Ara Malikian

Ara Malikian, a violinist of Armenian origin born in Lebanon, disrupts classical conventions by throwing wide open the doors to world music and rock. A former concertmaster of the Royal Symphony Orchestra of Madrid, he composes and arranges a repertoire where scholarly scores, Romani heritage, Middle Eastern influences and reimagined covers of icons such as Jimi Hendrix, Guns N’ Roses or Björk intersect. With Intruso, he pursues this inquiry with personal pieces and newly imagined popular themes, played with a keen sense of depth and rhythm.

At the Maison de la Culture Clermont-Ferrand on 20 March 2026, Ara Malikian presents a programme conceived as a journey: taut variations, expansive melodies, dance-like pulses and spaces for improvisation. The violin leads the dance—sometimes bold and upfront, sometimes muted and intimate—supported by a band that cares as much for dynamics as for subtlety. His solid technique serves a musical narrative that shifts boundaries and builds bridges between genres, without labels or gratuitous effects. Intruso thus charts a free, ear-level trajectory in which one recognizes both the exacting standards of the concert artist and a taste for detours. Indicative running time: 1 h 30.