YEREVAN STATE CHAMBER CHOIR
Yerevan Chamber Choir was founded in 1996 by merited Art Figure of Armenia Harutyun Topikyan, who was the artistic director and conductor of the choir. It is one of the well-known musical collectives and since 2009 was recognized as a State collective (YSCC). Since its founding the choir had numerous concerts in Armenia and abroad. Within the frameworks of “Armenian Cultural Days in Germany”, The Choir brilliantly presented Komitas’s restored liturgy as well as new pieces by T. Mansurian in Bonn, Halle, Wittenberg and Magdeburg, then in Syria and Lebanon (1998). In 1999 the collective presented the premiere of composer Tigran Mansurian's "Ars Poetica" concerto and recorded an album.
World famous musicians – violist Kim Kashkashian and saxophonist Jan Garbarek, La Scala Theatre Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir led by Riccardo Muti, “Frankfurter Kantorei” led by Winfried Toll performed together with the Choir.
Within the frames of the project “Luys I Luso” in tandem with the outstanding jazz pianist Tigran Hamasyan the YSCC recorded album of sacred religious music arranged by the pianist himself for piano and choir (2014, ECM Records). T. Hamasyan and the Choir had long-term tour across Europe and in the cities of Turkey and Georgia (2015).
For the first time ever only by this collective were performed the Blessings “Berlin Liturgy” by Komitas (2012), the 1st polyphonic liturgy by Kara Murza (2013) and the “Liturgy of Mchitariants” by A. Aytnyan and J. Byom (2014).
The Choir has released 16 CDs. Among them, the CD “Music by KOMITAS Vardapet” was granted the Best Traditional Album award by the 3rd Annual Armenian Music Awards in Glendale (USA).
Since 2021 the artistic director and conductor of the YSCC is Kristina Voskanyan.
In 2022 the Yerevan State Chamber Choir took part in the 41st annual international "Hajnowka" International Orthodox church music festival held in Poland from September 21 to 25.
YSCC gave concerts in the Holy Trinity Evangelical Augsburg Church in Warsaw and in the Podlasie Opera and Filharmonic in Bialystok.
At the end of the festival, YSCC won the first prize in the category of professional choirs.
Harutyun Topikyan
Founder
Professional activity of Topikyan-conductor started in 1973 when he graduated from the Yerevan State Komitas Conservatoire. Since then Harutiune 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. Topikyan was awarded Laureate of the “Lenin YCU of Armenia” premium (1982).
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 the "Grand Prix" at the “Juventus” 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 honored to conduct 20.000 strong choirs. The same year he was invited to the annual convention of the American Musical Association in Phoenix, Arizona.
The 3rd Annual Armenian Music Awards held on November 17, 2000, in Glendale, California conferred the BEST TRADITIONAL ALBUM award to: “The Music of KOMITAS Vardapet” CD, recorded by Yerevan Chamber Choir. Many records of choirs conducted by Topikyan are archived in funds of Armenian State Radio Company.
Starting 1996 up to 2004 the YSCC was supported by Catholicoses of all Armenians, His Holiness Garegin I and His Holiness Garegin II.
During these years 9 CD’s were recorded by the choir, including masterpieces of classical and contemporary Armenian music.
In July 1997 the Yerevan Chamber Choir participated in the International Music Festival in Ravenna, Italy, where performed Armenian classical and modern music.
Christina Voskanyan
Artistic Director and Choirmaster
She was born in 1974 in the family of musicians, in Yerevan. From the age of 3 she played the piano, then from the age of 6 she attended the school after Sayat-Nova.
In 1993 she graduated from R. Melikyan Music College and entered the Conservatory as a conductor (Professor H. Mirzoyan's class). At the same time, she worked in the choir of the opera studio. In 1996, H. Topikyan founded the Yerevan State Chamber Choir, where she has been working since the day of its foundation. She is the author of adaptations and translations of many classical works for the choir. She has appeared in many projects.
EVA KHACHATRYAN
Branch manager
Eva Khachatryan is an Independent Curator and Art Manager. 1996-2001 she studied at Yerevan State Conservatory, Faculty of Music Theory and graduated as a Musicologist.
2003-2008 she was a curator at ACCEA (Armenian Center for Contemporary Experimental Art) and in 2006-2008 in the same institution, she held the position of Co-Director of Fine Arts Department.
In 2010-2011 she participated at the training course “Competence Center for Cultural Managers” organized by Goethe Institute in Berlin.
2004-2017 she cooperated with Goethe Institute in Tbilisi and since 2018 Goethe-Zentrum Eriwan.
She is a member of AICA Armenia (International Association of Art Critics) and its Vice President since 2013.
Since 2007 she is a member of CIMAM (International Committee of ICOM for Museums and Collections of Modern and Contemporary Art).
In 2007 – 2012 she was co-organizer of the Transkaukazja Festival initiated by The Other Space Foundation in Warsaw, Poland.
2012 – 2013 she was Supervisor at the “Job of Exhibition and Art Management” module and was responsible for the Project Lab at ICA, www.ica.am. 2014 – 2019 she was coordinating Frauenkulturbüro NRW e.V. exchange residency program for female artists from Armenia and Germany and since 2021 she is
a coordinator of Weltkunstzimmer Residency Exchange Program between Düsseldorf and Yerevan.
She is coordinating also ArtsLink’s Art Prospect Residency Program in Yerevan, Armenia and since
2018 she is Curator and Content Manager at Armenia International Art Fair.
Since 2009 she is running the platform Suburb Cultural Center: www.suburb.am