In May, the Komitas National Quartet toured Italy and Germany. The quartet is celebrating its 100th anniversary as well as the 155th anniversary of Komitas Vardapet. The “Renaissance” Foundation is the main sponsor of the jubilee concerts dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Komitas National Quartet.
The anniversary concerts offered the quartet another opportunity to present Armenian national music to European audiences. On May 1, the Komitas National Quartet performed at the “Altinate” Hall in Padua. The quartet performed works by Armenian and Western European composers, including the Komitas-Aslamazyan “Armenian Folk Miniatures.” They also held a concert at the historic Teatro Carlo Goldoni in Venice. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of its founding, the Mekhitarist Congregation awarded the Quartet the Commemorative Medal of Abbot Mekhitar.
On May 7, at the invitation of the Pontifical Delegation of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Western Europe, the Komitas National Quartet performed at the famous “Santa Maria delle Grazie” Church in Milan. Located in the heart of Milan, this church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The quartet’s concert took place in front of a packed house, featuring works by Armenian and Western European composers. The concert was attended by diplomats representing various countries, public and political figures, members of the Armenian community, and local music enthusiasts.
A concert dedicated to the quartet’s anniversary was also held at the “Karlshorst” Cultural Center in Berlin. In a joint performance with the “Jazz Trio,” the Quartet presented a unique blend of classic interpretations of Komitas’s “miniatures” and jazz harmonies.
The concert evening was held under the title “Truth in Music: Classical Music and Jazz Dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the Komitas National Quartet.” The evening opened with a film about the Komitas National Quartet. Thanks to the short documentary “A Century-Long Dignified Journey,” the European audience learned about the Quartet’s 100-year history, from its founding to global stages and international recognition.