Geghuni Chitchyan or Chitchian (; ; born 30 August 1929) is 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, pianist, and pedagogue. Her parents were veteran teachers; her brother, Henrikh, an established violinist.

Biography

Chitchyan was born on 30 August 1929 in Leninakan (now

Gyumri Gyumri (, ) is an urban municipal community and the List of cities and towns in Armenia, second-largest city in Armenia, serving as the administrative center of Shirak Province in the northwestern part of the country. By the end of the 19th centur ...

). While attending the Tigranian Elementary School of Music, she began composing. At the age of ten she had already a published song. In 1940, she entered the Tchaikovsky Music School in

Yerevan Yerevan ( , , ; ; sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia, as well as one of the world's List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerev ...

to study piano and composition. She continued her studies in composition with

Grigor Yeghiazaryan Grigor Yeghiazaryan (), also known as Grigory Ilyich (Yegiayevich) Yegiazaryan (; December 21, 1908 − November 4, 1988), was a Soviet Armenian composer. After a childhood spent amidst the Armenian genocide, Yeghiazaryan joined the Red Army in ...

from 1947 to 1953 at the

Yerevan Komitas State 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 ...

. After graduating, Chitchyan became the founding director of the composition department at the Konstantin Sarajev Music School in Yerevan. In 1971 she joined the faculty of the Yerevan Conservatory. In 1982 she was appointed assistant professor, and in 1990 she became a tenured professor. Geghuni Cjhitchyan

Chitchyan has been active in various musical and social organizations. She joined the Armenian Composers Union in 1955; was an associate of the Women's Council of Armenia; and a member of the Artistic Forum of State Radio. She is the author of training manuals for music institutes and the co-author of a music textbook for school children. Chitchyan's compositions have been performed in the

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, various

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, and

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. There have been retrospective concerts of her music in

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, Yerevan,

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, and

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. Geghuni Chitchyan is the laureate in more than 30 international and national competitions.

Compositions

Chitchyan's music is characterized by lyricism, immediacy, and vividness. She composes for orchestra, chamber ensembles, various solo instruments, voice, and choral groups, some of which are published by international companies. She has written music for the theatre and children as well.

Selected works

*«Անդանտե և Ֆուգա» (Andante and Fugue for string quartet), 1949 *«Սոնատ» (Sonata for cello and piano), 1951 *«Հինգ ռոմանսներ» (Five Art Songs, text by

Hovhannes Shiraz Hovhannes Shiraz (; April 27, 1914 – March 24, 1984) was an Armenians, Armenian poet. Biography Shiraz was born Onik Tadevosi Karapetyan in the city of Alexandropol, then part of the Russian Empire (now Gyumri, Armenia). His mother, Astghik ...

), 1954 *«Մանկական սյուիտ» (Children’s Suite for orchestra), 1955 *«Բալետային սյուիտ» (Choreographic Suite for orchestra), 1956 *«Հինգ ռոմանսներ» (Five Art Songs, text by

Yeghishe Charents Yeghishe Charents (; , 1897 – November 27, 1937) was an Armenian poet, writer and public activist. Charents' literary subject matter ranged from his experiences in the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and frequently Armenia and Arme ...

, 1957 *«Իմ Հայաստան» (My Armenia, cantata for a cappella chorus, text by

Gegham Saryan Gegham Baghdasaryan (, December 25, 1902, Tabriz – November 14, 1976, Yerevan Yerevan ( , , ; ; sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia, as well as one of the world's List of oldest continuously inhabited citi ...

Maro Markarian Maro Yeghishe Markarian (Armenian: Մարո Եղիշեի Մարգարյան) (December 22, 1915, Shulaver, Marneuli region, Georgia – January 28 or 29, 1999, Yerevan, Armenia (buried in Byurakan) was an Armenian poet, translator, member of th ...

), 1959 *«Սիրո երգեր», ռոմանսների շարք (Songs of Love, vocal cycle for voice and piano, text by

Silva Kaputikyan Silva Kaputikyan () (20 January 1919 – 25 August 2006) was an Armenian poet and political activist. One of the best-known Armenian writers of the twentieth century, she is recognized as "the leading poetess of Armenia" and "the grand lady of t ...

), 1961 *«Կոնցերտ ձայնի և սիմֆոնիկ նվագախմբի համար» (Concerto for voice and orchestra), 1963 *«Յոթ մանկական սիմֆոնիկ պատկերներ» (Seven Symphonic Pictures for Children for orchestra), 1964 *«Հինգ ռոմանսներ» (Five Art Songs, text by

Paruyr Sevak Paruyr Sevak (; January 24, 1924 – June 17, 1971) was an Armenians, Armenian poet, translator and literary critic. He is considered one of the greatest Armenian poets of the 20th century. Biography Sevak was born Paruyr Ghazaryan () in the vi ...

), 1964 *«Մանկական էջեր» (Children’s Pieces for piano), 1966 *«Հայրենի քարեր» (Native Stones for a cappella chorus, text by Kankanyan), 1966 *«Բարի լույս», սիմֆոնիկ նախերգանք (Hello Morning! overture for orchestra), 1967 *«Կոնցերտային պիեսներ շեփորի և դաշնամուրի համար» (Concert Pieces for trumpet and piano), 1970 *«Առավոտ», երգերի շարք (A series of 10 songs for voice and piano, various poets), 1972 *«Երեք պիես ջութակահարների անսամպլի համար» (Three pieces for violin ensemble), 1970 *«Հայկական խորաքանդակներ» դաշնամուրի համար (Armenian Bas-Reliefs for piano), 1972 *«Տարվա եղանակներ» (The Seasons, a brief cantata for a cappella women's choir, text by Sargis Kharazyan, Suren Muradyan, and

Sarmen Sarmen (), pseudonym of Armenak Sarkisyan (; – 18 February 1984) was a Soviet Armenian poet. He wrote the lyrics to the Anthem of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic which remained in use from 1944 to 1991 in the Armenian SSR. Early life ...

