina Aguirre, Alejandro Urbina,
Carlos Jiménez, Emilio Yáñez and Erick Guerrero.
Genre: Techno Ambient
Description: An album made by the students of Ararat Music School’s Professional Course,
after developing the lied motive melody form the film “Close Encounters of the third kind”,
in an electronic music composition created with Techno Ambient.
Kumoi Wind
Release date:
2014
Original music: Daniel Hernández
Original idea: Daniel Hernández
Instrumentation: Daniel Hernández
Genre: New Age with Kumoi and Hirajoshi modes
Description: Based on a story written by Daniel Hernández, student of the Professional Course, it
is a superposition of the modern world, making a reference to the wind of the ancient world,
using Japanese modes.

Ararat Music School Concerts
As a part of the ensembles class, students learn the necessary theory to play:
Blues, Jazz, Funk and Jazz Flamenco.
They must perform in public venues, museums and book fairs, to acquire self-confidence and
experience as a live performer.
Ararat Music School Concerts Ararat Music

Students rehearse three times a week, each day with a different ensemble, in which students
play Blues, Jazz-Flamenco, Funk and Jazz.
Ararat Music Concerts Ararat Música

The students learn from the music of Professor Alejandro Aznavwrian to understand the fusion
that can be made in Flamenco with genres like Jazz, Latin American and Afro Cuban music; the
ensemble that plays this fusion is called “Rojo Carmesí”.
Ararat Music School Concerts Ararat Music

Studying Flamenco is an integral part of education in Ararat Music School, and because it
contains technical and theoretical syncretisms throughout its history, students can analyze the
roots of many techniques and genres of contemporary music, and comprehend advanced
concepts that are seen later in other complex genres like Jazz, but are included promptly in
Flamenco’s subgenres and harmony.
Students of the Professional Course learn that Flamenco began with “cante” (voice), continued
with dance (baile) and “palmas” (claps) and later on the guitar was introduced. It is speculated
that Flamenco’s roots go back as far as 1,500 years, showing evidence of its techniques with
instruments like the Lute and Oud, predecessors of the sitar and modern guitar.
The use of strumming techniques is traced back to ancient civilizations such as the Persians,
Goths, Visigoths and Hittites.
The ancient mode in which it is harmonized is Persian in origin,
then travels around the world where it mixes itself with the phrygian mode and arrives to the
guitar during the Arabic occupation in Spain.
Flamenco music and culture comes from Gypsy Colonies, where it is reflected everyday in their
way of life, by customs and traditions that are preserved thanks to a “clan based” hierarchy, in
which Flamenco guitar, dance and “cante” is taught to each new generation as a daily activity
that includes every member of the family, each with a different role in the musical ensemble.
Flamenco in Ararat Music School Ararat Music

The most famous Gypsy Colonies are Austrian, Belgian and Spanish in Andalucía; in this last one
we can find the most influential Flamenco artists that have been responsible of preserving the
tradition and introducing it to the western culture: Niño Ricardo (Guitar), Ramón Montoya (Guitar),
Sabícas (Guitar), Manos de Plata (Guitar), Manolo Sanlúcar (Guitar), Paco de Lucía (Guitar),
Camarón de la Isla (Voice), Niño Miguel (Guitar), El tomate (Guitar), Tomatito (Guitar),
Niño de Pura (Guitar), Niño Josele (Guitar), Joaquín Cortés (“bailaor”: dancer)
and Vicente Amigo (Guitar).
The execution of Flamenco music depends on the comprehension of its natural emotional
condition and the mastery of rhythmic cadences and harmony, expressed in micro-compositions
known as “Falsetas”, these have existed since the begginings of Flamenco Folk music developed
among the different chord progressions of Flamenco’s subgenres, which are called “Palos”.
In Flamenco guitar a “Falseta cliché” is a micro-composition inherited by tradition, its content
belongs to the original semantical speech, which is profoundly linked to the harmonic structure
and essence of the Palo created long ago by ancient Flamencos. This knowledge is taught to
generations of guitarists throughout time. “Falsetas Clichés” are vital for the existence and
development of “Palos”, therefore, any instrumentalist that wishes to study Flamenco music must
begin to analyze and play these cliché phrases, in order to create his own way of speaking.

