Maailmamuusika. The Naghash Ensemble (Armeenia/USA)

Mon, 15 March at 19 Pärnu Concert Hall  
Tue, 16 March at 19 Estonia Concert Hall  
Wed, 17 March at 19 Jõhvi Concert Hall  
World Music. The Naghash Ensemble (Armenia/USA) 

Hasmik Baghdasaryan (soprano)  
Tatevik Movsesyan (soprano)  
Shahane Zalyan (alto)  
Tigran Hovhannisyan (dhol)  
Aram Nikoghosyan (oud)  
Emmanuel Hovhannisyan (duduk)  
John Hodian (piano, composition) 

Programme:  
John Hodian. „Songs of Exile“ 

The Naghash Ensemble blends the earthy spirituality of Armenian folk song with new classical elements and contemporary post-minimalism, fueled by the energy of rock and jazz. Featuring three vocalists alongside prominent instrumentalists on the duduk, oud, dhol, and piano, the collective crafts modern textures rooted in the sacred texts of M’krtich Naghash, a medieval Armenian mystic poet and priest. 

Conceived by Armenian - American composer John Hodian, the ensemble's major work „Songs of Exile“ presents a profound meditation on the relationship between humanity and the divine, seen through the eyes of a monk forced into years of displacement. Part traditional heritage and part chamber music, the result is deeply moving and spiritual. 

East meets West and antiquity fuses with modernity in this collection of contemplations, laments, and incantations. Completely absorbing yet entirely accessible.  
- NPR 

Hodian revives the 15th-century verses of M’krtich Naghash. While these pieces remain unmistakably Armenian, they appear to resonate from another world.  
- Armenisch-Deutsche Korrespondenz 

Duration: appr. 1 h 30 min (no intermission) 

See also:  
The Naghash Ensemble of Armenia