Avedis Zildjian

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Недавно, на одном концерте я увидел парня примерно в такой майке, какую я прицепил к посту. Тут у меня, конечно, случился армянский национальный приступ гордости, сразу стал всеx звать, типа смотрите, смотрите, опять наш ("это я придумала, я, я, ... © ") На что все спокойно стали отвечать, что это очень известный брэнд по производству перкуссионныx инструментов, и все его знают. Эта тема предназначена для теx, кто, как я, не знал, ну и для всеx остальныx, надеюсь, тоже будет интересно.

Ресурсов на русском мне не удалось найти. Нашел очень xорошее описание истории рода Зилджянов на иx официальном сайте:

http://www.zildjian.com

Там же есть очень интересный таймлайн, который я сюда не могу скопировать, потому что он во флэш. Его я тоже очень рекомендую посмотреть:

http://www.zildjian.com/en-US/about/timeline.ad2

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Вот

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Every Company has a story: Ours starts in 1623.

Avedis Zildjian I (the first) was an alchemist in the city of Constantinople in the seventeenth century. His attempts to create gold by combining base metals led instead to a copper, tin and silver alloy with unique sound qualities. Avedis used this discovery to create cymbals of spectacular clarity and power. The sound of the instruments was extraordinary, and as his reputation grew he was given the name “Zildjian”, an Armenian word meaning “son of cymbal maker.”

The Zildjian secret alloy is now four centuries old. It has been passed down between Zildjian heirs for fourteen generations. Currently, Armand Zildjian’s two daughters, Craigie and Debbie are continuing the family tradition. Zildjian has been officially recognized as the oldest continually family-owned business in America.

The Zildjian brand stands for more than expertise and a rich heritage of high quality craftsmanship. Its essence is found in every thread of the drumming community, weaving together students, teachers, pros, old, young, and everyone in between.

From the beginning, the leaders of the company have stayed close to the working musicians in order to understand their experiences and needs. By sustaining these close bonds and looking to them for insight into the design and manufacturing of innovative and extraordinarily sounding cymbals, Zildjian has maintained its position as the world’s leading cymbal, drumstick, and mallet manufacturer.

Zildjian’s reputation for exceeding customer expectations and needs can be attributed to both its sharp focus on continuous quality improvement and innovation, and its emphasis on the family character and rich tradition of the business. Zildjian’s enduring values—leadership, commitment to quality and craftsmanship, passion for music and fun, music education, and a strong family heritage and culture—have guided the company in carrying out its vision over the years.

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Kerope Zildjian, President from 1865 to 1909

During the late 1800's, Kerope was recognized throughout Europe and beyond as one of the most accomplished craftsman of the Zildjian family. His 'K Zildjian' cymbals surpass all others in terms of resonance, thinness (always difficult to create) and durability.

By traveling to exhibitions in Europe's major centers of culture and trade, Kerope enhanced the family's reputation, winning ten decorations and medals, and many certificates of commendation.

Initially, Kerope was second in the line of succession. But, in 1865, Kerope's older brother (Haroutune) became an Attorney General in Constantinople. Although Haroutune forgoes the cymbal business in favor of politics, his son, Avedis III would later apprentice at the K Zildjian factory. Certainly, Kerope could not have imagined that his young nephew, Avedis, would someday bring the family's cymbal tradition to America where it would flourish as never before.

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Aram Zildjian, President from 1909 to 1929

Upon Kerope's death in 1909, the Zildjian secret was passed to Kerope's younger brother Aram (the second son of Avedis II.)

Aram, however found it difficult to continue manufacturing cymbals in Constantinople during a period of political upheaval. After joining the Armenian National Movement, he was forced temporarily to flee to Bucharest. Aram opened a second Zildjian factory in Bucharest, while Kerope's daughter Victoria stepped in to keep the factory in Samatya (a suburb of Constantinople) running. Eventually Aram returned to his native country, where he exported cymbals around the world, most notably to America, which was by then the largest consumer of musical instruments in the world.

