John Berberian
Berberian (born October 9, 1941) is an American musician known for his virtuosity on the oud, the Middle Eastern stringed instrument.
John Berberian
- Born
- 1941 · New York City.
- Nationality
- United States
- Occupation
- musician
- Education
- Columbia University · Harvard Business School
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Berberian (born October 9, 1941) is an American musician known for his virtuosity on the oud, the Middle Eastern stringed instrument.
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identity unresolved · checked 25 September 2026
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wikidata · Q6221614 · wikipedia · John Berberian
In this article
Early life
Early life
Berberian was born in New York City as the son of Armenian immigrants. His father, Yervant Berberian, was an accomplished oud player and an instrument maker. Oud masters of Armenian, Turkish, and Greek heritage frequented his family's home. John Berberian started his musical education learning the violin, but by the age of 10 began imitating his father on the oud. At the age of 16, he had his first job as a musician, playing the oud in a band in Whitinsville, Massachusetts.
Education
Education
He graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. in economics, and received his MBA from Harvard Business School. While a student, he performed regularly in Manhattan nightclubs. From the early 1960s, he recorded for a variety of labels including Mainstream Records (his first label), MGM, RCA, Roulette, and Verve.
Career
Career
He expanded beyond the ethnic music market in the mid to late 1960s, decades before "world music" became fashionable, with a series of LPs which explored fusions between traditional Middle Eastern music, psychedelic rock and jazz. These included Expressions East (1964), Music of the Middle East (1966), and Middle Eastern Rock (1969) with guitarist Joe Beck. He also set up his own recording studio and record label, Olympia. Simultaneously with his career as a musician, he worked as a purchasing agent in New York. He was awarded teaching grants as a musician by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts in 1996 and by the Massachusetts Cultural Council in 2004. He has performed worldwide for over 40 years.
Personal life
Personal life
He is a trustee of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Whitinsville, Massachusetts, and lives with his family in Shrewsbury.
Accompaniment
Accompaniment
• With Rosko, Music And Gibran (A Contemporary Interpretation) (Verve Forecast, 1968) (musical accompaniment)
Discography
• Expressions East (Mainstream, 1964) • Oud Artistry (Mainstream, 1965) • Music of the Middle East (Roulette, 1966) • Middle Eastern Rock (Verve, 1969) • A Mid Eastern Odyssey (Olympia, 1973) • Echoes of Armenia (Olympia, 1976) • The Dance Album (Olympia, 1978)
Citations
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 31 August 2026.
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