Artistic director։ Mher Navoyan
Conductor։ Anahit Papayan
“Geghard” Ensemble was founded in 2001 by soloist and conductor Anahit Papayan. This female ensemble consists of eight singers. The artistic director is Mher Navoyan, Doctor of Arts, professor, medievalist-musicologist, Honored Worker of Arts of RA.
Besides the Divine Liturgies sung each Sunday in St. Geghard Monastery (IV-XIII c.), the ensemble has also wide concert activities.
The main aim of the ensemble is to present Armenian choral music in Armenia and abroad. The concerts are often accompanied by the lectures on Armenian music by the artistic director Mher Navoyan.
The ensemble has collaboration with the Center for Armenian Sacred Music of the Ministry of Culture of RA.
The program of “Geghard” vocal ensemble includes:
Armenian medieval monodies from the 5^thto the 15^th centuries in solo and choral performances,
Choral arrangements of Armenian sacred and folk songs by Armenian classical and contemporary composers,
Works of Armenian contemporary composers,
Works of European classical and contemporary composers.
The ensemble has had numerous concerts in Germany, Austria, Finland, France, Czech Republic, Belarus, Poland, Italy, Belgium, Lebanon, Russia, Sweden.
Recent achievements are participation in the renowned Salzburg Festival and a concert in Elbphilharmonie (Hamburg).Among the festivals in which the Geghard Ensemble has participated especially are remarkable the “Moscow Easter Festival” (Russia), “Kirkko Soikoon” in Finland, Sacred Music Festival “Voix et Route Romane” in Strasbourg (France), “Musicfest” of International Bachakademie in Stuttgart (Germany), “Benefit” concert series of St. Nicholas Church in Prague (Czech Republic), Internatioanl festival “Des Voûtes célestes” of Vendee (France), “Musica Sacra International” in Marktoberdorf (Germany), “Al Bustan” in Beirut (Lebanon), “International Academy of Sacred Music” in St. Petersburg (Russia), etc.
In 2010 the Ensemble has participated in two competitions of sacred music and has won the “Grand Prix” in the competition of Orthodox Church Music “Kolozhski Blagovest” in Grodno (Belarus) and the first prize in the International Competition “Hajnowka’s Days of Orthodox Music” in Hajnowka (Poland), etc.
The ensemble has released three CD-s: ”Armenian Music” (2002), “Armenian Altar” (2005), “Mystery Deep” (2013).