Armenian kanun virtuoso Karine Hovhannisyan will be the guest soloist in Khachatur Avetisyan’s Second Kanun Concerto at the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra’s concert today, in the Katara Opera House. Music director Michalis Economou will conduct the programme, which also includes Ludwig van Beethoven’s Egmont Overture and Antonin Dvorak’s Eighth Symphony.An ancient instrument of Middle Eastern origin, the kanun may be described as a lap-harp that sits across the player’s knees or on a small table. It has four sides and is trapezoid in shape. Most instruments have approximately 72 strings, arranged in groups of three, and tuned by raising or lowering levers that control the tension of each string. The levers create subtle changes in pitch that accommodate the tuning practices in various regions of the Middle East. The strings are fitted into a wooden frame with a flat sound box that is usually made of rosewood. The strings of the kanun are plucked with fingerpicks made of tortoise shell or horn plectra which extend from each index finger and are held in place by circular metal bands. The tone of the instrument is reminiscent of that of the harpsichord, and is characterised by an unmistakable incisive quality.A student of Avetisyan, Hovhannisyan has been a tireless advocate for his music, performing and recording his most important works for kanun. Most recently, she has performed with the Glendale Symphony and Philharmonia New York and at such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall, New York Symphony Space, Skirball Center Los Angeles, Museum of Art in Cleveland, Philadelphia Kimmel Center, Smithsonian and Kennedy Center in Washington DC. She has conducted master classes at Dartmouth, Harvard and Cornell Universities.QPO executive director Kurt Meister said the distinctive sound of the kanun fits well with a symphony orchestra. “Indeed, we’re continually bringing Middle Eastern and western musical culture together in line with our mission to bridge the world’s traditions.”The Philharmonic’s next public concert is a chamber music programme on October 17 which includes Arnold Schoenberg’s Transfigured Night. Tickets for today’s concert are available at Virgin Megastore, and full information is available at qatarphilharmonicorchestra.org