The Sahakyan Choir of Istanbul is in Armenia.

The choir will be giving its first concert today at the American University of Armenia with the support of the RA Ministry of Diaspora.

“Hayern Aysor”’s correspondent sat down for an interview with the choirmaster Sevan Agoshian prior to the concert.

Sevan Agoshian: I have been the head of Sahakyan Choir since 1990. We have performed in various concert halls of Istanbul, and our goal was to visit the homeland someday.

“Hayern Aysor”: So, the choir is in Armenia for the first time ever.

Sevan Agoshian: Yes, this is the choir’s first visit to Armenia. We’re very happy to be here and perform for our compatriots. We were also very happy to have attended the presentation of Makruhi’s (Makruhi Hagopian-ed.) book.

“Hayern Aysor”: Mr. Agoshian, how many singers are there?

S. A.: There are a total of 65 singers, but we have come with 90 singers since most of them are with their families. We’re sightseeing in Armenia together.

“Hayern Aysor”: Will all 90 singers be performing on stage?

S. A.: No (smiling-ed.), there will only be 65 singers. You know, it’s hard to move with nearly 100 people. But we overlook all that and are happy to be in our homeland together.

“Hayern Aysor”: Mr. Agoshian, Sahakyan Choir is the choir of the church. During the presentation of Makruhi Hagopian’s book, the choir performed spiritual and mundane songs. Could you tell us about the repertoire?

S. A.: First, I would like to give a historical background of the choir.

Sahakyan Choir has been around for 500 years. When the Ottoman Emperor Fatih seized Constantinople, most of the citizens were displaced. After that, the emperor brought the Armenians in Anatolia to Constantinople. The Armenian Patriarchate was also moved to Constantinople so that the Armenians of Bursa would move to Constantinople.

In 1491, the first mass was served at the St. Gevorg Armenian Church in Samatia, and this led to the creation of the Sahakyan Choir.

The year 1703 is a year to remember for our choir since that is the year that has gone down in history.

The year 1938 is also important for the choir since that is the year when we started singing in various voices. Everyone knows that Komitas Vardapet created a co-ed choir in Constantinople in the 1910s and that the choir started performing the songs of the Mass and our national songs in several voices. Among the choir were residents of several districts, including leaders and choirmasters of different churches, who later returned to their churches and disseminated the innovations that they had inherited from Komitas.

The choir started singing during Masses at St. Gevorg Church in Samatia in 1938 and has been singing to this day.

We’re not simply a choir that sings acapella or mundane sons. We sing folk, mundane and spiritual songs.

“Hayern Aysor”: The choir performed a part of the Mass during Makruhi Hagopian’s book presentation. Which one was it?

S. A.: It was Grigor Chukhhayan’s mass devoted to the St. Gevorg Church in Samatia. It was a great honor for us to perform it. But we also sing the masses of Komitas and Yekmalyan. It is a joy for us to sing different masses that fill our repertoire with new songs.

The members of the choir are mainly the youth. Our goal is to not only gather and sing. We perform in front of nearly 1,000-1,500 people and always feel their energy. When people see members of the choir, they recognize them as members of the Sahakyan Choir.

Our soloists are honored and reputable within the community.

We have members of different professions, including jewelers, dentists, mathematicians, philosophers and more. They have no profit and spend a part of their free time rehearsing with joy and pleasure.

We often give concerts, take part in events organized at universities, different festivals and have several awards. We work constantly.

“Hayern Aysor”: Have you sung in the Sahakyan Choir?

S. A.: I have sung in other choirs.

I personally play the organ. I have been performing masses since I was 13 or 14 years old.

My teacher was the teacher of all teachers, the most well-known person in the Turkish Conservatory, Professor Jirair Aslanyants, a person who helped me achieve great heights.

Interview by Lusine Abrahamyan