THE FRUITS OF HAYRIK MURADIAN’S WORK
By Hovhannes Yeranian
Yerkir.am
June 15, 2007
The 29th Folk Music Festival will be launched on June 19 at the State
Engineering University. Why was this university selected to host the
festival? There is one simple answer. The festival was founded by
Hayrik Muradian, an exceptional figure in Armenian folk music.
"Being a great patriot Hayrik Muradian was behind the worship for
folk music that started in 1960’s," Professor of the State Music
Conservatory of Yerevan Alina Pahlevanian says.
"Hayrik Muradian used to sing in then Polytechnic Institute and when he
sang the students felt the call of their blood," Pahlevanian says. The
students liked his performances so much that he made them periodical,
and this is how the folk music festival started.
Alina Pahlevanian recorded Hayrik Muradian and published a selection of
songs based on these recordings. This was a unique selection of songs.
However, after the book was published it became clear that over thirty
wonderful songs from Muradian’s repertoire were left out of the book.
Two years ago, in the framework of celebration of Hayrik Muradyan’s
100th anniversary it was planned to reprint the expanded selection
of songs.
However, the publication of the book was delayed for some reasons.
We are happy to announce that this publication was included into the
list of books to be printed with government funding. We are sure that
the selection will become the handbook for all those interested in
folk music.
It should be added that it was Hayrik Muradian who founded the folk
band at Yerevan State University that later became the foundation for
establishment of the University’s Cultural Club. Muradian also founded
the "Van" band at the Engineering University, two children’s choirs.
Nevertheless, unfortunately, these songs are still not as popular as
they deserve to be.