# Ruben Hakhverdyan

Ruben Levoni Hakhverdyan (Armenian: Ռուբեն Լևոնի Հախվերդյան; born December 3, 1950) is a popular Armenian poet, guitarist, singer, songwriter, and lyricist. He attended Yerevan's theater institute and in 1975, earned his degree in television and theater direction. He worked for the city's State Television Network.
Hakhverdyan is one of the founders of Bard music in Armenia. His songs are extremely popular in Armenia. They include the song Navak (Armenian: Նավակ – Boat), which is his most famous children's song. Other popular songs include Mer Siro Ashuny (Armenian: Մեր Սիրո աշունը – The Autumn of Our Love) which is one of Armenia's best known romantic songs. Three songs that Hakhverdyan himself says have influenced him most and have been his all-time favorites are Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles, Amsterdam by Jacques Brel and It's a Man's World by James Brown.

## Biography and career

Ruben Hakhverdyan was born in 1950 in Yerevan to the family of linguist and academician Levon Hakhverdyan and philologist, critic and translator Sona Ayunts. From 1969–1974 he studied and graduated from Yerevan Fine Arts and Theatre Institute. In 1971 he got 2-month internship at Moscow Satire Theatre in the class of Mark Zakharov. In 1968–1989 Hakhverdyan worked in the Armenian State Television Network, initially as an assistant director and later as a director.
Hakhverdyan staged plays at Yerevan Sundukyan State Academic and at Hrachya Ghaplanyan Drama theaters. In 1989 Hakhverdyan left his job at television and acted as a free artist.
Ruben Hakhverdyan is an author of a number of CDs, the first one being "Songs of Love and Hope" issued in Paris in 1985. The best known songs are "Snow" ("Ձյունը"), "The Dogs" ("Շները"), "In the Nights of Yerevan" ("Երևանի գիշերներում") and many others. In 1996 he created "My Home on the Wheels" concert-performance, as well as children's songs.
Hakhverdian's songs are used in the "Found Dream" (1976) animated cartoon which is very popular in Armenia. One of the best known songs by the composer is the song called "Star-Spangled Night" since it appeared in "Found Dream" animation cartoon. In 1990, Hakhverdyan starred in Harutyun Khachatryan's "Wind of Oblivion" film and in 2009, he starred in the film "Endless Return" by Harutyun Khachatryan.
He has performed in France, United States, Ukraine, Yugoslavia, Italy, Lebanon, Germany, Czech Republic, Serbia, Iran, Syria, and Lebanon.
Hakhverdyan is a member of the European Party of Armenia (EPA) and was the EPA's candidate in the Yerevan Council of Elders elections in 2022.

## Discography

* The Best of Ruben Hakhverdyan (1985)
* Rouben, Lilit & Vahan (1989)
* Destiny (1994)
* Midnight (1997)
* This is Yerevan (1997)
* Yerke Nayev Aghotk E (2000)
* Yerg (2000)
* Anthology (2001)
* For the Children from 0 to 100 Years Old (2002)
* That Our Mountains Are Not Left Orphan (2014)
* Testament (2017)

## Filmography
### Composer

* 1976 – Found Dream (Short)
* 1990 – Wind of Oblivion
* 1998 – Yerevan Blues
* 2001 – Roof to Roof
* 2014 – Seeds (Short)

### Actor

* 1990 – Wind of Oblivion

## Awards

* Movses Khorenatsi medal, 1998.
* Gold Medal of the Ministry of Culture, 2006.
* In 2008 Hakhverdyan's album "For the Children from 0 to 100 Years Old" won "Ara and Maral" Award by Tekeyan Cultural Association.
* Armenian Music Awards - Best Alternative Folk Album (Yerg), 2001.