“Every concert that Ohannes Chekidjian’s State Academic Choir of Armenia gives in foreign cities is an artistic event for that particular city, and our city is no exception. Last night’s concert at the Art Center of Vordvots Vorotman Church in Gumgabu can be considered an artistic event…Last night’s concert will be recorded as one of the unforgettable concerts that the Armenians of Istanbul ever attended.”

Marmara, 7 June 2014

The concerts that the State Academic Choir of Armenia gave in Istanbul are unquestionably different from all the other concerts that the choir has given, be it in Armenia or abroad, at the most prestigious halls or the not too famous concert halls. It’s not about the level of performance or other qualities at all (the choir has always been very professional), but something different. Perhaps it’s something that’s part of the subconscious that makes the singers and Maestro Ohannes Chekidjian feel more than responsible, more than enthusiastic, as a result of which the audience witnesses a real “fireworks display” of song. After all, besides being the cradle of Armenian identity and the unique culture (including choral art), Armenian arts and constructivism, Istanbul-Constantinople is also the city where the great Komitas lived and created along with the several notable Armenians. Finally, it’s a city where the Maestro of All Armenians Ohannes Chekidjian was born.

Yours truly was lucky to not only attend the concert held on 5-8 June, but also perform with the State Academic Choir under the direction of Maestro Ohannes Chekidjian. The logical continuation of that concert was the following interview with the Maestro upon my return from Istanbul to Yerevan, and it’s my pleasure to present that interview to the readers of “Hayern Aysor”.

 “Hayern Aysor”: Maestro, the third concert tour of the State Academic Choir to Istanbul went down in history and was, as Marmara wrote, an “unforgettable concert” that was part of the cultural life of the Armenians of Istanbul. For four days, the choir gave two brilliant concerts and performed a Divine Liturgy at the Mother Church in Gumgabu. The liturgy was a surprise and was unquestionably a pleasant surprise. It was also binding. It served as an opportunity for the choir to rehearse more and made you and the singers work harder. Nevertheless, in spite of the long list of songs, the concerts were more than what everyone was expecting and turned into a real celebration for the Istanbul-Armenians. I believe there have been many surprises throughout your 50-year experience, and that “reminds” one not to be surprised by more surprises. How does that happen, Maestro?

Ohannes Chekidjian: Yes, we really had organized a very interesting program for the Armenians of Istanbul, but we hadn’t touched upon the fact that this concert could be more binding. After reaching Istanbul, it became clear that it was the great desire of our Istanbul-Armenian compatriots to see us perform Komitas’s “Liturgy” (Patarag) during a Divine Liturgy at the Mother Church of Gumgabu (all the singers performed-H.K.). That’s why we had to rehearse more on the spot so that we would be able to perform well during the Divine Liturgy. We didn’t have much time and were only able to rehearse three times, but I must say that it’s not easy to perform Komitas’s “Liturgy” with only three rehearsals. However, thank God everything turned out well. The Armenians gathered at the Mother Church, most of which had come to listen to our choir perform, were very content. Overall, our choir was in the spotlight.

That our singers are endowed with special attributes is no secret. Whether they perform a Liturgy or mundane songs, their performance is different from other performances. They have a different “handwriting”, and allow me to say, it’s my handwriting. After all, they are under my direction. The sound that I create is only mine. Nobody can create that sound. I’m not talking about which choir is better or worse. Mine, ours is different, no matter what. It might be difficult to explain or, better yet, “prove” what I’m saying, but I dare to say that whenever I direct the choir, the sound is totally different.

“Hayern Aysor”: It’s the “sound of Chekidjian”…and it has been the sound for more than 50 years.

O. C.: Yes, I have been creating that sound for the past 53 years. I feel it not only during concerts, but also during rehearsals. The singers feel it too. I also transmit their words and feelings. In this sense, I’m more than happy to see the choir perform as one person and go along with me and sing how I want it to sing. As a result, we hear, as you said, the “sound of Chekidjian”. That is the most important and, it’s safe to say, the major guarantee for our success. It’s also the main key for the choir to provide high quality. I would also like to say that our singers also confess (and it’s a great pleasure for me to hear that) that no matter how difficult the songs are, they don’t get tired under my direction.

“Hayern Aysor”: In such cases, the Armenians say “the hand helps”…

O. C.: It appears that’s the case. As for the last concert tour, the district council of the Mother Church of Istanbul invited the choir to perform as an opening act during the opening of the renovated structure adjunct to the Mother Church. The new structure is also a church and is called Vordvots Vorotman, but will mainly serve as a Center for the Arts. We left with 63 members, even though the hall could fully accommodate 63 people. We gave two great concerts that were well received and were more than we expected. Evidence of that were the warm, endless rounds of applause, the flowers and the great responses from Armenian presses of Istanbul. We were very happy to have accomplished our mission, that is, to entertain the Armenians. Even though we were a little tired, we returned, as they say, victoriously.

“Hayern Aysor”: Maestro, the Armenian government has declared the year 2014 as the “Year of Chekidjian”. It started with a concert dedicated to your 85^th birthday anniversary and will continue with events all year long. What other events will be held as part of the “Year of Chekidjian”?

