Anahit Papayan
soprano. Papayan graduated from the Vocal Department of the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory. As a child she was a member of the Choir “Little Singers of Armenia” (artistic director Tigran Hekekyan). In 1996-2001, she was a soloist of the “Saghmos” Choir of Holy Katoghikeh Church, Diocese of Kotayk of the Armenian Apostolic Church. In 1998-2000 she was a soloist in the Armenian Public Radio Chamber Choir (artistic director Tigran Hekekyan). In 2001 she has founded the “Geghard” Vocal Ensemble (artistic director Mher Navoyan) and has served as a conductor and soloist in the Holy Geghard Monastery. Together with the ensemble she has participated in different International Festivals and has had concert-tours in Germany, Austria, Finland, Czech Republic, France, Belarus, Poland, Italy, Lebanon, Russia, Sweden, winning the Grand Prix in the competition of Orthodox music “Kolozhski Blagovest” in Belarus and the First Prize in the sacred music competition “Hajnowka’s Days of Orthodox Music” in Poland. Since 2011 Anahit Papayan has been working as a conductor of the Student Choir at “Ayb” high school. Since 2012 she has been the director of the State Center for Armenian Sacred Music at the Ministry of Culture of RA. Her repertoire comprises Armenian sacred chants, as well as works of Armenian, Russian and European composers.