Art Director and Chief Conductor, Honoured Artist of Armenia: Harutyun Topikyan
Choirmaster: Karine Harutyunyan
Soloists: Seyran Avakyan, Makruhi Khachaturyan, Aren Avetyan, Tamara Mosinyan, Vahagn Vardazaryan, Jeni Nazaryan.
Professional activity of Topikyan-conductor started in 1973, when he graduated from the Yerevan State Komitas Conservatoire. Since then Harutyun Topikyan has successfully guided several choirs: organized and led the Chamber Choir of the State Radio and TV of Armenia, “Komitas" choir of the Yerevan State University, Yerevan Chamber choir.1982 - Topikyan awarded with Laureate of the “YCU of Armenia” premium.
The choirs, conducted by Harutyun Topikyan, participated in many international festivals and competitions. In 1987 the "Komitas" choir of the Yerevan State University was awarded with the "Grand Prix" at the “Uventus” International choir music competition in Kaunas (Lithuania).
In 1991 Harutyun Topikyan became one of the organizers of the East-West United Song Festival "Bridges of song Tallinn-91" (Estonia), where he was honoured to conduct 20.000 strong choir. The same year he was invited to the annual convention of American Musical Association in Phoenix, Arizona.
The 3rd Annual Armenian Music Awards held on November 17, 2000 in Glendale, California conferred BEST TRADITIONAL ALBUM award to: “The Music of KOMITAS Vardapet” CD, recorded by Yerevan Chamber Choir. Many records of choirs conducted by Topikyan archived in Funds of Armenian State Radio Company.
Currently Harutyun Topikyan guides the Yerevan State Chamber. Starting 1996 and up to 2004 the choir was supported by Catholicoses of all Armenians, His Holiness Garegin I and then by His Holiness Garegin II. For outstanding performance and input in Armenian music propagation, Choir was honoured with adoption by State.
In July 1997 choir participated in the International Music Festival in Ravenna, Italy, where performed Armenian classic and modern music. Contemporary Armenian composer Tigran Mansuryan wrote a 4 pieces concert for choir “Ars Poetica”, that later was performed by the Choir in Armenia, Germany, Syria and Lebanon.
In September 1998 within the framework of Armenian Culture Days in Germany choir had a very successful appearances in Bonn, Halle, Wittenberg and Magdeburg where performed the newly discovered versions of Komitas liturgy and pieces of Tigran Mansuryan.
In May 1999 participated in the International Music Festival in Bergen (Norway) with performance of Komitas and T. Mansuryan. Joint performances with the famous artists - viola Kim Kashkashyan and saxophone Jan Garbarek.
In November 2000 performances at the 30th Music Festival in Halle (Germany).
Artistic links of choir widened in 2001 when Armenia celebrated 1700 anniversary of adoption of Christianity as State religion. Joint performances were execute with the philharmonic orchestra and choir of “La Scala” theatre (Italy) led by Ricardo Mutti and “Frankfurter Kantorei” choir (Germany) led by Winfrid Toll.Series of joint concerts with the “Frankfurter Kantorei” in Germany during the autumn 2002 Frankfurt/Main, Bonn, Limburg were honored with a high appreciation from UNESCO/Germany.
Spring of 2003 - project presenting sacred chorales of contemporary Armenian composers. Several performances in Armenia achieved a special attention of and received high mark from critics.
During the summer of 2003 choir visited Saint Petersburg (Palaces of Saint-Petersburg Festival) (Russia). Two concerts presenting Armenian folk and sacred music, classic and modern composers’ masterpieces were highly appreciated by public. The choir was honoured with right to perform the recently adopted hymn of Petersburg.
Two great events accomplished in Armenia by fall 2003 touched the choir activities. Within the framework of International festival, the choir presented a concert of Benjamen Britten cantatas. Afterwards on celebration of Aram Khachaturyan’s 100 Birth Anniversary concert was marked with the first performance of pre-defined sacred chorales of seven contemporary Armenian composers.
Participation to Moscow Easter Festival opened performances in 2004. The Easter celebration was shining with the colours of Armenian classic chorales.
In autumn 2005 - choir participated in the festival “Hallische Musiktage” in Germany, Leipzig and Halle. The last concert was dedicated to the 90th anniversary of blessed memory of genocide victims. Worshipper and friend of the choir is a German composer Thomas Buchholz, whose creation “Vohbk Hayastani” severally presented in concert halls of Armenia and Germany.
Concert at the Collégiale Notre-Dame du Fort – Etampes, within the Festival d'Ile de France, was recorded as another great success of performance, October 8, 2006.
Year 2007 starts with invitation to the Moscow Easter Festival. Contemporary and classical Russian composers’ chorales, Armenian sacred and folk chorales performed at Gala Concert at the Chaikovski hall and a solo concert at the center after Pavel Slobodkin on Arbat.
The concerts in Syria in October 2007 were presenting classical Armenian music in Aleppo, Latakia and Damascus and found very strong appreciation of admirers.
In year 2008 the two cultural events were admitted by Choir: the TV marathon dedicated to reconstruction of Shushi (Artsakh) and the “Splendid 8” concert in January, Yerevan, were the choir was invited as an outstanding Armenian classics performer.
The Moscow Easter Festival 2009 - for the third time. This honor brightly illustrated the magnificent performance and the unique soil of the ensemble.
Year 2009 was the year of the 140th anniversary of Komitas, as the Choir was permanently dedicated to the popularization of all masterpieces of genuine Armenian composer; performances arranged in Yerevan and regions of Armenia.
The 50 –th Musica Sacra “Virgo Lauretana” festival in Loreto, Italy, (in April of year 2010), was a noble opportunity to present the Armenian choral music and the Komitas heritage to the world-wide Catholics auditorium, as the festival is spread on TV in more than 50 countries.
2011 – alongside with expanding repertoire of contemporary and classical compositions of Armenian, Western and Russian composers choir introduced a new wave of Jazz performances.
The blessed “Berliner liturgy” (in German) of Komitas was first introduced by choir in 2012.
The year 2013 the premieres of 2 honorable Armenian composer’s liturgies: the one of Tigran Mansuryan on April 24-th and the first Armenian polyphonic liturgy of Christophor Kara Murza, edited by Krikor Pidedjian, was performed in October. On the 1-st of April on International Jazz Day open air concert was dedicated to the Jazz classics, like Gershvin, Telonius Monk, Dave Brubeck, Avo Uvezyan etc.
“Mkhitaryan” Liturgy of Aidinyan and Beom is getting birth in March 2014. The “Thanksgiving of Armenians to the Arab World” project, dedicated to the Arab music performances led by Maestro Pargev Taslakyan, jointly with Fayha choir soloist is delivered in summer. Dedicated to the 100-year anniversary of the Genocide of Armenians in Turkey “Lus i Luso” project - great contemporary pianist Tigran Hamasyan composed a cycle of Sharakans by Mesrop Mashtots, Nerses Shnorhaly and Grigor Narekatsi and others. This cycle represents a brilliant combination of voices and piano sounds in a waves of devotion and soul consecration to the God. Recordings are made by “ECM” studio (Germany) and the CD is planned for publishing in late 2015.
For the 5-th time Choir is invited to the Moscow Easter Festival in 2015, that alongside with the traditional performances the Lus I Luso projct will be presented.
Since 2010 Choir is performing concerts within a “Scholars Philharmonic” project, acquainting young generation of Armenians with the classical Armenian, mainly Komitas, and international heritage.
Website: http://yerevanchamberchoir.com