THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL VAHAGN STAMBOLTSYAN ORGAN FESTIVAL - 2022
Organ music has had its unique place and audience in the multi-genre musical life of Armenia. This is evidenced by the famous Armenian organists and the presence of many organs in Yerevan and other cities of Armenia: Etchmiadzin, Charentsavan, Kapan, Gyumri.
The first organ was installed in the Composers Union of Armenia in 1964, and despite its short history, the organ culture quickly flourished and became widely known abroad. Of course, all this, first of all, thanks to the efforts of Vahagn Stamboltsyan, the founder of the Armenian organ school.
In 1970, the organ of the Great Hall of the Philharmonic was opened, Vahagn Stamboltsyan and Lusine Zakaryan, Levon Abrahamyan and Gohar Gasparyan performed there.
Organists from Russia, the Baltic countries, Finland, Canada, France, the USA and other countries have given regular concerts in Armenia. Few people know that the famous French composer and organist Maurice Durufle also performed in Armenia in those years.
The installation of the organs was a stimulus for the creation of many works written for the organ by Armenian composers (Aram Khachatryan, Tigran Mansuryan, Avet Terteryan, Yervand Yerkanyan, Sergey Aghajanyan, Mikhail Kokzhaev, Eduard Hayrapetyan, Harutyun Dellayan, Stepan Shakaryan, Eduard Baghdasaryan, Arzas Voskanyan, Garegin Grigoryan, Kristapor Kushnaryan, David Gilanyan, Eduard Khaghvasotsyan, Melik Mavisakalyan, Mikael Tariverdiev, Levon Astvatatryan and others).
Armenian organists performed with great success abroad, participated in international festivals and competitions. And Vahagn Stamboltsyan was a member of the expected jury of international competitions. Organ festivals were also held in Armenia. Already in 1969, an organ festival dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Komitas was held.
In 1979, the Komitas Chamber Music Hall organ was installed, which is unique of its kind in the territory of the former USSR. In the 1990s, when the hall was not heated, the organ was damaged. In 2007, it was restored free of charge by Christian Wegscheider, a specialist from Dresden.
In 2022, the National Center of Chamber Music, with the support of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, implemented the first festival of organ music named after Vahagn Stamboltsyan, in which both Armenian and foreign organists participated. Classical repertuare, as well as organ arrangements of Armenian musical gems and organ compositions of Armenian authors were played.
Festival concerts were held in Yerevan at Komitas Chamber Music Hall and Composers Union of Armenia, Kapan State Art College and Charentsavan Music School After A. Khachatryan. Concerts dedicated to Komitas and Mikael Tariverdiev were held.
The Armenian organ school was presented by Anna Bakunts, Karine Hovhannisyan, Harutyun Tagvoryan, Tereza Voskanyan, Hovhannes Manukyan, Armen Aghajanyan, Davit Hovhannisyan, Lusin Sarajyan, Lusine Arutyunyan, Vahagn Margaryan, Marina Nahapetyan, Arpine Harutyunyan. Soprano Elvira Margaryan, flutist Vadim Talalyan and the male choir of spiritual music "Saghmosergu"(leader and conductor Vahe Begoyan) also took part in the festival.
The following musicians participated in the festival from abroad: Fabio Macera (Italy), Lada Labzina (Russia), Konstantin Volostnov (Russia), Jean-Pierre Steijvers (Netherlands), Evgeny Avramenko (Russia). The last two organists performed concerts in Charentsavan and Kapan as well.