O. C.: By saying “Year of Chekidjian”, we mean that this year people will talk more about Chekidjian and that Chekidjian will be in focus, right? Of course, there wil be events. On this occasion, a governmental commission was established under the direction of former Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan. However, after the Prime Minister’s resignation, everything is hanging from thin air. Frankly, I still haven’t had the chance to talk about this with the new Prime Minister due to his busy schedule. I hope the new Prime Minister assumes the obligation as chairman of that commission and puts everything in its place. That’s all I can say for now.

“Hayern Aysor”: Maestro, two months ago you received a special prize at the level of the CIS countries which, if I’m not mistaken, is only granted to one scientific or cultural figure of the CIS for his or her outstanding services in science and culture. This year the prestigious commission chose you as Armenia’s representative, and this is something that is unquestionably a great achievement and an honor for the entire Republic of Armenia. Could you please provide details?

O. C. You know, anything that Moscow or the CIS responds to, is generally a great success for, as you said, the entire Republic. It means that there truly is merit. So, perhaps it was not by chance that the commission reflected on Armenia and chose me. I must say that that award is unique in that it’s an international award, and the commission grants the award after conducting an in-depth and meticulous examination (let’s not forget that the commission is mainly composed of foreigners). Of course, I’m very happy and touched that my merit was appreciated once again and that I was lucky to receive the award, which is the second international award out of the more than 100 awards, titles and medals that I have received during my life (the first intenational award was the Medal of Friendship of Nations). I must also say that this last award came as a surprise for me and, of course, it was a pleasant surprise. I knew about that when everything had already been decided. I was invited to Moscow and participated in a grand ceremony. There were representatives of different nationalities, including famous intellectuals, scientific and cultural figures, well-known and unknown state officials who would approach me, congratulate me and express words of admiration. A meeting was held around a round table. Prominent individuals would stand up, congratulate me and appreciate my merit. What can I say? Words can’t describe…I truly felt happy and appreciated.

 “Hayern Aysor”: Let’s get back to the concerts in Istanbul. The Choir’s concert tour literally turned into a big event and a real celebration for the Istanbul-Armenians. As Marmara wrote, “it was a concert that will be recorded as an unforgettable concert”. The Armenians of Istanbul, which is your hometown, love Maestro Chekidjian in a special way. That love is “combined” with a feeling that is perhaps characteristic of only the Armenians of Istanbul. It’s the feeling of pride to consider Chekidjian as one of them. Everyone in Istanbul, starting from famous intellectuals and ending with the average listener, proudly says Chekidjian belongs to the Istanbul-Armenians. However, you haven’t been one of them for more than 50 years, better yet, you are not only theirs, but you are also part of all Armenians and, in a broader sense-you are part of the music world. Maestro, what do you have to say about Istanbul? Is Istanbul yours? How are the Choir’s concerts in Istanbul different from the other concerts?

O. C.: Let me start by saying that it seems as though what we do has no effect. In other words, it seems as though we don’t leave something “tangible”, like what an architect creates or what a write composes. We perform and go home…But that’s really not the case. Look, it has been exactly ten years since our last encounter with the Armenians of Istanbul, but people remember our performance in Istanbul as it if were yesterday. Most of my friends and close ones in Istanbul are no longer with us, but even the youth, who make up the majority of the listeners, at least know me by name and know the choir. You saw the excitement in the audience. You’re right, all the Armenians of Istanbul felt proud and, to a certain extent, they didn’t want to come to grips with the idea that I became detached from them and that they lost me…

“Hayern Aysor”: As for “losing” you, do you know what Editor-in-Chief of Marmara newspaper Robert Haddejian said during my interview with him in Istanbul? He said the following: “During the Choir’s first concert tour to Istanbul in 1997, I said the following in my speech on stage: “We lost Chekidjian so that all Armenians could gain him”. Then, he added: “I will say the same thing again today…”

O. C.: What Mr. Haddejian said not only flatters me, but also means a lot. If I stayed in Istanbul, I would be limited to working in Istanbul. However, working with the State Academic Choir of Armenia helped me become internationally recognized. We have given glorious and unforgettable concerts at the world’s prestigious halls, including the halls in New York, Paris, London, St. Petersburg, Moscow and many other cities. In other words, we “talked” to the world, and the world recognized us. If I stayed in Istanbul, then that would never happen. In this sense, I took the right step by coming to Armenia. So, the distinguished editor-in-chief of Marmara newspaper is right.