It is fundamental to achieve mastery of a rhythmical and repetitive phrase used in the building
blocks of any genre, for it can be used later in composition to create melodies, progressions,
rhythmic and melodic fills. The creation of “Falsetas” in Flamenco is essential and is equivalent
to variations in classical music or cliché phrases in Jazz. Throughout time, Flamenco music has
been introduced to a wide range of instruments in the Gypsy Culture, until it was taken to the
guitar, nowadays known as the Spanish or Flamenco guitar. The “cante”(voice), peruvian cajón and
bailaora (dancer) create an environment where the guitar can easily be developed as a concert
guitar, allowing it to enter into the international scheme; the “cante” (voice) and “baile” (dance)
are a local expression, but the guitar is an international instrument, present in the world’s
general knowledge of music.

Paco de Lucía
Paco de Lucía (December 21st 1947 - February 25th 2014)
Born in Algeciras, Spain, Paco de Lucía is one of the most important and influential Flamenco
guitarists in the world. His career, made entirely with the modern spanish guitar, contributed to
the dream of Master Andrés Segovía, one that consisted in taking the guitar out of the
accompaniment scene and transform it into a soloist instrument, introducing it later in the
orchestra, as seen in the Concierto de Aranjuez (Joaquín Rodrigo). Paco de Lucía won an
international Flamenco contest with only 12 years of age, in which his brother Ramón and him,
demonstrated exceptional ability in “cante” and guitar.
From that moment on, Paco de Lucía walks his path in life as a Flamenco guitarist and does not
stop until he becomes the best Flamenco guitarist in the world, giving him after a long career,
multiple acknowledments such as: National Prize for Guitar -Flamenco Art competition in
Córdoba, Golden Medal for Merit in Fine Arts, Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts, and two
“Doctor Honoris Causa”, one awarded by the University of Cádiz, in Spain, and the other one by
Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Paco de Lucía Ararat Music

Thanks to his work, Flamenco is currently an intangible cultural heritage of the human species.
He began his research in Flamenco after establishing his company “Lucía Gestions” in Ambroca,
Spain; after succeeding in Flamenco at an international level, in which he incorporated the
peruvian cajón, electric bass guitar, bongoes and many other instruments, starting a new fusion
between Flamenco, Jazz and modern instrumental music. Paco de Lucía, through all his hard
work, creates a new way of seeing Flamenco, a western perspective that opens the doors to the
mysterious Gypsy world, showing the evolution of the guitar from its ancient begginings until
after the Arabic colonization in Spain.
Paco de Lucía’s vision, consists of a juxtaposition between the modern and ancient world,
explaining the west how to live with the east, how to avoid war and conflict through music.
Flamenco nowadays has become a musical movement, one that demonstrates that human
wisdom is still kept within our genetics and transmited only through human abilities such as
music, by dancing, playing instruments or singing. Flamenco Art speaks about the natural
emotional condition of humans, which has existed since we first developed consciousness.
Every Palo (subgenre) speaks from a different existential perspective, based on a specific emotion
present in human nature, one that is, has and will always be present in human beings, because
of the way in which we comprehend our life in this world.

Subgenres (Palos) in Flamenco induce human feelings as ancient as their own existence and at
a profound level of understanding as old as Flamenco itself.
The basic Palos of Flamenco are: “Bulerías”, “Soleá”, “Tangos” and “Rumbas”.
The secondary Palos are: “Minera”, “Jeréz”, “Fandango de Huelva”, “Tarantas” and “Tarantelas”.
Western musicians have to be aware of the different states of consciousness that are required to
play every “Palo”, due to the fact that each one expresses diverse and specific emotions.
For example, some “Palos” originated from profound life questioning topics whilst others are
simply based in daily events that occur in Gypsy Culture.

