2009: Inga & Anush - Jan Jan

Inga and Anush Arshakyans are sisters, Anush being the elder born on the 24th of December 1980 and Inga born on the 18th of March, 1982, both in Yerevan. Both studied and graduated from the S. Aslamayzan School of Music, with Anush specializing in piano and Inga in violin. Both sisters also went on to graduate from the A. Babajanyan Music College.

1994 was a landmark year for Anush after having entered the Sonorous Voices competition in Omsk, Russia, where she gained first place. this event gave her an appetite for writing and composing music. She also debuted as a soloist with the Armenian State Orchestra in 1999 and hasn’t looked back since. Her studies continued with four years at the Yerevan State Conservatory from 2001-
2005 where she studied Jazz vocals.

Her sister Inga has a similar education – she toured Armenia extensively as part of the G. Achemyan Violin Ensemble. Inga also went on to study jazz vocals at the same establishment as her sister, graduating in 2005.

The sisters have performed publicly many times together – as far back as 2000, their cooperation started when they both entered the State Song Theatre of Armenia, performing ethnic folk songs and touring Armenia extensively. 2002 saw the duo venture across the pond to the USA, where they performed concerts in Los Angeles to a great response. 2002 was also a crucial year for the two sisters as they were nominated at the Golden Lyre 2002 festival as audience favourites.

2003 saw the two return to Los Angeles, where they performed more solo concerts, and their first album We And Our Mountains was released simultaneoulsy. Their new found popularity took them to cities such as New York, Toronto and Paris. 2004 brought the couple repeated success at the Golden Lyre 2004 festival,where their version of folk song Tamzara was deemed the winner. Their song also won a national music award in December 2005, paving the way for the release of their second album with the same name in 2006. A promo tour kicked off in May, taking in Yerevan, and with appearances in Damascus, Beirut and Russia in anticipation of the release of the sisters’ third album Heartbeat Of My Land, released in November 2009.

Participant Profile

In the final

In the semi final