In 1927, Aram writes his nephew, Avedis III (who is already living in America) telling Avedis that it is now his turn to carry on the family business. Avedis III, like his father Haroutune, was reluctant to assume responsibility for a 300-year-old family business, which had never been very profitable. Avedis III, the only surviving male in the direct line of succession, was an American, who owned a successful candy factory. He tells Aram that he will not return to Constantinople and therefore the cymbal business must be reestablished here in America. Aram agrees to come and help Avedis set up the first Zildjian cymbal foundry in the United States. The company is incorporated in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1929 at the beginning of the Jazz Era.

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Avedis Zildjian III, The Father of Cymbals

As difficult as it may be for today's drummers to believe, cymbals were hardly heard at all in popular music in the early part of this century. Instead, even as the seeds of jazz were being sown, cymbals were primarily used at the end of a number for a single big crash. Avedis Zildjian helped change all that.

Like a lot of influential people in music, Avedis came from humble beginnings. "My father was born in 1889 in Samatya, not far from Constantinople," recalled Armand Zildjian (who succeeded his Father as President of the Zildjian cymbal company). "As a boy, Dad spoke Greek, Armenian, Turkish, French, and later (after coming to the U.S.), English. He emigrated to America in 1909 and got a job working in a candy factory in Boston. He was a quick learner, and soon started a candy business of his own. As he told me, "Why would you want to work for someone else when you could have your own business?"'

In 1927, Avedis received a letter from his uncle, Aram, telling him that it was now his turn to take over the ancient family art of cymbal making. But rather than return to Turkey, where the Zildjian family had crafted cymbals since 1623 (and where he himself had apprenticed as a young boy), Avedis convinced Aram to move the company to the U.S.

"I was only eight years old when Aram came to America, but I remember him well," said Armand. "He was like no one I had ever seen before. He must have weighed 300 pounds, and he was baldheaded, with a white goatee and mustache. Aram was very helpful in organizing the factory from the beginning, staying on through most of the first year to help Dad get started. Even so, my Father had concerns about entering the cymbal business (which had never been profitable) especially when he already had a successful candy business. It was my mother who thought it was a romantic story and persuaded him to consider it. So, Dad went around to the important music stores, asking them if they would buy his cymbals."

The move to the U.S. was a risky one. Demand for cymbals was low, and to make matters worse, months after Avedis opened the new cymbal factory outside of Boston, the Great Depression hit. The factory itself was an old, small, one-story building with a dirt floor.

"Working conditions were primitive in those days, and people worked very hard", Armand points out. "Initially, Dad worked in all facets of the business - from the melting to the billing. He persevered through the tough Depression years where others would have given up." Avedis quickly came to know all the professional drummers of the day. He became very friendly with Ray Bauduc, who played with Bob Crosby. He also knew Chick Webb and Jo Jones. But it was probably Gene Krupa with whom he had the closest working relationship. "Oftentimes when Gene would visit the plant, he'd pick out his cymbals and then we'd all go out on Dad's boat, the Mahal," recalled Armand. "Gene had many great ideas about playing cymbals - such as using them as the timekeeper on the kit in place of the snare drum."

Krupa asked Zildjian to develop a thinner cymbal, which immediately became very popular. He also helped promote the use of more special-purpose cymbals. This had a big impact on the Zildjian Company's developmental efforts. In fact, many of the cymbals we take for granted in modern drumming - such fundamental models as splash, ride, crash, hi-hat, and sizzle cymbals - were all invented and named by Avedis Zildjian.

"At this time, the use of the hi-hat cymbal was just becoming popular", said Armand. "Jo Jones from Count Basie's Band was helpful in refining Zildjian's hi-hats. Later, Buddy Rich and Louie Bellson helped Dad. Buddy, Gene and all the greats had a healthy respect for Dad, whom they viewed as one of the founding fathers of the music industry as we know it today."

There were, of course, setbacks. In 1939, the boiler in the laundry next door blew up, and the ensuing fire took most of the Zildjian company with it. However, four to five days later, Avedis had the business up and running. "On another occasion", Armand relates, "Dad went to light the oven, but let too much time elapse before lighting it. This caused an explosion that burned his entire face, and he was taken to the hospital. That same afternoon he came back from the hospital with his head completely bandaged and went immediately to his desk - where he typed out some bills the way he did every night. He was unstoppable!"

