Karineh Hovhannessian

Karineh Hovhanessian is one of the premier kanon players in Armenia. The kanon is the semi-classical zither of Armenia, similar to a psaltery. Besides playing solo, she is also a member of the Shoghaken Folk Ensemble. Her music lies somewhere between classical works and folk songs, though they are all solely instrumental. This is what the kanon is now used for: a mixture of traditions in a country left behind by much of the rest of the world. Hovhanessian is considered one of the contemporary Armenian masters