Born in Solak, Armenia (then part of the Soviet Union) on October 12, 1928, Djivan Gasparyan was a composer and multi-instrumentalist who was known for his mastery of the duduk, a reed woodwind instrument made of apricot wood that is similar to an oboe. He began playing the duduk at the age of six, and by 1948, he had become a soloist in the Yerevan Philharmonic Orchestra and the Armenian Song and Dance Popular Ensemble. Winning several competitions between 1959 and 1980, he became known outside of Armenia and the Soviet Union thanks to touring in Asia, Europe, the United States, and the Middle East. Djivan Gasparyan was the first musician given the honorary title of People's Artist of Armenia by the nation's government in 1973. His popularity began to rise in the US when he began working with artists such as Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, Michael Brook, David Sylvian, Andreas Vollenweider, Derek Sherinian, and many others. Djivan Gasparayan came to commercial prominence in the US when he appeared on Peter Gabriel’s 1988 soundtrack for the movie The Last Temptation of Christ. He also composed for various soundtracks including The Crow (1994), The Siege (1998), Ronin (1998), Gladiator (2000), Blood Diamond (2006), and Samsara (2011). As an artist, he released a series of acclaimed albums including I Will Not Be Sad in This World (1989), Moon Shines at Night (1993), Apricots from Eden (1996), Doudouk (1996), Nazani (2001), and Nectar for the Bitter World (2007). Djivan Gasparyan died on July 6, 2021. He was 92.