During the Second World War, Zildjian made cymbals for the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps marching bands. They also got orders from the British Admiralty. This was a very important part of the company's business, because copper and tin were allocated by the War Production Board. Without these orders, the War Production Board probably would have closed the plant down.

"The business grew rapidly during the swing era", continued Armand. "Dad continuously increased production over the years to meet that demand. He remained very devoted to the business that he had started; it was both his hobby and his life. Although he named me president of the Avedis Zildjian Company three years before his death, he never retired. He remained involved in the day-to-day running of the company until he died in 1979 at the age of ninety. Dad's continued involvement provided the continuity needed in transitioning from one generation of Zildjians to another." (Recognizing the importance of this continuity, Armand worked closely with his daughter, Craigie, who is currently the Company's Chief Executive Officer.)

"I learned a lot from my father," continued Armand. "He was a very decisive and astute businessman and a born leader. Yet he was also a very modest man with a warm side. He loved telling stories about his experiences and talking about how much the world had changed since he was a boy watching the camel caravans come into Constantinople. He was a powerful presence, but that's what it took to put cymbals where they are today."

The percussion industry has changed a great deal since Avedis Zildjian began making cymbals in 1929. But his countless innovations and pioneering production techniques earned him an indisputable place as one of the most influential musical instrument manufacturers of the century. His unflagging passion for his craft helped forever alter modern music, as we know it.

Reprinted Permission of Modern Drummer, Inc., November 1995

Avedis Zildjian was inducted into the PAS Hall of Fame posthumously in 1979

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Armand Zildjian, Remembering Armand Zildjian

Anyone who ever metArmand Zildjian knew just how contagious his boundless enthusiasm and zest for life could be. To him music and fun were as inseparable as the copper and tin he himself fused together to create the bronze discs that brought that magical Zildjian sound to the world. But despite the serious weight of responsibility his birthright carried, Armand Zildjian wasn't simply a businessman who made cymbals. He was a cymbal maker who turned his business into an art. He never lost sight that ultimately his job was making unique musical instruments, which brought joy to those who play or listen to music. Living life to its fullest and sharing that sense of joy and fun with his extended family and friends was what Armand Zildjian's life was all about, and is, perhaps, his most important legacy.

"Armand was hard-wired for fun. He just had fun ingrained in his system", says Craigie Zildjian, Armand's daughter and CEO of Zildjian. Because he was so passionate about music, musicians and the product itself, he was always having fun. It was only when we stepped back and analyzed what he was actually doing that we began to understand that he had intuitively created the company's business model: a model that would be replicated in many other companies throughout the music industry.

That model reflected Armand's credo of always staying "with the music". He listened to the artists' needs and instinctively knew how to create sounds - sounds that would help musicians from all corners of the globe communicate their vision and dreams. "That was always the thing: the drummer got what he wanted," Armand said proudly. "That's how we were successful. We gave them what they wanted." He was a loyal lover of music and the arts who embraced all musicians equally, and in turn they gave him back their love and respect.

"Armand had so much love in him", writes Peter Erskine "love for his wife and children, and love for his extended family " the Zildjian Family of artisans and fellow enthusiasts ... I can't so much say 'workers' or 'businesspeople', because he didn't run the company like that... Armand, whether by instinct or cleverness, virtually invented the drumming community we live in. Indeed, the entire music industry bears his stamp [as the Father of Artist Relations]."

The trademark laugh and raspy voice ("Beautiful baby!!!") born of countless hours spent "hanging" with his beloved drummers or talking over the din of testing cymbals still resonates in the minds of those who were blessed by his friendship. One drummer with only a fleeting acquaintance with Armand was moved enough by his passing to send words of condolence to the family: "I did not know him well, but those few times I was around him, I remember him treating me as a musical brother, in spite of my lack of resume". As Rudyard Kipling's famous poem said, Armand could "walk with kings, but not lose the common touch".

Longtime Zildjian employee John DeChristopher concurs: "The greatest lesson I learned from Armand was respect - the respect that he showed for everyone. Let's face it, Armand did my job fifty years ago. In fact, he created Artist Relations, as we know it today. He always treated everyone with the same respect, no matter what type of music they played or how successful they were."

