Edvard Mik'aeli Mirzoyan (; May 12, 1921 – October 5, 2012) was an

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...

composer. Edvard Mirzoyan was born in Gori,

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

. He called himself an

atheist Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...

, but added, "There is only one planet on which people live and are being born. And while it is, it's a miracle. A miracle, every leaf and every bug.... And it all depends on how you are able to enjoy this miracle. Some do not even think that they were born into a miracle." He is considered one member of the group called " Armenia's Mighty Handful", a reference to the 19th century collective known as the " Mighty Handful." He is also considered an integral part to the "Armenian School" of music composition alongside the composers

Arno Babajanian Arno Harutyuni Babajanian (January 22, 1921November 11, 1983) was a Soviet and Armenian composer and pianist. He was made a People's Artist of the USSR in 1971. Biography Babajanian was born in Yerevan on January 22, 1921. By age 5, his musical ...

and

Alexander Arutiunian Alexander Grigori Arutiunian (23 September 192028 March 2012), was a Soviet Union, Soviet and Armenian composer and pianist, widely known for his 1950 Trumpet Concerto (Arutiunian), Trumpet Concerto. A professor at Komitas State Conservatory of ...

Biography

Mirzoyan first enrolled in music at the Yerevan Music School named after A. Spendiarov. He would later graduate from the Komitas State Conservatory in 1941 having studied under the Armenian composers

Sargis Barkhudaryan Sargis Barkhudaryan () (August 26, 1887 – October 25, 1973) was an Armenian composer, pianist and educator. Biography Born in Tiflis (now Tbilisi), Georgia. Sargis was one of the eight children of a successful businessman, who died when his ...

and Vardges Talyan (the symphonic poem “Loretsi Sako” forming his graduate thesis work). He would soon be conscripted into the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...

in 1942, and it is here where he would compose many patriotic and war-related songs. In 1948, Mirzoyan would begin professorship at

Yerevan Conservatory Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan (), also known as Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory (YKSC) or Yerevan State Conservatory (YSC), is a state-owned college of music located in Yerevan, Armenia. The institute was founded in 1921 as a music st ...

(a.k.a. Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan), and would become the department head of composition in 1965. In 1952, he would also begin teaching at the R. O. Melikyan Musical College (now the Yerevan State Musical College after Romanos Melikyan). In the late 1950s, he was elected president of the Armenian Composers’ Union, a position he held until 1991. He also served as the president of the Peace Foundation of Armenia. While president of the

Composers' Union The Union of Russian Composers (formerly the Union of Soviet Composers, Order of Lenin Union of Composers of USSR () (1932– ), and Union of Soviet Composers of the USSR) is a state-created organization for musicians and musicologists created in 1 ...

, Mirzoyan drove the development and construction of the Composers’ Union Resort in

Dilijan Dilijan () is a spa town and urban municipal community in the Dilijan Municipality of the Tavush Province of Armenia. The town is one of the most important resorts in Armenia, situated within the Dilijan National Park. The forested town is home t ...

, which now bears his name. The resort went on to be one of the most well-known cultural hubs of the Soviet Union.

Family

Mirzoyan's mother and father was Colonial Semyon Alikhanov and Lusya B. Pershangova respectfully. His mother was an actress of the Sundukyan Theater and had trained at Yerevan Conservatory in classical singing, although did not choose to pursue a career. He would be married to Elena (Heghine) Mamikonovna for 50 years. He is survived by his two children, Zara and Arshak Mirzoyan.

Music

Mirzoyan's compositional output is relatively small but quite distinguished, combining graceful lyricism with intense drama. With its formal structure and tonal design, his style has been described as Neoclassical, with elements of Armenian folksong always present. Mirzoyan's String Quartet, Cello Sonata, Symphony for Strings and Timpani, and Epitaph for String Orchestra have become notable additions to the repertoire. Edvard Mirzoyan died on October 5 of 2012, and is buried at the

Komitas Pantheon __NOTOC__ Komitas Park and Pantheon () is located in Yerevan's Shengavit District, on the right side of the main Arshakunyats Avenue, in Armenia. It was formed in 1936 after the demolition of the "Mler" cemetery and its historic chapel. Many out ...

which is located in the city center of Yerevan.

Filmography

*Yot hndik tghaner (Seven Indian Boys, 2007) *Khachmeruki deghatune (Crossroad's pharmacy, 1988) *Tasnerku ughekitsner (Twelve Companions, 1962) *Pluzum (Collapse, 1960) *Chaos (Chaos, 1973) :hy:Քաոս (ֆիլմ)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mirzoyan, Edvard 1921 births 2012 deaths Armenian composers Armenian atheists Georgian people of Armenian descent Burials at the Komitas Pantheon Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan alumni Academic staff of the Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan People from Gori, Georgia Soviet composers