YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. Komitas remains up to date due to the artistic solutions to his music, composing and technical skills, musical thinking. The founder of the Armenian national-classical music school has plenty of fans in Japan and many musicians would like to give concerts in Armenia. “Armenpress” reports that Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Japan to Armenia, Eiji Taguchi, who was greatly impressed by the newly built museum, expressed such a viewpoint during his visit to Komitas Museum-Institute. “It is an excellent museum. I am very impressed by my visit to the museum and I think it will become one of my unforgettable memories connected with my stay in Yerevan. My friend, who admires and was well informed about him, introduced me to the works of Komitas for the first time. Today I learnt much more about Komitas and listened to his music”, the Ambassador informed after the tour in the museum.

According to him, the atmosphere in the museum and the backyard are close to Japanese culture. “The atmosphere is similar to that of Japan and I think that all Japanese people would like it and many musicians would wish to play here”, the Ambassador added.

Director of the institute-museum, Nikolay Kostandyan, informed in an interview with “Armenpress” that cooperation with the Japanese Embassy started in April, 2015, during the visit of the acting Ambassador of Japan to Armenia.  Japanese pianist residing in Amsterdam, Keiko Shichijo, gave a concert headlined “Devoted to Komitas”.

“The museum is ready to foster cultural relations between Armenia and Japan”, Kostandyan said.

Chairman of the Scientific Council of Komitas museum-institute, Mher Navoyan, mentioned that the public interest of Japanese people towards Komitas dates back to the Soviet times, when Armenian musicians gave concerts in Japan. “Our relations with that far away country is amazing. Japan was among the first countries to recognize the first Armenian Republic of 1918-20. Our composers always referred to Japanese culture during their activities: That culture is close to our heart and, at the same time, we vary greatly”, Navoyan said.

Photos by Gevorg Perkuperkyan