A Decade in Song: The “Biayna” Choir Celebrated Its 10th Anniversary

Song is memory, spiritual heritage and a language that unites generations. Over time it continues to live and is handed down from generation to generation, thanks to the dedication of those who keep national musical values alive through their work and art. This was the idea that brought together the participants of the anniversary concert of the “Biayna” choir of the “Vanadzor State University after H. Tumanyan” Foundation, held on 3 November in the main hall of Vanadzor State School of Arts and dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the choir. The concert was attended by the University Rector Armen Tsaturyan, faculty members, representatives of the clergy, staff and students.

The “Biayna” choir was founded in 2016 on the initiative of Sergey Harutyunyan, on the basis of the “Holy Mother of God” choir of the Gugark Diocese. Over its ten years of activity the ensemble has followed its own creative path, shaping a distinct identity within the cultural life of the university. Those years have been marked by joint work, musical exploration and a particular devotion to Armenian vocal art.

The anniversary event was hosted by Zaruhi Khachatryan, one of the choir’s first members. She opened with a retrospective of Biayna’s history, describing how the choir came into being, the path it has travelled and how it has grown over the years into one large family. Looking back at memories and at the road behind them gave those present one more occasion to appreciate the work and dedication thanks to which the ensemble has reached its tenth anniversary.

Father Vahan Azaryan stressed the important role of the “Biayna” choir in the life of Vanadzor and its contribution to enriching the city’s spiritual and cultural environment.

Next, Ashot Dallakyan, President of the “Happy Seniors” Cultural Union, took the floor. Congratulating the choir on its anniversary, he praised Sergey Harutyunyan’s many years of work and dedication and presented him with a diploma of honour. A certificate of honour was also awarded to Gurgen Khachatryan, Doctor of Philology and Professor, who laid the foundation of the choir and made a significant contribution to its formation and development.

The concert programme included works representing different periods and trends of the Armenian musical heritage. The audience heard a sacred hymn (sharakan) by Nerses Shnorhali, as well as works by Khachatur Avetisyan, Gurgen Khachatryan, Komitas, James Gozalyan and Aleksander Atchemyan. Armenian folk songs in arrangements by Tatul Altunyan and Eduard Kzartmyan also had a distinctive place in the programme. The combination of sacred, folk and patriotic songs gave the concert a richness of content and allowed listeners to engage with the multilayered world of Armenian vocal art. The choral performances were complemented by solo numbers, and Syuzanna Potinyan and Karine Yeritsyan provided accompaniment during the event.

In the performances, spiritual depth, the sincere tones of the folk song and the power of patriotic works were woven together. Each song had its own mood and story, at times leading the listener back to the sources of national memory, at others conveying messages about homeland, love and human experience.

One of the most moving moments of the anniversary concert was the meeting of different generations of the choir on stage. For this important day, Ani Tiratsuyan, a former member of “Biayna”, had come from Gyumri to Vanadzor and, with deep longing and pride, stepped onto the stage once again. The senior and junior members of the choir then sang together. At that moment it seemed that not only voices but also years, memories and feelings had been united in the hall. The joint performance of former and current members became one of the most emotional moments of the anniversary, a reminder that the story of “Biayna” has not been written solely through the songs sung on stage. It is also a story of time spent together, of friendship, of mutual support, and of strong bonds formed around music.

The event was concluded by VSU Rector Armen Tsaturyan, who thanked the choir’s artistic director Sergey Harutyunyan for his years of selfless work and dedication. He underlined the important role of the “Biayna” choir in university life and highlighted its contribution to enriching the university’s cultural life. The anniversary concert was not merely a musical programme; it became an occasion to appreciate ten years of work, creative dedication and the road travelled. It affirmed once again that the national song remains alive as long as there are people who love it, preserve it and pass it on to the next generations