That respect played a large part in Armand's celebrated relationships with the great drummers of his time, most notably Buddy Rich. Armand never missed a show when Buddy came to town. "Those two got along like brothers." The closeness with another great, Gene Krupa, is best illustrated by the fact that Armand was given the honor of being a pallbearer at the legendary drummer's funeral.

"You never heard Armand speak ill of anyone," his close friend, former NAMM director Larry Linkin says. What a delight he was to be with . . . always a smile, always a twinkle in his eye and always a laugh to make you enjoy the moment. His approach to life was what we should all follow: work hard at your job and work hard at play!!" For Armand, work and play were closely related. Cymbal tester Leon Chiappini remembers that Armand loved to break into a spontaneous trumpet solo in the middle of a workday. Also an accomplished drummer and pianist, Armand would sit down at the drum set and piano in his office whenever the mood struck. For all his instinctual warmth of character, Armand also possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of every aspect of cymbals and cymbal making and was successful in carefully balancing the traditional old world virtues of quality and pride (that his father embodied) with the demands and realities of the modern marketplace. It was this keen understanding that enabled Armand to revolutionize and modernize the manufacturing of Zildjian cymbals while ensuring that each instrument still carried that singular sound and supreme quality on which the reputation of the company had been built for so many years. "I'm all for modern machine methods," he said in September 2002, "as long as it does not change the cymbal. Right now we're making better cymbals than we ever have.."

"Armand had a love affair with the product," remembers Craigie. "He couldn't even walk by a cymbal without picking it up to hear its individual voice. He always had a special stash of his favorite cymbals in his office that he'd periodically pick through like they were old friends.."

Armand began work in the Zildjian factory under his father's tutelage at age 14, spending his school vacations doing everything from working in the melting room and hand-stamping the familiar trademark onto finished cymbals to matching hi hats by feel and sound. When he returned from the Philippines after serving in WW II, he went to work the very next day for Avedis in the old Zildjian plant in North Quincy, MA. His job: everything. "You learned to listen and you learned by doing," he recalled. "I remember one time I had a Swedish order and I matched 276 pairs of hi hats in one day, but boy I'd go home and my ears would be going "deeyongg!!!"

"Armand used to say, 'I'm no good behind a desk'," recalls Craigie. "He wanted to be out on the plant floor watching the guys make cymbals just as he had made cymbals in the early days. He had great admiration and respect for people who worked with their hands. And, that respect was mutual because the guys on the floor knew that Armand had performed every job in the plant and knew all the subtleties of cymbal making.."

Armand's magnanimous spirit and pride in his company's product was legendary. For one of Buddy Rich's celebrated gigs at a favorite local venue, Armand bought up all the best seats, rented a bus, loaded in the entire manufacturing crew and treated them to a night of Big Band music. "We all had a great time," he laughed when reminded of the evening. "I wanted the guys in the factory to understand the importance of what they made and to see how it was being used.."

"Armand loved the cymbals as much as the drummers did," said Max Roach. "His eyes would light up when he pulled something out that he wanted you to try or hear. You'd have to grab the sticks out of his hand and say "Let me try it!!"... It was a wonderful relationship from the very beginning.."

Part of Zildjian's success can be attributed to Armand's vision for the future of the company. He understood that if the family business were to continue to thrive, he would have to ensure that all the core values that had kept Zildjian at the forefront of the industry for so many years stayed on long after he was gone. He apprenticed people in quality and R & D and carefully planned his own succession.

Armand was very forward thinking. He was always looking for ways to improve quality and create new cymbal sounds. He knew that in order to take cymbal manufacturing to the next level, the machinery that had been used over the past 50 years had to be dramatically upgraded. Everyone understood that this daunting task needed to be accomplished within Armand's lifetime, since Armand was the only one who could handle a project of this scope. Millions of dollars and years later, Armand had the rotary ovens, computer hammers and melt room equipment that he wanted. More importantly, he had the new sounds he was looking for. I think this remains one of his greatest legacies.

