Ara Dinkjian

Ara Dinkjian
Born	1958 (age 59–60)
Origin	New Jersey, United States
Genres	Folk, Armenian folk
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter, performer
Instruments	Oud, guitar, cumbus, mandolin, kanun, saz, kaval
Years active	1986–present
Labels	RCA/BMG, PolyGram/Universal, Traditional Crossroads
Associated acts	Night Ark
Website	www.aradinkjian.com

Ara Dinkjian (Armenian: Արա Տինքճեան; born 1958) is an Armenian-American musician. He is the founder of the band Night Ark. Dinkjian is considered one of the top oud players in the world, his compositions have been recorded in thirteen different languages, which include the multi-platinum hit "Dinata" which was performed in the closing ceremonies of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

Dinkjian has written songs for Eleftheria Arvanitaki, and Sezen Aksu ("Vazgeçtim", "Sarışın", "Yine Mi Çiçek", "Hoş Geldin", among others). Turkish singers Gülşen, Kibariye, Mine Koşan, Ahmet Kaya, Coşkun Sabah, Burcu Güneş have recorded his songs.

Born in New Jersey to Armenian parents, Dinkjian made his professional debut at age five playing on the doumbag at the 1964 New York World's Fair. He accompanied John Berberian and George Mgrdichian. His earliest professional musical experience was accompanying his father Onnik Dinkjian, a renowned Armenian folk and liturgical singer. He received a scholarship to The Hartt School, a performing arts college in Hartford, Connecticut. Dinkjian learned several western and eastern instruments (piano, guitar, darbuka) and in 1980 graduated from the Hartt College of Music, earning the country’s first and only special degree in the instrument for which he has become most well-known, the oud.

...
Wikipedia