Armenian-Canadian pianist Serouj Kradjian is a lot like most people who play the piano – he didn’t like it at first.

During a recent phone interview, the 36-year-old reflected on being introduced to the instrument at the age of five.

“It wasn’t my favourite thing to do,” Kradjian admitted, his accent light and distinguished. “I wanted to play soccer or go outside with my friends, but my parents really liked music and wanted their first son to play the piano. I started enjoying it gradually.”

The irony of the situation is that 30 years later, he’s a winner of the 2006 Juno award for Classical Album of the Year and was nominated for the 2009 Grammy award for Best Classical Vocal Album of the Year. Losing the latter award doesn’t make him any less thankful, though.

“The nomination was a very big honour. It’s important what you make out of it. You can get nominated but if you don’t have a follow-up in terms of recording or a project of the same or better quality that keeps the buzz about you going, it will be forgotten.”

“ I wanted to play soccer or go outside with my friends, but my parents really liked music and wanted their first son to play the piano.

Serouj Kradjian

Immigrating to Canada from Lebanon in 1989, Kradjian earned a Bachelor’s degree in musical performance from the University of Toronto and later went on to receive his master’s degree from the Hannover Conservatory of Music in Germany.

His upcoming Winnipeg visit won’t be his first, though it will be his first performance in the city. He was here in October 2008 to rehearse songs from his Grammy-nominated album with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra.

Kradjian said the experience was wonderful.

“We really got along with the orchestra. With these things you never know how the relationships will be because it’s an orchestra of 20 plus members.”

The positive experience is part of the reason why he’s looking forward to his return to the city, as part of the University of Winnipeg’s Virtuosi Concert Series.

Kradjian will be in town to perform Hommage a Paganini in Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, Mar. 14, a program honouring his influences, the biggest of whom is 19th century Hungarian virtuoso Franz Liszt.

“You can tell when you listen to his works, he has mastered the different texture, colours and technical possibilities of the piano,” Kradjian said.

Meanwhile, Harry Strub, artistic director for Virtuosi Concerts, is eagerly anticipating Kradjian’s arrival. Strub worked for almost two years to bring him here.

“People have international careers and if we want them we have to book them early,” Strub said.

Calling Kradjian a “virtuoso star,” Strub said he brought in Kradjian for his energetic playing. Audiences can expect to be blown away.

“Virtuoso stars are able to produce an electricity beyond the music and Kradjian is one of those stars,” Strub said. “That’s why we go to these concerts – you get performances that you won’t get on a CD.”

Published in Volume 63, Number 23 of The Uniter (March 12, 2009)