), 1972 *«Անհայտ զինվորը» (The Unknown Soldier, poem-requiem for a cappella chorus, text by Suren Muradyan), 1975 *«Էջեր Իսահակյանից» (Pages from Isahakyan, text by

Avetik Isahakyan Avetik Sahaki Isahakyan (; October 30, 1875 – October 17, 1957) was an Armenian lyric poet, writer and public activist. Biography Isahakyan was born in Alexandropol (present-day Gyumri, Armenia) in 1875. He was educated at the Gevorgian S ...

), 1975 *«Ձօն հայրենիքին» (Ode to the Homeland, text by Suren Muradyan), 1976 *«Կոնցերտ ջութակի և նվագախմբի համար» (Concerto for violin and orchestra), 1976 *«Տերևը աշնան» (An Autumn Leaf for a cappella chorus, text by Tsakan Shogents), 1977 *«Երկու կվինտետներ փայտա-փողային գործիքների համար» (Two Woodwind Quintets for Young Players), 1979 *«Սոնատ շեփորի և դաշնամուրի համար» (Sonata for trumpet and piano), 1979 *«Բրելյուտ՝ Նվիրում Սիլվա Կապուտիկյանին» (Prelude in Dedication to Silva Kaputikyan for piano), 1979 *«Երկու շշուկ» (Two Whispers, vocal cycle, text by Vahagn Davtyan), 1979 *«Անսամբլներ դաշնամուրի համար չորս ձեռքով» (Ensemble for piano four hands), 1980 *«Հայոց ծառը», պոեմ (The Tree of Armenia, poem for a cappella choir, text by Suren Muradyan), 1980 *«Սոնատ-մինանվագ թավջութակի համար» (Sonata for solo cello), 1983 *«Երգեր» (A collection of 26 songs for voice and piano, various poets), 1985 *«Սոնատ ալտի և դաշնամուրի համար» (Sonata for viola and piano), 1986 *«Սոնատին» (Sonatina for piano), 1986 *«Կամերային սիմֆոնիա» (Chamber Symphony 'In Memoriam Aram Khachaturian' for string orchestra), 1988 *«Կվինտետ չորս ֆլեյտա և ալտ ֆլեյտաի համար (Quintet for four flutes and alto flute), 1988 *«Թեքվել է սարը» ռոմանսների շարք (The Mountain Bent Down, a cycle of art songs, text by Hamo Sahyan), 1990 *«Մանկական ալբոմ» (Children's Album for piano), 1990 *«Սոնատ ուտի և դաշնամուրի համար» (Sonata for

oud The oud ( ; , ) is a Middle Eastern short-neck lute-type, pear-shaped, fretless stringed instrument (a chordophone in the Hornbostel–Sachs classification of instruments), usually with 11 strings grouped in six courses, but some models have ...

and piano), 1990 *«Անձրևը տեղաց» (The Rain Has Poured Down, vocal cycle, text by Samvel Safaryan), 1993 *«Սուրբ հոգի» (The Sacred Soul, text by Abp.

Nerses Pozapalian Archbishop Nerses () (born Hakob Pozapalian) (5 July 1937 – 27 June 2009) was a senior bishop of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Early life and education Pozapalian was born in 1937 in the town of Kırıkhan, French Mandate for Syria and ...

), 1995 *«Երեք աղօթք» (Three Prayers for a cappella chorus, text by

Moushegh Ishkhan Moushegh Ishkhan (; born as ''Jenderejian'', 1913 Sivrihisar - 12 June 1990 Beirut) was an Armenian Diasporan poet, writer and educator. Life and work Moushegh Ishkhan was born in 1913 in Sivrihisar, a village near Ankara. Orphaned during the Arm ...

), 2000 *«Հայկական ուրվանկար» (Armenian Sketch for trumpet and piano), 2001 *«Սոնատ» (Sonata for clarinet and piano), 2006 *«Նովելետ», «Բուրլեսկ» Ֆագոտի և դաշնամուրի համար (Noveletta, Burlesque for bassoon and piano), 2007 *«Ժանեակներ» (Laces for flute and piano), 2008 *«Մթնաձորում», «Ու՞ր ես» (In the Dark Valley, Where Are You?, for a cappella chorus, text by Yeghishe Charents), 2010 *«Էստամպներ» (Estampes for piano, violin and cello), 2012 *«Էպիտաֆիա» դաշնամուրի համար (Epitaph 'In Memory of my brothers' for piano), 2018

Awards

* Merited Art Worker of the Armenian SSR in 1980 *

Movses Khorenatsi medal The Movses Khorenatsi Medal () is Armenia's highest cultural award. It is presented by the president of Armenia to people who have significantly contributed to the advancement of Armenian culture. Artist Richard Jeranian received the medal in 201 ...

in 2009 *

Honored Artist of Armenia Honored Artist of Armenia is an award given by the Republic of Armenia. It was established in 2002 as "Honorary Titles of the Republic of Armenia in Science, Education, Journalism, Culture, Arts, Health, Physical Culture and Sports". The award w ...

in 2011

Biography

Compositions

Selected works

Awards

References

Further reading