"We always could make a good living here," he would say. "But, one batch of bad cymbals can ruin years of a good reputation. What good would that do?" Even into his eighties, with failing health, he continued to pass on his wealth of knowledge to the next generation while still remaining active in developing exciting new sounds, as always, keeping his ear to the ground. "Where is the next kind of music going to go?" he asked in his final interview. "That's the thing we're always trying to understand. What's the next sound gonna be?"

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Craigie Zildjian, Chief Executive Officer

In 1976, Craigie Zildjian joined her father (Armand) and grandfather (Avedis) in the family business. This was the first time three generations of Zildjians would work side by side in the cymbal business. In another first, Craigie became the first woman to be appointed CEO of the company in 1999.

As a result of her commitment to education, Craigie initiated the

Avedis Zildjian Percussion Scholarship program (in memory of her grandfather), and more recently the Zildjian Family Opportunity Fund, which is administered through the Percussive Arts Society.

In 1998, in celebration of the Zildjian Company's 375th Anniversary, Craigie developed the American Drummers Achievement Awards, honoring the great legends of the drum set. The event, held at Berklee College of Music, was hosted by Bill Cosby and paid tribute to Louie Bellson, Roy Haynes, Elvin Jones and Max Roach.

An active member in the musical community, Craigie sits on the Board of Trustees of Berklee College of Music, the Board of Overseers at New England Conservatory and the Board of Advisors of the International Association of Jazz Educators. She is also Chair of the Zildjian Board of Directors.

Craigie holds a Masters of Education degree from Boston University, a Masters degree in Human Resources Management from American University and recently completed the Owners Management Program at the Harvard Business School.

She has a daughter, Samantha.

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Debbie Zildjian, Vice President, Human Resources

Debbie Zildjian joined Zildjian in 1980 as Safety Director and Corporate Clerk. She currently leads the Human Resource Department, serves on Zildjian's Executive Team and is Vice Chair of the Board of Directors. She is also responsible for the melting room operation, where copper and tin are combined in a 380-year old ritual to produce the Zildjian secret alloy. This is the first time a woman has been responsible for the company's secret process.

Debbie has always been a very powerful force in the company's cymbal and drumstick manufacturing operations. She's responsible for initiating the company's apprenticeship programs for R&D and other critical craftsmanship positions. Debbie was also instrumental in obtaining the ISO 1001 quality certification in 1995, which was the first time a company in the percussion industry had obtained the prestigious ISO 1001 quality certification. To this day, Zildjian remains the only cymbal company to have received this honor.

She holds a Masters degree in Political Science from Villanova University and has completed the Executive program at Harvard Business School. Debbie has two daughters, who have both participated in the company's internship program. Cady Bickford Zildjian (age 24) graduated from Colgate University and Emily Bickford Zildjian (age 22) graduated from Lehigh University.

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Rab Zildjian, Director

Rab Zildjian is no stranger to the family business. He grew up working at the Zildjian foundry with his father, Armand Zildjian. He attended countless tradeshows and artist events before officially entering into the business.

It was shortly after graduating from the University of New Hampshire that Rab Zildjian joined the Zildjian family business. Based on the West Coast, Rab developed Zildjian's first sales representative network and opened its first West Coast Artist Relations Office, located in Los Angeles, CA.

Rab also pioneered the hugely popular Zildjian Days, a full-day drumming clinic, which has since become a standard within the music industry. He's worked closely with drumming icons such as Steve Gadd, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Alex Acuna, Steve Smith, Peter Erskine, Vinnie Colaiuta, Kenny Aronoff, Louie Bellson, and Airto Moreira.

Rab was instrumental in creating what is now known as the Zildjian Drummers Lounge, a place where Zildjian Artists can select their cymbals in a studio-like setting. Today, the Zildjian Drummers Lounge continues to be the premier location for cymbal selection.

After leaving the company in 1985 to pursue a 14-year career in real estate, exotic auto leasing and rental, and the golfing industry, Rab remains active in the business as both a major shareholder and a director on the Zildjian Board of Directors. Rab currently travels between the United States and U.K. where he continues to spend time with retailers, customers and artists. You may also find him at a variety of music and industry events.