As far as the extent to which Istanbul is mine, I must say that it’s mine in many regards. Let me start with the purest feelings. The air at the sea makes me feel good. It kind of rejuvenates me. Let’s not forget the fact that I was born there. Doctors say if a person lives far from his birthplace, he should never lose the opportunity to visit it from time to time, and I try to do that. This might sound immodest, but the other important fact is that before coming to Armenia, I was quite well-known as a conductor and had done a lot. I was the choirmaster of the Chekidjian Choir. We have given several memorable concerts at the largest halls and, even though I was in my prime, I was popular. Now, as I said, most of my friends are no longer with us, but the city and the Armenian environment in Istanbul exists, even though a lot has changed. However, the people know and remember me. In this sense, every time I visit Istanbul, alone or with the choir, I feel different. I’m returning home, which is very precious to me. You don’t feel the same in any other place. You know, the Armenians of Istanbul are a type of Armenians that have formed throughout the centuries with their culture, values and lifestyle…The chuch that you saw, the Mother Church where we performed a Liturgy, is like no other Armenian church. I believe it’s not even like the chuches in Armenia. It’s splendid, influential and, let’s not forget, it’s in Turkey. At the time, I was also the choirmaster of the clergymen’s choir. Today, Istanbul has 36 Armenian chuches where a liturgy is performed every Sunday. So, I was born in that environment, in a city where Komitas, Zohrab and Varujan were born and created…Who else can I name? I can name the famous patriarchs of Constantinople, including Ormanyan, Shnorhk Galustyan and others…As you can see, there are “reasons” for me to consider Istanbul as mine.

“Hayern Aysor”: The final part of the concert in Istanbul exceeded all expectations. I’m referring to the famous opera “Karine” (“Leblebiji”) by Tigran Chukhajyan. The opera is close to the hearts of the Armenians of Istanbul, and the choir performed four parts of the opera as a final number. On this occasion, I would also like to “address” Marmara newspaper: “Chekidjian deemed it appropriate to end this unique concert with performances of parts from Chukhajyan’s “Leblebiji” because he knew that this opera was close to the hearts of the Armenians of Istanbul. However, I must say that these performances exceeded our expectations. The choir presented an entire operette with the pianist and four soloists…Just the last part that we can’t often hear was like a gift from Chekidjain and the choir to the Armenians of Istanbul, and the audience received the “gift” with warm rounds of applause”. It seems as though Haddedjian said it all, Maestro…

O. C.: I would like to add that for some reason, we Armenians don’t talk a lot about Chukhajyan. He is actually the founder of Armenian opera and the first Armenian who had the right to be called a composer. Unfortunately, he’s not properly appreciated. If I didn’t take this advantage, many things would be different. Of course, it was also important that those parts were performed in the end. As for the performance, the choir and I did our best to stay loyal to what Chukhajyan had composed. I think we exceeded not only our, but also the audience’s expectations. Taking the opportunity, I would like to thank the choir, and for the performances of Chukhajyan’s songs, I would like to thank all the soloists for their brilliant performances.

“Hayern Aysor”: Maestro, I don’t want to ask if you feel 85 years old because I’m sure you don’t, but the greatest phenomenon during the  additional rehearsals due to the”surprise” in Istanbul was your amazing vigor that conveys some kind of supernatural force to the choir (it was clear to see). If it’s no secret, then what is the secret of your endless vigor?

O. C.: No matter what we say, we all age. Yes, I’m 85 years old. That’s old, right? But what can I say? I don’t feel 85. I still have vigor. Perhaps it is because I still have work to do. I hope to go “further”, but it’s all in God’s hands. I think my parents also “played a role” in this. My mother was a very healthy woman and lived until the age of 109. That’s a lot. I don’t intend to live that long, but then again, there are things that are inexplicable.

“Hayern Aysor”: You have a glorious past, merit, love, respect, recognition, appreciation, medals and awards…However, I believe that besides all that, you  have a wealth, and that wealth is the sincere love of all the members of the choir…Do you agree that that is wealth? How important is it to you?

O. C.: I might start believing you (laughing-H.K.). People usually start talking behind their directors’ backs, right? I don’t even want to believe that it’s like that in our case. Do you know why? It’s because what we do is something that, for example, when the phrases in the music are good, it highly depends on me.  On the other hand, if the singers don’t perform with dedication, nothing will work out, especially due to the low salary. That self-dedication fills the souls of the singers, and it prevents all kinds of evils. In other words, this is the magical force of the greatness called Art, which unites and makes us equal and leads to the birth of the Love that is the greatest wealth of all wealths…

“Hayern Aysor”: Finally, since our interview is for the “Hayern Aysor” online newspaper of the Ministry of Diaspora, and you have been a member of the advisory board under the Minister of Diaspora since the establishment of the ministry, I would like to ask you to talk about your collaboration with the Ministry of Diaspora?

O. C.: It would be my pleasure. The Ministry of Diaspora, better yet, the minister selected me as a member of the advisory board of the ministry. Of course, I’m very touched, but above all that, there’s something else that I can’t say. I always feel the minister’s cordiality towards me and the work that I do. It’s not by chance that Mrs. Hranush Hakobyan shows the most active participation in organizing the events dedicated to my 85^th birthday anniversary and is the most enterprising, and I’m grateful to her for that. Armenia is the hope and faith of all Armenians abroad, and the Ministry of Diaspora, which came late, does a tremendous job. If only everyone had the energy of the Minister of Diaspora. What she did in just five years would have taken 50 years. And if the minister pays attention to me and shows her generosity amid her busy schedule and expresses her sympathy to me, that is already a great joy and honor for me.

“Hayern Aysor”: Thank you, dear Maestro.

Interview by Hayk Karapetyan