Here we describe some of the “Palos” mentioned earlier, in order to shed some light into
their meaning and traditions.
-“Bulerías”: This “Palo” is one of the most difficult subgenres to play, because of the necessary speed,
strenght and agility that a guitarist’s hands must develop, and at the same time stay focused on
its complex cadence and rhythm, perceived as an irregular time measure for the western study
of music; it expresses the biological, emotional and energetic, carnal desires of man.
-“Soleá”: The uncontrolled, euforic, visceral and at the same time melancholic emotion of
loneliness. “Soleá” comes from the Spanish word “Soledad” which translates to solitude.
-“Fandango”: Biological joy, a public celebration, and a continuous never ending sensation.
-“Taranta”: The nostalgic sentiment of man and his complex questioning between flesh and soul.
-“Fandango de Huelva”: Spiritual and prophetic melancholy.
-“Minera”: Amber colour and honey flavored food, with the traditional, spiritual sound,
transmitted by the use of imagination in Minera. Melodies of yearning.
-“Sevillana”: Frenetic joy, celebration in which women show themselves to society with their
most proper and fine qualities.


-“Rumba”: In the daily celebration of human life and its social groups, “Rumba” is music for
courtship between men and women in pagan celebrations.
“Seguirilla”: A traditional “Palo” that contains the rhythm count of “Bulerías” and is executed with
the same cadence but differs in speed. “Seguirilla” is played slower than “Bulerías”, its meaning
can relate to the way in which a man follows a woman when courting.
Flamenco begins with basic or minor “Palos”, these are “minor” because of their easy-to -play
“falsetas”. Accesible to fusion, they do not require virtuosism. An example of a minor “Palo”
is a “Rumba”, which back in 1973, acquired international fame with Paco de Lucía’s instrumental
“Entre Dos Aguas” , an improvised piece recorded to finish an album, that turned out to
be the hit that made him reach the pinnacle of his success in western music industry.


Entre dos aguas
This piece talks about the perspective that Paco de Lucía acquired by travelling to Playa del
Carmen in Mexico, and simultaneaously living in his native Spain, in an overwhelmed city that
goes by the name of Algeciras, with a harbour that seems to embrace the ancient world.
His father, a fisherman, merchant and guitarist, played like the ancient trovadours to the windows
of the “Señoritas” (noblewomen), taken by “Señoritos” (noblemen) that wanted to take them
serenade. Her mother was joyful and full of merriment, she was a merchant, housewife,
dressmaker; his brother Ramón taught Paco de Lucía some knowledge about guitar, after his
father taught them both. As a young boy, with only 12 years of age, Paco de Lucía practiced up to
12 daily hours, and after dropping out of elementary school at 4th grade, he began to walk a
path that would eventually take him to become the guardian of the musical knowledge and
culture of Flamenco. A statue in Madrid bears his name, a Conservatoire in Spain honours his
legacy, and every modern guitarist plays his way of seeing Flamenco; great musicians throughout
history like Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, Miles Davis, John Mclaughlin, Al Di Meola, Charles
Benavent, Rubem Dantas, Joaquín Rodrigo, Chano Dominguez and Jorge Pardo have all shared
the fusion of Flamenco’s sound with their own cultures.

One of the greatest achievements of Paco de Lucía was introducing Flamenco guitar into the
western world, playing in the most genuine and correct way, traditional Flamenco strummings.
An example of this can be seen in the
“Concierto de Aranjuez” (Joaquín Rodrigo)
played by the Cadaqués Orchestra, in 1991;
recorded in Torrelodones, Madrid,
conducted by Edmon Colomer; where
Paco de Lucía interpreted this piece
with his Flamencan guitar,
in front of Joaquín Rodrigo,
who at the end of the performance
embraces both Paco de Lucía and his version,
with over 2,000 guitarists standing in the Concert Hall with thunderous applause.
This Concert was interpreted for the first time, in the way which Joaquín Rodrigo probably
envisioned the piece but could never play it. This was achieved by Paco de Lucía, and, by
interpreting the maximun work for concert guitar, with its true Flamencan origins, he made it the
only correct interpretation of the missing link between Flamenco and western concert music.

