Armenian pianist, 8, wins international festival (video)

An eight-year-old Armenian pianist has been declared the top winner of an international online international festival of music instrument players.

Mane Martirosyan, who studies at the Al Spendiaryan Musical School, played two different pieces which she video-recorded and sent to the organizers.

The annual music event was held from January 12 to 26.

The young pianist’s teacher, Lia Sahakyan, said that Mane learned of the exceptional opportunity from the Unternet. "I follow all the contests and have already taken my students to many countries, but not all the parents can afford the costs. So this contest is a money-friendly option: you just have to video-record the child and send the invitation bid,” she told the state news agency Armenpress.

The young musician selected pieces by Mozart and Glier, works which her teacher said are very complicated for a child of her age.

“*In competitions of the kind, it is necessary to by all means play one piece written by a Russian composer,” she said, adding that the international event attracted other participants from Armenia too.

Launched in 2007, the contest is designed for players of nine different age groups. It aims to develop love for music in the younger generation and pedagogues. The organizers of the event are the Union of Composers of Russia and the All-Russian Museum Association of Musical Culture.