The Komitas Quartet is a string quartet musical ensemble founded in Moscow in November 1924, and is one of the oldest-established string quartets in the world still performing. It is now in the third and fourth generation of membership.
Original line-up The founding members were four Armenian students at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory: 1st violin: Avet Gabrielyan 2nd violin: Levon Ogandjanyan Viola: Mikael Terian (Микаэл Тэриан) Cello: Sergei Aslamazyan
This group gave its first public performance in February 1925.
Origins
This group, the best-known Armenian music group, carries the name of Komitas (Soghomon Soghomonyan, 1869–1935). The quartet has performed with Sviatoslav Richter, Nina Dorliak, Emil Gilels, Dmitri Shostakovich, Mstislav Rostropovich, Victor Merzhanov, Konstantin Igumnov, Walter Zeufert, Mario Brunello, Anahit Nersesyan and other prominent musicians.
Current line-up 1st violin: Eduard Tadevosyan 2nd violin: Syuzi Yeritsyan Viola: Aleksandr Kosemyan Cello: Angela Sargsyan
Premieres Date Venue Composer Composition Joined by 1958 Moscow Sofia Gubaidulina Piano Quintet Sofia Gubaidulina, piano
Recordings The quartet made a number of collection recordings in the USSR and released numerous albums in Russia, the United Kingdom, France and the United States. The latest CDs were released in recent three years. In 2007 "Armenian Contemporary Composers" studio album was released on the VEM label. In 2002, the CD was released "On the Fortieth Day" on Traditional Crossroads label in New York, with "Two Devotions" by the composer Vache Sharafyan. The next edition of the "Armenian Folk Miniatures" album was released in November 2010 by subvention of the Ministry of Culture of Armenia.
Management Arman Padaryan 2002–2011 Wise Business since 2011
References
Further reading The Montreal Gazette The Montreal Gazette II Eugene Register-Guard The Glasgow Herald
External links Komitas Quartet – Armenian National Music Official site of the Komitas Quartet Komitas Museum