Thanks to the efforts made by Paco de Lucía, the importance of Flamencan virtuosistic techniques
can be appreciated in today´s music; demonstrating that far from going back to the past, we
realize that contemporary music, alongside Flamenco, is only now developing and getting closer
through a path of hope and faith; with the blood of many gypsies that was spilled in order to get
this knowledge out to the world. Musicians, modern synthesizers of human life testimony;
interpret, investigate and inherit the most advanced culture of music between the ancient and
modern world; Flamenco and Contemporary music, Gypsy culture and Symphonic music, Persian
and Spartan, Occident and Orient, all of this is Flamenco and all of this is us. In Flamenco, cadence
is given by movement; it shows balance and a path to follow, it must make the body move and it
cannot be perceived as a time measure.
Cadence forms part of walking, because it is literally the way one stands towards the world.
Improvising in Flamenco is developed in the first lesson of “Palos”, due to the creation of “falsetas”,
and like in Jazz, improvisation is fundamental.

The Arcángel Fernández Guitars
The Arcángel Fernández guitar workshop opened its doors in 1957, and its owner
Arcángel Fernández, met Madrid's best guitar constructor, Marcelo Barbero, inheritor of the
Santos Hernández school. Arcángel worked as an apprentice with Marcelo Barbero, and after
Marcelo´s death, he continued his constructed guitars and later worked with Marcelo Barbero Jr.,
for another 40 years.
Important guitarists like Paco de Lucía, John Williams, Alirio Díaz, and modern guitarists like
Irene Arutyunyan, Alejandro Aznavwrian and Grisha Goryachev have played their music with a
guitar made by the Arcángel Fernández workshop.
Back in 2012, Alejandro Aznavwrian had the opportunity to play the guitars from an important
collection, in which we can find guitars ranging from 1965 to 1982.
The Arcángel Fernández Collection Ararat Music

In 2016 the students of the Professional Course had the opportunity to play a guitar made by
Marcelo Barbero Jr. in 1982.
The Arcángel Fernández Collection Ararat Music

“La Técnica Al Filo”: Practical Method for Fusion Guitar
Conceived and applied to the guitar, Alejandro Aznavwrian’s method focuses on three
fundamental aspects, these are the trinity that constitute music: Rhythm, Harmony and Melody,
all three combined in a technique developed for concert guitarists.
A soloist must aim to maintain these in equilibrium using rhythm, like a percussionist,
emulating diverse sounds that serve as accompaniment to chords and melody.
These range from imitating the sound of heels from a “bailaora”(Spanish dancer), “palmas”
(Flamencan clapping), to percussions from instruments like the peruvian cajón, bongoes and
congas. Specific cadences of different genres can be played rhythmically with the right hand,
by hitting specific sections of the sound board, each covered with plastic micas; using the tip
of the fingers, fused with traditional Flamencan guitar strumming techniques, creating a new
language for the guitar, with a new alphabet for written score.
The right hand technique has its basis in Flamenco strummings, due to the percussive
nature of the method, this results in the execution of movements that combine the use of
fingers, wrist and forearm; following an onomatopoeic language in some cases, and in others,
the natural movement of the trayectory done by the hand to execute specific cadences,
achieving the characteristic continuity expressed by the existential position of Flamencan
and Latin American music.
“La Técnica Al Filo”: Practical Method for Fusion Guitar Ararat Music
Francisco Pedraza, Director at the Society of Authors and Composers of Mexico(SACM), described
the method with the following words: “This technique is precisely what its name suggests: it
consists on hitting the edge of the guitar with the right hand, as well as on the zul trasto (frets)
and zul forticello (bridge). It poses a great challenge because the performer should provide all
of the guitar’s harmonics, along with its beauty and resounding qualities.”
“La Técnica al Filo” requires a few
modifications on the guitar:
-5 plastic micas are placed

