TIGRAN ALEKSANYAN studied music from a very young age and in 1989 was awarded a place at Armenia’s Music Academy. He studied there until 1992 when he entered and won a pan-national competition to join the State Dance Company. He has been a member of the company’s orchestra since then specialising in playing the Duduk, a traditional wind instrument. As well as accompanying Akhtamar Dance Group on their travels, Tigran has been performing at many musical venues accompanying various folk ensembles looking for an ‘unusual’ sound. He has also been interviewed for Radio 3, taken part in Charlie Gillette’s BBc London show and made TV appearances for C4 and C5.

In July 2005 a duet on Duduk and Sorna/Zorna and Tonbak,naghara and Daf with Mostafa Shams, was performed for BBC Radio 3 at WOMAD 2005.

In October 2005 Tigran performed live with Mostafa Shams the Iranian musician who played Naghara and the Greek musician Matthaios Tsahourides who played Pontic on Charlie Gillette’s BBC London 94.9 ‘the sound of the world, Show.