On September 25, the opening concert of the Second International Festival of Organ Music named after Vahagn Stamboltsyan, dedicated to the 155th anniversary of Komitas, took place at the Komitas Chamber Music Hall. This was reported by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia.

The official opening of the festival was attended by the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia Zhanna Andreasyan and Deputy Minister Daniel Danielyan.

The Minister welcomed those present and noted that the opening concert of the Second International Festival of Organ Music named after Vahagn Stamboltsyan takes place on the eve of Komitas’ birthday, which is symbolic.

“It once again provides an opportunity to talk and reflect on the important values ​​and heritage that have been left to us, as well as the responsibility to continue, develop, and preserve them. I hope that the festival will be continuous, held in larger halls, with a larger audience, to also show the growing number of people interested in and enjoying organ music. I want to assure you that the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports will also be by your side in all these important initiatives to advance this important mission. We have a rich cultural year, many wonderful concerts await us, and it is gratifying that they will also be held in the regions. It is important that these cultural events, concerts, are accessible to different segments of our society, in different settlements.”

With the support of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia and the initiative of the National Center for Chamber Music, the second international festival of organ music named after Vahagn Stamboltsyan will be held in Armenia from September to December.

Along with Armenian organists, the festival will be graced with their presence by Jochem Schurman (Netherlands), Eugenio Maria Fajani (Italy), Peter Kleinert (Germany), Narine Simonyan (France), Salvatore Pronesti (Italy/Germany).

The Armenian Organ School will be represented by Anna Bakunts, Karine Hovhannisyan, Harutyun Tagvoryan, Tereza Voskanyan, Hovhannes Manukyan, Armen Aghajanyan, David Hovhannisyan, Lusin Sarajyan, Lusine Harutyunyan, Vahagn Margaryan, Marina Nahapetyan, Arpine Harutyunyan and others. Festival concerts will be held in Yerevan, Kapan, Charentsavan and Gyumri.

Program concerts dedicated to Komitas and Avet Terteryan will also be held. Both classical organ and organ arrangements of Armenian musical gems and organ works by Armenian authors will be performed. Master classes will be held during the festival by organists from abroad.

It should be noted that within the framework of the opening of the Second International Festival of Organ Music named after Vahagn Stamboltsyan, the Komitas National Quartet was awarded the “Komitas” commemorative medal of the National Center for Chamber Music. The award was presented by the Minister of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, Zhanna Andreasyan.