3 superior 4
in specific sections of the
soundboard. These are used to
protect the guitar from
wearing out.
3 1
2
-1 harmonic bar is added to the
harmonic box.
-The fretboard is trimmed
from the 12th to the 19th fret.
The method requires that musicians follow a strict diet and specific exercise discipline, in
pursuance of a high level physical condition to play concert pieces. A specific diet provides the
musician with rich nutrients necessary to recover from exercising both hands and body with
special exercises needed to develop strenght and elasticity, a discipline required to achieve
fluent movements with the right hand. Vitamins, carbohydrates, cartilage and potassium
quantities are increased in the diet because of the three days a week exercise routine that
musicians follow in this method.
To acquire the strength necessary for performing “La Técnica al Fillo”, students are taught to
use techniques similar to the ones used in martial arts such as Kung fu, in which warriors
repeatedly introduce their hands into hot rice , strenghtening their hands without hurting them.
In “La Técnica al Filo” ,exercises are done by holding a push-up position with the fists on the rice,
following a Qui Gong meditation.
The different techniques used to execute specific cadences, contain within them, knowledge and
teachings of Philosophy, Science, Art and Mysticism.
The learning system of “La Técnica al Filo” is divided into several levels, which instruct musicians
exponentially from basic to advanced movements.
To comprehend fusion guitar, the pieces from the album “La Guitarra al Filo” by Alejandro
Aznavwrian are analyzed and played throughout the course, and these constitute the levels
of the method. The objective of this technique is to learn the individual cadences of multiple
genres, and by interpreting these cadences with “La Técnica al Filo”, students master an
advanced level of execution that joins the syncretical concepts of the Classical, Jazz and
Neoclassical guitar, Latin American music and Flamenco.
Some of the pieces seen in the course are:
Madrid: This piece introduces the student to basic knowledge of Flamencan guitar.
Its simplicity allows the interpret to consciously execute complex right hand
techniques like “Arsapúa”, and practice the essential base of Flamencan music; rhythm, melody
and the union of chords and phrases named “falsetas”.
The piece is played in what Flamencan guitarists call “por en medio”, a phrygian progression
based in what is known to the western study of music as an alteration in C Major harmonization:
C Major, D minor, E diminished, F Major, G Major, A minor and Bb Major.
Caipiriña: This piece provides the student with Jazz harmony concepts, through a fusion of
rhythmical tendencies and sweet chord sounds of Bossa-Nova, the melody was created with
the basic Major, minor and Dominant arpeggios, following a ii-V-I progression, and imitating
claps from Rumba Flamenca.

Tu Cabello de Furia y Miel: This piece uses Jazz chord progressions in the introduction, passing
through “Soleá” (Flamencan subgenre), into part A, conformed by a I-IV-V chord progression,
played with “Arsapúa” with “Rumba” cadence. Part B is built on a D minor I-IV-V chord progression,
doing fills and breaks on the fifth and dominant VII grades, and continues to part C, composed
with a binary form, using arpeggios of the Dorian Jazz mode and a Country chord progression
with “Rumba” cadence.
Ron y Arena: The “Cuban Rumba” and “Son Montuno” are exemplified in this piece with a classic
“Flamencan Rumba” progression in B minor, fusing “Taranta” (Flamencan subgenre) proper
chords and a melody built with blues pentatonic scales.
Edurne: This piece has an introduction composed with Neoclassical guitar, fused with a
“Flamencan Rumba”, built upon a song form structure in which “La Técnica al Filo’s” movements
are used during interludes, demonstrating its use in improvisation.
Te traigo en el alma: This piece is composed with a Song Form structure with a “Bulerías”
(Flamencan subgenre) chord progression. Its complex and original rhythm, can be merged with
“Rumba” and played with a technique called “Cabalgando” ( which translates to
“horseback riding”), that requires great speed and precision. The Primary Bridge of the end is
composed using a D minor chord progression: C Major, G Major, Bb Major, Ab Major, F Major
and A Major.
Contact:
Ararat Music School
Fernández Leal #146 int. 1 col. Barrio del Niño Jesús, del. Coyoacán, Mexico City
Telephones: 63796003-Ararat Music School
55492403
e-mail: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AraratMusicaEscuela/
All music available in Bandcamp:
https://alejandroaznavwrian.bandcamp.com/
Contact Ararat Music

