The Art of Collaboration: Lyudmila Hovsepyan & Heghine Sarukhanyan’s Celebrated Duo Journey
- WOMCO
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 6 hours ago
The duo of pianist Lyudmila Hovsepyan and soprano Heghine Sarukhanyan from Armenia has been awarded the Grand Prize in the Duo Music category at the Schubert International Music Competition 2025 Season 3. The season took place from June 23 to September 23, with results announced on October 10. With this accomplishment, the duo shared insights into their collaboration — how their partnership began, the artistic choices that shaped their award-winning performance, and the musical values that guide their work together.
When and why did you form your duo, and does playing music together hold a special meaning for you?
Lyudmila Hovsepyan (pianist):
"In 2021,I was admitted to the Gyumri Branch of Yerevan Komitas state Conservatory, where during my studies I took the accompaniment course, which was led by an associate professor A. Manvelyan. During those years, I collaborated with illustrator Heghine Sarukhanyan. We have performed in many concerts out of our town.Upon learning about the Schubert International competition, the idea came to me that we should present ourselves in duo category."
Could you share the background of your award-winning performance of Franz Liszt’s Pace non trovo from Tre Sonetti di Petrarca and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s What Happiness? When and where did you record it, and what led you to choose these pieces for your performance?
LLyudmila Hovsepyan (pianist):
"Before participating in the competition, we had the idea of presenting a concert during which we also performed these two compositions. These two compositions were chosen by all of us. Since pianists and vocalists are constantly competing to see whose part is more magnificent and complex, this program has selected works that combine the beauty of both vocal and piano works.
Rachmaninoff's Op. 34 is known for the complexity of both its piano and vocal parts,and we decided to try to overcome all that. As for Liszt, this composition is known as a piano work, which unfortunately is not so well known as a vocal work. We think this composition also aroused interest among the listeners.
Since the most positive response at the concert was to these two compositions, we decided to send these two."
Could you walk us through your approach as a duo in preparing and interpreting your award-winning performance? How did you collaborate and coordinate as a team, and what artistic or technical considerations shaped the final result?
Lyudmila Hovsepyan (pianist):
"The work process was difficult at first, as we each had our own ideas about the works and the characters. However, as we worked, we began to think alike. Many options for musical interpretation were discussed and we chose the one that was closest to us. And during these musical processes, funny, joyful, and why not also 'tragic' events take place, naturally with questions of interpretation."
Would you like to share your experience participating in our competition and anyone you'd like to thank?
Lyudmila Hovsepyan (pianist):
"The Schubert International Competition is a good platform to showcase your work, it gives you the opportunity to present yourself outside your country, where the opinion of experts is very important, and to understand what people think of you as an artist.
The International Schubert Competition was an important platform for us, where we won the Grand Prix gold prize. Winning the competition may later give us the opportunity to perform outside the country and on other stages.
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the organizers of the competition. Everything was organized precisely and very conveniently, we received answers to any questions we had immediately. We would also like to express our gratitude to the jury members for appreciating our work."
Biography
Lyudmila Hovsepyan (pianist)
I was born in 2002 in Gyumri, Armenia. From a young age I attended a music school, piano department.
I continued my studies at the Kara-Murza State Music College. Then I entered the higher educational institution, the Gyumri branch of the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory (bachelor's degree, Lusine Ghukasyan's class).
Now I am studying for a master's degree (in Lusine Ghukasyan's class).
I have participated in numerous concerts.
I am a laureate as a soloist of a number of international competitions as a soloist (Clara Schumann international music competition, 3rd prize, Liszt Center piano competition, 2nd prize, IX international piano competition Smederevo, 1st prize, European Virtuoso Music Awards, Bronze prize, Levon Chaushyan Conservatory competition, 3rd class laureate).
I have also performed as an accompanist,participated in the recently held VII Republican Competition named after Heghine Ter-Ghevondyan and received a special award for the best performance of a work by an Armenian composer.
and played in chamber ensembles (duet, trio, quintet) and participated in a number of competitions in these categories and received First Class Awards (lecturer Associate Professor A. Manvelyan).
Â
Heghine Sarukhanyan (soprano)
I was born in 1996 in Gyumri, Armenia. I have studied music since childhood, at a music school, studying piano. Then I continued my education at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory (bachelor's, master's degree) in the academic singing department. During my studies, I participated in numerous concerts. After graduating, I returned to my hometown.
I teach at the A. Brutyan Music School, the Kara-Murza State Music College, and the Gyumri branch of the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory. I have professional classes at all music institutions. My students participate in numerous concerts and are laureates of a number of competitions.
In addition to my pedagogical activities, I perform as a soloist, presenting interesting concert programs. The repertoire includes baroque arias, arias by composers of the Viennese classical period, opera arias, romances by European and Russian composers, and of course our national works.