YEREVAN, AUGUST 8, ARMENPRESS. The Geghard Vocal Ensemble just recently returned from the prestigious Salzburg Festival in Austria, where it performed Komitas, medieval monodies and spiritual songs by contemporary Armenian composers.

The artistic director of Geghard ensemble, Professor Mher Navoyan told ARMENPRESS that this is the second time they participated in the Salzburg Festival.

“This is one of the most prestigious festivals of classical music,” he said. “If I am not mistaken, we are the first Armenian ensemble to ever take part. This year’s program had the following principle: one evening – three concerts. The first part was Luigi Nono’s works, Tigran Mansurian’s Requiem was played in the second part, and the third part was dedicated to Komitas,” Navoyan said.

As a result of negotiations with the organizers of the festival, it was decided to include also modern spiritual music of Armenia in addition to Komitas’ Patarag – Yervand Yerkanyan, Daniel Yerajisht, Eduard Hayrapetyan, Davit Halajyan, Vache Sharafyan, Artur Aharonyan.

The concert was concluded with young composer Vahram Sargsyan’s Luys Zvart.

The ensemble received the invitation “by name of Komitas”, in other words to perform Komitas.

“The time of Komitas is just coming, he is returning once again with very surprising approaches. He is considered to be a phenomenon of a very innovative culture which is very modern in present days as well,” Navoyan said.