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Ararat Music School’s Profile and Project

All Rights reserved to the Producer Alejandro Aznavwrian

Ararat Music School’s History................................................................................................ 5

The Professional Course.......................................................................................................... 8

Altruism Annex....................................................................................................................... 34-A

Ararat Music School’s Alumni............................................................................................... 35

A Day in Ararat Music School................................................................................................ 44

Ararat Music Records- Recording Studio.......................................................................... 45

Ararat Music Records’ Productions..................................................................................... 59

Ararat Music School Concerts............................................................................................... 76

Flamenco in Ararat Music School........................................................................................ 79

Arcángel Fernández Guitars.................................................................................................. 90

“La Técnica Al Filo”: Practical Method for Fusion Guitar...............................................92

Index Ararat Music

Mentor’s Profile Ararat Music

In 1996 Alejandro Aznavwrian meets Raúl Cobián “Tanguito”, one of Carlos

In 1998 Alejandro Aznavwrian wins a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music

Mentor’s Profile Ararat Music

-5 plastic micas that protect the soundboard

- An extra harmonic bar

relationship and friendship.

a world tour, performing in festivals such as:

- Queen Elizabeth Festival Hall, England -2002

- Montréal Jazz Festival, Canada -2004

- Festival de la Guitarra de Sevilla (Guitar Fest Sevilla), Spain -2007

Mentor‘s Profile Ararat Music

He came back to Mexico where he became a recognized seminarist in prestigious universities

Son Montuno, Bossa Nova, etc.

musicalizes UNAM’s (National Autonomous University of Mexico) documentary “Estridentópolis”,

(Stridentism), Alejandro Aznavwrian’s version of “Homenaje a García Lorca” (Silvestre Revueltas

Afterwards he founded “Ararat Human Development” and “Transcendens” in 2016, spaces

Mentor’s Profile Ararat Music

directed by musician and producer Alejandro Aznavwrian.

composition, mastering of an instrument, audio engineering, production, interpreter’s

full scholarships in universities abroad.

Ararat Music School’s History Ararat Music

Flamenco in Ararat Music School

compete abroad, leave their country and reach a worldwide standard.

Ararat Music School’s History Ararat Music

producer Alejandro Aznavwrian.

includes composition, instrument performance, audio engineering, production, interpreter’s

scholarships in universities abroad.

to reach a worldwide standard, allowing him/her to compete abroad.

About Us Ararat Music

The Professional Course

The course is divided in three periods:

music theory, audio engineering, history of art, performance, organology, composition,

development of each student’s independent and critical thinking.

The Professional Course Ararat Music

2. Concerts and Professional Practices:

The Professional Course Ararat Music

instrument and their composition portfolio, using MIDI and synthesis.

The Professional Course Ararat Music

These are aimed at developing professional musicians and producers.

• ABRSM Music Theory levels 1-12 (international certified examinations

demonstrated through concerts performed in public venues and examinations applied

demonstrate full potential to become professional musicians and producers.

Subjects Ararat Music

performance level in alumnus’s auditions at foreign universities. One of the certified