PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: info@ArmenianOrthodoxChurch.org
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

THE ARMENIAN CHURCH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION (ACUSA) CELEBRATES THE
140TH ANNIVERSARY OF KOMITAS VARTABED

On Saturday 21 March 2009, in the Gulbenkian hall of the Cilicia Museum,
ACUSA honoured the memory of the great composer, ethnographer, musicologist
and monk, Komitas Vartabed. In her opening speech, the President of ACUSA
introduced the artist, who inspired many musicians and began a renaissance
in Armenian musicology. She noted that Komitas Vartabed contributed greatly
to the creation and codification of ancient Armenian spiritual music and
peasants’ melodies. Among his many compositions, the chorals and the Batarak
(liturgy) remain outstanding. Following this introduction, the students of
the Ganatchayan Music School presented the works of the musician in concert.
Archbishop Komitas Ohanian concluded the evening by paying homage to the
great Vartabed of the Armenian Church, who purified Armenian music by
eliminating foreign influences.

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* Komitas Vartabed was a survivor and eyewitness to the atrocities
committed against the Armenians by the Turks in April 1915. On April 24, in
Constantinople, he was arrested with other intellectuals. His personal
experiences as a prisoner and his eyewitness account of violence and
killings against defenceless Armenians affected greatly his later
compositions.

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View the photos here:
tos/Photos365.htm
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The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Youth
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.