Conversations with the Reed

Komitas Museum-Institute is pleased to invite you to the opening of the exhibition "Conversations with the Reed". The exhibition explores the strong ties that bind us to the reed (Arundo Donax species) and its territories from the Arax river to the Mediterranean basin. The exhibition engages in dialogue the double reeds used in the wind instruments in Armenian traditional and French baroque music, especially the duduk, the zurna, and oboe, and highlights the historical and modern use of the plant shedding light on contemporary issues faced by the master reed makers and the musicians both in Armenia and France. The exhibition serves as a vibrant platform for encounters between historical sources and contemporary practices, between artists and craftsmen at one with this plant, breathing new life into the "society of the reed " that was long ours.

"Menq" national dance group (artistic director Stepan Toroyan) and "Tagpar" ensemble will join the opening ceremony with performances of Armenian folk dances and folk tunes.

 

''TAGPAR'' ensemble:

Grigor Kartashyan, zurna

Erik Avagyan, zurna

Davit Alikhanyan, zurna

Grigor Davtyan, dhol

Zakar Avoyan, kopal

 

The exhibition was conceived as part of a call for projects entitled "Research in music: collaborations between young researchers and artists”, supported by the Direction générale de la création artistique of the French Ministry of Culture.

Partners and supporters: Ministère de l'éducation, des sciences, de la culture et des sports de l'Arménie, Ministère de la Culture de la France, Ambassade de France en Arménie, Institut Français, Veolia, UGAB, Sorbonne Université, Société française de musicologie, Centre de musique baroque de Versailles, Institut de recherche en Musicologie.