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GGA, Duduk Master

Life moves forward, and if you don't stay in tune with its rhythm, you might lose your direction and the name earned through years of hard work.

Every musical instrument made by GGA brings a person closer to art, and art makes both people and the world better.

The story began with Galust coming out to their side garden full of fruit trees and saw the apricot tree blown over to the ground by the wind. He approached the tree with deep regret, said some harsh words to it, and then went to work with his head bowed.

When he returned home in the evening, the sweet aroma of the apricot tree drew him to the garden. He stood near the toppled apricot tree, moved the branches up and down, slid his hand over the wood, and suddenly noticed that his fingers were making music on the wood. A smile appeared on his face.

"The tree must sing, it must live" Galust decided. He must make it himself.

The next day, while it was still dawn, he knocked on the door of his friend Rafik, a well-known duduk player, and returned home with lots of useful advice. Galust met Karlen, the Stradivarius of duduk, and the master shared with him the secrets of making duduks. Whatever happened afterward, Galust referred to as blissful torment: sleepless nights, details corrected a thousand times, despair, and the determination to start working again.
After some time, Galust placed the duduk he had crafted on Karlen Matevosyan’s table. Only imagine Galust’s joy when the duduk he had crafted received the master’s approval.

This is how the history of GGA began, with its founding in 1991.

Soon, Galust was joined by his elder brother Hayrapet, and later by Hayrapet’s sons, Aram and Hayk. They began making not only duduks but also shvis, pkus, bluls, zurnas, and bass duduks.

The family agreed on the brand name, deciding it should honor Galust, the founder of the venture. Thus, it was named Galstyan Galust Aram - GGA.

“Life moves forward, and if you don’t stay in tune with its rhythm, you might lose your direction and the name earned through years of hard work.” This is Hayrapet’s son, Hayk’s perspective. With his higher musical education, he brought many ideas related to the apricot tree to life through improvement and innovation. For example, he worked on adding tones, prepared tuned duduks with a frequency of 432 Hertz, and processed wild apricot wood, among other things.
The Galstyans successfully participate in world-renowned exhibitions. Today, the GGA brand instruments are widely recognized and sold all over the world.
When the Galstyans hear words of gratitude from any part of the planet and are told that people admire the purity of their instruments, their energy, love, enthusiasm, and dedication are multiplied.
Have you heard the sound of the duduk? Experts say that it resembles the human voice, which is why, despite its Armenian origin, it touches the hearts of people from all nations. When the duduk plays, it feels as though your heart is singing. It caresses your soul, soothes your pain, amplifies your joy, and gives wings to your dreams.
When you visit Armenia, remember that just 6 km from the city center is the GGA workshop, where the apricot tree breathes life and with the touch of your fingers can sing with your soul.

Discover the spirit of Orient

November 22-29