YEREVAN — They are recognized internationally as an outstanding vocal group, and informally called cultural ambassadors of Armenia. The Little Singers of Armenia choir, founded in 1992 by Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Tigran Hekekyan, has performed extensively in cities and countries throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America, spreading knowledge of Armenian music to audiences of multifarious language groups and musical cultures. Their repertoire reflects their experience, as it embraces works spanning centuries and genres, from sacred music of the early Christian era through the Middle Ages and Renaissance to the classical, and beyond, to include jazz and contemporary music. And they sing in the original languages of the works.
Their next major appearance will be unique. On September 14, at 7 p.m., the Komitas Chamber Music Hall in Yerevan will host the Little Singers of Armenia Choir, led by Hekekyan, together with the renowned Swiss harpist Alexander Boldachev, pianist Marine Margaryan, and soloists Eva Karagyan and Suzanna Avetisyan. The concert is titled “An Evening of English Music.”
What is so unique about English music, one might ask. A glance at the program shows that it is the concept of the concert that is unique. It will open with works by Benjamin Britten, the central figure in English music in the 20th century: A Ceremony of Carols and Friday Afternoons. The second part of the program takes one back to the Renaissance, with works by William Byrd (1540-1623), a contemporary of Shakespeare, and Baroque composer Henry Purcell (1659-1695). It concludes with two pieces by a living composer John Rutter.
Thus, the Little Singers will be taking the audience on a journey through centuries of English music.
From England they will moves across continents, to ancient India. Just before the concluding pieces by Rutter, the Little Singers, accompanied on the harp by Boldachev, will perform two works by Gustav Holst, Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda and Summer (from Two Eastern Pictures). The first is a collection of hymns from the ancient Sanskrit that the composer himself translated into English. The Rig Veda is one of four Vedas, the sacred texts of the Hindu religion, first transmitted orally, then written, and are considered the oldest texts in the Indo-Germanic language group. The four hymns to be performed at the concert are dedicated to natural elements and gods. Summer, again from classical Sanskrit literature, is based on a text by the poet Kalidasa.
The Story Behind the Collaboration
Why did Hekekyan choose such a program, with works spanning thousands of years and from distant cultures? It came from a meeting of musical minds: Two years ago, the world-renowned harpist Boldachev heard the Little Singers of Armenia’s recording of Britten’s music and expressed a desire to perform a joint concert. Now, two years later, that wish has materialized in Yerevan. Agreement had been made to perform A Ceremony of Carols, and further discussion led to discovery of Holst’s large-scale four-movement work, Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda, which they thought would complement the Britten beautifully.
As expressed in the concert program, “Perhaps the central message of An Evening of English Music is not simply to present the music of another country and different historical periods, but to discover within this music what is universal: the beauty of the human voice, the power of the word, and the extraordinary ability of music to create a space for mutual understanding.”
Cosmopolitan Artists with Multicultural Repertoires
Like the Little Singers of Armenia, Boldachev is a musician with an international repertoire embracing several musical genres. He is also a composer, conductor, and producer, widely recognized as a leading figure in classical crossover, who has redefined the role of the harp in contemporary music. He has expanded its artistic language and audience, having performed in more than 50 countries across five continents. He has appeared at major venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Musikverein in Vienna, and the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, but also on unconventional stages including Burning Man and at the FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony, sharing the stage with Robbie Williams.
As a prolific composer, Boldachev has written and arranged more than 300 works, blending classical virtuosity with rock, jazz improvisation and electronic soundscapes. His recordings have received international recognition, including an ICMA nomination and prestigious awards. When he is not performing on stage, he is teaching as an Adjunct Professor at Azusa Pacific University and a Guest Professor at the Royal Academy of Music (London), Milan Conservatory, and the Faculty of Music in Belgrade. Actively involved in theatre, film, and social initiatives, he is the founder of World Harp Day and the Zurich Harp Festival. Boldachev’s artistic vision is driven by a single belief: that anything is possible — using the harp as a universal voice to connect cultures, genres, and communities worldwide.
Much the same may be said of the Little Singers of Armenia, founded in 1992 under the auspices of the Armenian Little Singers International Association of Hekekyan, and Yerevan Municipality. The choir has taken part in international competitions as well as festivals since 1995 in western and eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the United States,
Recognized as a Choir of the European Union, the Little Singers were nominated as Cultural Ambassador by the European Federation of Choirs in 2001 and awarded the Leonardo da Vinci silver medal by the European Academy of Natural Sciences. It has also received some of the highest awards bestowed by the President of Armenia, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Science and Education, and the Mayor of Yerevan. It has performed with renowned conductors and has recorded several CDs. The achievements of the choir mirror those of their founder, Hekekyan, who has received his nation’s highest awards. He has created other choirs in addition, including the Armenian Radio Chamber choir and, in addition to his conducting, he has been a professor of conducting at the Yerevan Komitas State University since 1985, has served as juror in international competitions, and guest lecturer abroad.
Tickets for the September 14 concert are available through the online platforms toms.am and tkt.am. Ticket prices range from 5,000 to 7,000 drams.