I was pleased to present my research, “Hamshen Armenian Songs in Contemporary Armenian Music: Preservation and Growing Interest,” at the 13th Symposium of the ICTMD Study Group on Music and Minorities, held in Yerevan, Armenia, from September 7–12, 2026.
The symposium brought together nearly 90 scholars from 33 countries, creating an inspiring international platform for exploring music, minority cultures, identity, and musical heritage.
My presentation explored the preservation and continuing development of Hamshen Armenian musical traditions, with particular attention to Anna Azizyan’s choral arrangements of Hamshen songs and their transformation into contemporary Armenian academic music. I also reflected on the work of the Kayt and Katil bands, whose performances contribute to renewed interest in Hamshen musical heritage and its presence in contemporary Armenian musical life.
It was a valuable opportunity to share this research with an international community of scholars and to discuss the ways in which musical traditions can be preserved, transformed, and reintroduced into contemporary cultural contexts.
I think “nearly 90 scholars from 33 countries” is especially worth keeping on your website—it immediately communicates the international scope of the symposium and the context in which you presented your research.
You can listen to the whole presentation on my YouTube channel:
