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Armenian and renowned international musicians will come together in Yerevan as the fourth Vahagn Stamboltsyan International Organ Music Festival kicks off on September 26.
Speaking at a press conference, Armen Sukiasyan, Deputy Artistic Director of the National Centre of Chamber Music and founder and artistic director of the International Organ Music Festival, said they have prepared a very rich program.
“The opening concert will take place on Komitas’ birthday at the Komitas Chamber Music House. Naturally, it will be dedicated to Komitas, the founder of the Armenian national school of composition. Armenia’s best organists will perform at the concert. Although it is dedicated to Komitas, the program will not feature only his works. Works by various Armenian composers will also be performed, including those by Eduard Hayrapetyan, Eduard Baghdasaryan, Arthur Avanesov and others,” Armen Sukiasyan said.
The festival will feature invited foreign musicians, including Serbian-born organist and pianist Milkica Radovanovic, who lives and works in Norway and enjoys international recognition, renowned Swiss organist, composer and teacher Guy Bovet, as well as renowned Japanese organist Hiroko Inoue.
Concerts will also be held in Kapan and Charentsavan. The late Vahagn Stamboltsyan, the founder of the Armenian organ school, had managed to have organs installed in Kapan and Charentsavan.
Armen Sukiasyan noted that concerts have been held in those cities since the very first festival, and this year is no exception.
“Milkica Radovanovic, an organist and pianist, will perform in Kapan, while organist, composer and teacher Guy Bovet will perform in Charentsavan. The choice of these cities is due to the presence of organs there. Very few countries in the region can boast of having organs in provincial cities. Both our musicians and our guests are very happy to travel to the regions. It is very important for residents of the regions to feel that they are part of the broader cultural environment. The response from residents of the regions has been positive and encouraging; we have a wonderful audience,” Armen Sukiasyan said.
The festival was founded in 2022. It has expanded the geography of its participants year by year, contributing to the development of organ performance in Armenia, the strengthening of international ties, and the promotion of Armenian organ art.
“When we initiated the festival years ago, we had one concern: we were afraid that organ music in Armenia was heading toward extinction. We had dedicated organists who gave concerts to ensure that the organ school would survive. Fortunately, the festival was established, one of whose priorities was to preserve and develop the school.
“Today, we can confidently say that the fear of organ music dying out is no longer there. We have music schools where organ classes are being opened. We have a private school that purchased an organ and installed it at its educational institution. In addition, our composers have started actively creating new works, and the festival also contributes to the strengthening and development of international cultural ties,” Armen Sukiasyan said.
The festival will also feature concerts dedicated to the 170th anniversary of the birth of Armenian composer and conductor Makar Yekmalyan and the 95th anniversary of the birth of composer Mikael Tariverdiev. The festival’s closing concert will take place on December 5 at the Komitas Chamber Music Hall and will be dedicated to the 270th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
The festival is held with the support of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Armenia.