Comprehensive familiarity with Armenians music greats in Iran
RELIGIOUS NEWS AGENCY (REDNA) – The Armenians music and art greats, as remarkable founders and attendees of the music, have created everlasting masterpieces can be found through Iran`s music and art history studies. Modern music development as well as its arrival in Iran simply convey Armenian key roles.
Accordance to social service of REDNA (Religious News Agency), Armenians` roles in introducing and developing modern music in Iran are remarkable; Many artists took golden measures to develop music in Iran. The efforts made by Armenians composers, singers, poets and songwriters have had an important role in creating the treasure of Armenian and Iranian music.
The criticism the Armenians` music treasure in New Jolfa, Isfahan, Iran, has faced motivated REDNA`s editorial board to conduct a suitable piece of content for Christian community in Iran, a content the Armenians` music greats` robes deserves.
To enter the music world of Christian Armenians in Iran, the preliminary study began by a preface about history of music and musical instruments among Armenians` local residents of Jolfa neighborhood in Isfahan, Iran.
Turning the Iran`s music and art book`s pages, the key role of Armenians in developing and arrival of modern music in Iran is found out. Armenians, in fact, shared whatever contemporary music knowledge they had collected with their extended views through their diverse trips across the world with their fellow guests in Iran.
To decode the giant body of Armenians` music, it is worthy getting to know the Armenians` artist and music greats;
The Armenians` top music greats
- “Maghrodum Karaptian” founded the first orchestra of string instruments in Isfahan. Karaptian is titled the creator of stringed instruments in ancient Isfahan. The person who created one of the stringed musical instruments in Isfahan.
- “Lady “Gohar Abian Davidian” as the first Armenian graduated female student from Tehran Higher College of Music, played professionally in the Philharmonic Orchestra. She is considered one of the pioneers of Armenian women’s musical history in Iran.
- “Ruben Grigorian” is the first person who was able to collect a large treasure of Iranian folk songs and arrange them for four voices. He has also been the principal of the Higher Music Academy and the leader and founder of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra.
- “Waheh Khojayan” has been the leader of orchestra and the founder of the first orchestra of the National Radio of Iran. He brilliantly recorded rich and numerous productions for music in Iran’s radio and television. The services he has given to Iranian music are typically unique.
- Lady “Satnik Aghababian”, an opera singer, has been the first Iranian female opera singer who has starred in the field of mutual service the Armenian music has given to Iran. She is artistically distinguished by what she has done to revive women’s opera music styles in Iran.
- “Serzhik Mirzaian” has been the Armenian musician in Iran and orchestra leader. He has been the leader of the orchestra of choir group at Arsbaran cultural center with String Orchestra. “Performing independent music concerts using string orchestra, chamber music and musical groups” have been of the most remarkable activities by Serzhik and the group of musicians under his leadership.
- “Levon Gregorian”, Tabriz 1886.
- “Hambartsoum Gregorian”, Tabriz 1893
- “Vahik Khojaian”, Tehran 1929
- “Varoujan Hakhbandian”, Tehran 1977
- “Andre Arzoumanian”, Tehran 1954
- “Gourgen Movsesian” Hamedan 1942- Los Angeles 2014
- “Andre Galestian”, Tehran 1976
- “Vartan Sahakian”, Shahroud 1957
- “Rafael Minaskanian”, Tehran 1941
- “Loris Hovian”, Abadan 1973
- “Razmik Ohanian”
- “Serzhik Mirzaiyan”
The Armenians` roles in music development in Iran
“Andre Galestyan” as an Armenian literary experts and senior musician in Iran, believes many Armenian musicians for the first time brought public and military symphony orchestras to Iran.
Most Armenian musicians were not copiers
In order to identify the role of Armenians in Iranian music, it is necessary to mention some presenters of pure content in this field: Ruben Grigorian as the director of the Higher Conservatory of Music, the conductor of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra and the sponsor of the country’s music department played in the Boston Music Orchestra. Also, Gohar Abyar Davidian is the first woman to graduate from the Conservatory of Music. Varujan was a great personality, genius composer and one of the founders of pop music in Iran. This pianist described his ideal pop music as valuable, scientific and real with a proper structure. He did not copy his desired music and his compositions were made by his own.
Definitely, the special tone is so well tasted in the playing and composing of great people that no one thinks of listening to a copied work.
Armenians` musicians’ mutual services in Iran
Art and culture in Iran has owed to four musicians` generations of Gregorian family. Levon Gregorian, the Gregorians` ancestor, had five sons named “Hrach, Rouben and Asik”, from his first wife, and “Henry and Zareh(Zarik), from his second wife. Leon was born in Tabriz in 1886 and, in 1894 he entered the Armenians` Haykazian Tamadian Elementary School in same city. Being so interested in music realm and music science, he spent enthusiastically long time on producing many songs.
Three of Levon`s sons migrated Belgium after they had graduated from “Armenians` Caliphate-Studies High school” in Azerbaijan province, Iran. Series of Iranians` folklore music” albums were made by these originally Iranian musicians.” Rubik Gregorian, the Armenian-American musician, in my opinion, is a senior top musician” Aram Khachatourian described Rubik Gregorian, the short descriptive statement brought Rubik a worldwide fame. “Rubik is typically talented, a genius, an inspiring person and a skillful musician with Iranian national face.” Aram Khachatourian continued.
Rubik is one of the founders of the Armenian Culture Lovers Association. Annually, Armenians` evenings, a music program, is performed at the “Boston Symphony Hall” by this association in collaboration with the Boston Autumn Orchestra.
Badarak, the Armenians` religious music
To mark the Jesus Christ`s divine position, a type of religious ceremony called “Badarak” is performed in churches by Armenians in Iran. Badarak historical origins date back to a long time ago. This musical structure is usually compared with Ranmaninov’s vaspess oratorio. Badarak can be best described as a treasure Iranian and Armenian music have inherited from ancient times, something seems to be forever lasting.
Christian Dren Barati, the Armenian young genius
Dren Barati or Dren Baratian as an Armenian young pianist and composer genius is a proud of Iranian and Armenian music. He has internationally composed many songs, performed in many concerts and made various albums. Christian Dren Barati attended Ustad(master) Tigran Masroopian`s piano classes at the age of eleven. He entered “Tehran Boys National Music Conservatory” after finishing elementary school. He is in last grade of National Music Conservatory. Barati has competed in numerous competitions like “The best pianist”, where he won the first position in playing pianos. To increase his scientific and practical knowledge he has taken many master classes with famous professors like “Marineh Margarian”. Among all his piano masterpieces, his latest album will be made in 2023.