Yerevan /Mediamax/. Rock star, Deep Purple lead singer Ian Gillan said in Yerevan today that he's excited and moved that the opening of Gyumri N6 music school marks the completion of Rock Aid Armenia project.

"It's very exciting to see everything finalized. Each of us had their contribution, each of us played their role in it", said Ian Gillan at a press conference held in Mediamax's office a day before the opening of Gyumri N6 music school. 

"My involvement into this project was the same as in Deep Purple - when the whole thing is around me but I am not the main hero. The project was a personified and symbolic one for me. In 1990,  after our concert in Sports and Concert Complex, we visited the earthquake-hit zone and witnessed the aftermath. People looked lost even a year after the quake. We were deeply influenced by the fact that even a year after the earthquake no music sounded in the city - neither in churches nor on radio. Even the birds didn't sing and it made us do something about it.

It's hard to imagine life without music. I wouldn't say we made a promise to help. We just expressed the readiness that when the city is ready for music, we'll do something. At that time, we didn't know about the school, we thought we might give a concert there", said Ian Gillan.

According to the musician, Gyumri music school later became the symbol of their initiative. "The school was in a disastrous state. There were holes in the walls, I don't even imagine how children could learn music there. Sometimes we tried to play with cold fingers during the concerts but it would really be difficult for kids. We thought of its reconstruction, we didn't even think of providing music instruments but Tim Irving from Canada made a wonderful donation", he noted.

Executive Director of Do Something organization, author of Rock Aid Armenia project Jon Dee said that he has a unique feeling that their whole team managed to realize such a project.

"I was involved in making a footage in Armenia shortly after the earthquake. I saw such awful scenes that were never shown. I understood that it's very important to do something to make a real change. I used my connections in rock industry and managed to help Armenia. We have a special feeling that our whole team managed to realize such a project", he noted.

"We are glad to say that we kept our promise. Ian Gillan was the symbol of Rock Aid Armenia. The project would be impossible without him. Naturally, if John Dee didn't initiate Rock Aid Armenia project at the age of 24 we all wouldn't get together here. Many thanks to Fund for Armenian Relief which involved Mardigian family: their generous donation allowed us to start and complete the project. Also, special thanks to VivaCell-MTS which supported Ian Gillan's concerts with Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra in Armenia", Director of "Mediamax" media company Ara Tadevosyan said in his turn.

He specially thanked Tim Irving from Canada who learning about the project 2 years ago, connected with the organizers and donated music instruments of total amount of USD20000 to the school.

The solemn ceremony of opening of Gyumri N6 music school will be held tomorrow. The school was constructed within the joint project of Mediamax, Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) and Australian Do Something organization.

The opening of Gyumri N6 music school will mark the logical end of Rock Aid Armenia project started in 1989.