All STARMUS concerts, lectures and events are unique; they are never the same –Garik Israelyan

YEREVAN, September 2. /ARKA/. Astrophysicist Garik Israelyan, co-founder of the STARMUS festival of science and arts, famous American rock musician and lead singer of System of a Down Serj Tankian, British keyboard player and composer Rick Wakeman, American keyboard player and songwriter Derek Sherinian, British rock drummer Simon Phillips and famous jazz pianist Tigran Hamasyan agree that science and art should complement each other, and that STARMUS is one of the best venues to bring this idea to life. 

Why in Armenia? 

According to Israelyan, who and the above-mentioned celebrities, spoke to a press conference today in Yerevan ahead of the official start of the sixth STARMUS festival, Armenian authorities were extremely positive about the idea of holding the festival in the country. After the pandemic, the war in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and the current geopolitical situation, the organizers, after certain doubts and difficulties, realized that now, more than ever, the festival should be held in Armenia. According to Tankian, Armenia was a true scientific center during the Soviet period.

"In our small country without military resources, it is science and culture that should lead us forward," he said. 

Opening the brackets 

"All STARMUS concerts, lectures and events are unique; they are never the same. If you miss this STARMUS, you will never see the same thing again. Just an incredible constellation of minds", said Israelyan.

He said the festival will start with a special concert with Hamasyan and Sherinian. There will also be a solemn ceremony in memory of Stephen Hawking.

"It will be a very interesting concert; we will combine different genres of music. STARMUS will prepare for the audience’Spanish paella' - with a rich combination of many flavors, ingredients and spices," he said.

Another concert will take place on Wednesday: festival co-founder and lead singer of the legendary band Queen Brian May will lead a galaxy of musicians, including duduk master Jivan Gasparyan Jr. and the band Nemra.

Tankian said he has prepared a special performance for the festival in honor of the famous Soviet Armenian engineer and designer Alexander Kemurjyan, the founder of the scientific school of space transport engineering and planetary vehicle design, who largely determined the development of the discipline on a global scale. 

No politics, only science and music 

Israelyan stated that science and culture, music in particular, are "the most important things on the planet," and expressed regret that the media attention of late has been 99.9 percent focused on politics.

Nevertheless, reporters couldn't avoid the topic and asked the speakers what the reason was for politicians trying to use science to the detriment of humanity, and how scientists and artists could influence that.

"If 1,000 STARMUS festivals are held in different countries once a quarter, of course something will change," Israelyan said half-jokingly, half-seriously.

At the same time, he pointed out that countries allocate an unacceptably small amount of money to science and education, and disproportionately more to military budgets.

"It is better (these funds) be spent on education, and there will be no need for an atomic bomb," he believes.

Wakeman added said he, far from being a total pacifist, believes that the only thing humanity needs today is spending money to steer science in the right direction.

Phillips, for his part, recalled Churchill's remarks: when a minister during World War II suggested that he cut funding for the arts to redirect funds to the war budget, he replied - then what to live for... 

Artificial Intelligence or, human being? 

"We evolve by combining music and science. From the first musical percussion instruments we have today gone all the way to synthesizers, moreover, from digital music we are now making the transition to music created by artificial intelligence. Now we are at the crossroads of science and art, when high science, absorbing art, gets the opportunity to make new steps on the path of development," believes Israelyan.

Phillips disagreed, however, saying he is convinced that art is about feelings, while artificial intelligence is unable to portray them fully, and this is what stops him from using AI in his work.

"Harmonizing science and art is still a 'human process,' because creating music is incredibly difficult," he said, adding that it's unlikely AI can do it. 

Plans and dreams 

Israelyan said talks are already underway to name an asteroid or one of the craters on Mars after the

STARMUS festival. Wakeman said he dreams of organizing a concert on Mars, even though that concert "probably won't have very many people in attendance." 

STARMUS festival was founded by astrophysicist Garik Israelyan and legendary Queen guitarist Brian May and has been held in Spain, Norway and Switzerland since 2011. The festival is considered the only one in the world that brings together events and speakers of this scale.

Around 50 famous scientists, Nobel laureates, engineers and cosmonauts, world music and art stars will take part in the events in Armenia. The festival program (starmus.com/Armenia) will include scientific conferences, numerous cultural events, scientific camps that will present science, art and music to the public in a special way, also outside Yerevan. -0-