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Khachatur Savzyan

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Khachatur Savzyan is a double bassist born in Yerevan, Armenia, where he studied and graduated from the Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan.

Balancing two musical worlds, he has held positions in orchestras such as the Lebanese National Philharmonic (as principal), the Armenian National Symphonic Orchestra (as subprincipal) and the Armenian National State Opera Theatre, while being a key figure in the jazz communities of Yerevan and Beirut.

As one of the most sought-after double bassists in the region, he has recorded and performed with numerous jazz and classical artists and has also taught most of the double bassists currently active in the Lebanese music scene.

Living between Lebanon and Armenia, he is involved in a variety of diverse projects in both countries, spanning genres from classical and jazz to Armenian folk and free improvised music.

One of his main ongoing projects is Hayeli, a free improvisation duo with vocalist and double bassist Donna Khalifé. Their debut album, Home (2025), features guest musicians Guillaume Roy (viola) and Sary Khalifé (cello).

Hayeli: Home

by Ian Patterson
June 4, 2025

Hayeli is the moniker of Lebanese double bassist Donna Khalifé and Armenian double bassist Khachatur Savzyan, partners in life as in music. Khalifé is held in high esteem as one of the most progressive voices on Beirut's jazz and improvised music scene--a reputation her highly original self-produced albums Heavy Dance (2017) and Hope is the Thing with Feathers (2019) strongly support. In addition to her conservatoire study in Paris--and like most bassists in the Lebanese capital--she also studied with Savzyan, ...

Album Review

Arthur Satyan: Playing Around

Read "Playing Around" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian

by Hrayr Attarian
July 11, 2020

Pianist Arthur Satyan has been a stalwart of the Lebanese jazz scene after moving from Armenia in 1996. In addition to heading the jazz department at the national music conservatoire, Satyan is a sought after performer whose reputation goes beyond both his native land and his adopted home. Among his international accolades is his second place award at the 2018 edition of 7 Virtual Jazz Club competition, and it is with the same trio that he recorded Playing Around. On ...