Mersi On Me

Born in Yerevan. In 1975-1979 she studied at the R. Melikyan Music College in Yerevan. In 1979-1984 she studied in the composition class of G. Yeghiazaryan at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory. In 1993 she completed postgraduate studies (class of Gh. Saryan). In 1978 she taught piano and composition at the A. Tigranyan Music School in Yerevan. Since 1986 she has been a member of the Union of Composers of Armenia (UCA). In 1993-1995 she taught composition and theoretical subjects at the B. Kanachyan School in Aleppo, Syria. Since 1997 she has taught at the Yerevan State Conservatory (YSC) to this day. In 2011 she founded the “Zarifyan Quartet” (artistic director: N. Zarifyan). Since 2004 she has been a member of the International Association “Women in Music”. From 2018 she was acting head of the Pop and Jazz Department of the YSC. Since 2019 she has been head of the Jazz-Pop Music Department of the YSC. In 2021, by decision of the YSC Academic Council, she was re-elected head of the Jazz-Pop Music Department. She is the author of scholarly and scientific-methodological articles published in academic journals and collections. In 2018 and 2024, with the support of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the RA and the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra, two concerts of her works were held at the A. Khachaturian Concert Hall (conductors: Honored Art Worker of the RA E. Topchyan (2018) and Honored Art Worker of the RA R. Asatryan (2024)). In 2003, at the 3rd Composers' Conference-Festival, she received the gold commemorative medal awarded by UNESCO for the 100th anniversary of Aram Khachaturian. In 2009 she received the academic title of associate professor of the YSC, and in 2014 that of professor. In 2017 she was awarded the Movses Khorenatsi Medal. In 2018 she was awarded the gold medal of the Ministry of Culture of the RA. In 2018 the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory awarded her a certificate of honour on the 40th anniversary of her fruitful creative activity in national culture. In 2021 she was awarded the Hamo Sahyan gold medal for significant services to Armenian art. In 2022, by decree of the President of the RA of 23 September, she was awarded the honorary title of Honored Art Worker of the RA. In 2023 Narine Zarifyan received the commemorative medal of the “HAYASA” AZhM Union, in 2023 the “Artashes Barepasht” Order of Honour of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the RA, in 2024 the gold medal of the “GAMMA” International Academy of Science and Culture, in 2024 the gold commemorative medal of the Union of Composers of Armenia, and in 2024 the “UNIQUE AWARDS” prize. N. Zarifyan is the author of numerous symphonic, chamber, ensemble, symphonic-pop, variety and jazz works, which have been performed many times in Armenia and abroad and have won various awards and prizes.