Born in ‘Anjar (Lebanon) 1964, he was fascinated and passionate about music since his early boyhood, playing on different musical instruments, without any previous musical education. Early 1980’s, realizing the urge to be musically educated, and not having the means for it, he tried to be self-educated with notes and different aspects of music. In 1986 he started conducting the “Ardzivian” choir, and there-on his journey with conducting began. Between 1992 and 1998 he studied and practiced conducting with conductor Maestro Harutyun Topikyan and composer Professor Yervant Yerkanian.
Today, Maestro Barkev Taslakian is the founder and main conductor of all three branches of the Fayha Choir: Tripoli, Beirut and Cairo.
He has led the Fayha Choir in all concerts in Lebanon, Armenia, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Cyprus, Nagorni Karabakh, Poland, Tunisia, Emirates, Egypt, France, Canada, China, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Sweden, KSA, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, etc.
Maestro Barkev is the commander of several music groups for children and young refugees in the north and south of Lebanon, in Bekaa’ and in Beirut within the socio-cultural projects in cooperation with local and international organizations concerned with social, educational and psychological life of children refugees and immigrants...
He has won many awards, including:
The “International Warsaw Choir Festival 2007” Best Conductor and best choir, Warsaw, Poland.
The “International Warsaw Choir Festival 2005” Second Prize (conducting the Fayha Choir) Warsaw, Poland.
The “Lebanon National Choir Festival 2002” First Prize (with Komitas Choir), Tripoli, Lebanon.
The “IMC Music Rights 2015” award, nominated by the “European Choral Association–Europa Cantat”
The First prize at Music and the Sea Festival 2016 in Greece
The “Choir of the Year” award, from Choir Fest Middle East in Dubai in 2016 and second prize in 2018
He assisted in many international musical conferences and workshops and currently member of:
Syndicate of Professional Artists in Lebanon.
“International Federation for Choral Music” (IFCM)
“European Choral Association–Europa Cantat”
Founder and president of the Lebanese Choral Association
Founder and president of the Lebanese International Choir Festival.