On 8 March the Art Vocal Ensemble will be appearing at the Concert Hall as yet another participant of the I International Choral Festival Maslenitsa in Song. Arno Barkhudarian, director of the Armenian ensemble, speaks of its first performance in St Petersburg.
Our ensemble was formed in 2005 as the chorus of the Church of St Mesrop Mashtots in Oshakan (a village 20 kilometres from Yerevan, Ed.). I spent five years seeking new voices for it. The level of performance allowed us to take part in activities organised by church leaders. In 2010 the head of the diocese wanted the chorus to be completely reorganised, turning it into a concert chorus of soloists, and since then it has been an independent ensemble.
I didn’t have the chance to gather a mixed ensemble, as the men never have time to sing as they must raise a living to afford their families a decent life. And I’m not a fan of inviting singers for a one-off performance and so I stick to women’s voices. It involved making quite some effort to solve the problem of the sound, the colour and the space. Once I did have a male chorus, so I have something to compare it with. When difficulties emerge with the musical drawing, I always ask myself “what would this sound like with a male chorus?” Remembering that sound helps me make the right decisions.
We can only be called “authentic” musicians to a certain extent. I support the theory of a bridge between history and the understanding of a modern audience. Depending on the works, sometimes I avoid a rich sound and use graphic strokes.
The programme that we’re bringing will be performed in St Petersburg for the first time. It is called Lost Roots. The works describe the beauty and richness of western Armenia that were lost during the First World War as well as during the Armenian genocide of 1915. Alongside the folkloric genre there will be religious works beginning from the 5th century leading up to the present day. Most of these were reconstructed and set for several voices by Karo Chalikian – an ethnographer, musician, academic and architect. Just like Komitas, he collected folk songs. For me it is important to present to the public the music of these two equally great composers so that they can judge for themselves. They are united by the fact that both wished to combine different voices together not using European tonal harmonisation but using the Armenian harmony system – the combination of three intertwined series of pure fourths: Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian tones.
I met Chalikian when I was fourteen years old. As a treble I was accepted into his chorus- the chorus of the Church of the Holy Spear. Later, when he was already not directing the ensemble, having dedicated himself to academic activities, we met and on hearing about the achievements of our ensemble he entrusted us with performing his arrangements.
Unlike other cultures, in Armenia you won’t find a peasant singing at home without a reason. All song genres are because of some event or activity.
We’ve prepared a varied programme. In the folkloric genre we’ll be presenting dance, lyrical-love, everyday and playful songs. As far as religious music is concerned we wanted to show the contrast between the deep and inspired sharakan (a song collection of ancient Armenian verse from the 5th to the 8th centuries, Ed.), “Without beginning, consubstantial”, and the vivid, multi-layered and majestic hymn Christ Is Risen.
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