Vahram Sargsyan

Vahram Sargsyan
Vahram Sargsyan
	Vahram Sargsyan
Born	May 28, 1981 (age 43); Yerevan, Armenia
Occupation(s)	Composer, Choral Conductor
Years active	1998–present

Vahram Sargsyan (Armenian: Վահրամ Սարգսյան) is an Armenian Canadian composer, choral conductor and experimental vocalist currently living in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Biography

Vahram Sargsyan studied composition with Ashot Zohrabyan at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory from 1998 to 2003, where he also studied choral conducting with Tigran Hekekyan from 2000 to 2006. He also studied composition at the Schulich School of Music, McGill University with composer Philippe Leroux.

Sargsyan's music has been performed in Armenia, UK, Germany, Austria, Belarus, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Belgium, Russia, Greece, Poland, Italy, Japan, Canada, as well as in the United States. His composition Luis Zvart was performed at the 6th World Symposium on Choral Music (Minneapolis, Minnesota 2002). His arrangement of Khorurd Metz^[1] (Great Mystery) is included in the Oxford University Press anthology World Carols for Choirs^[2] (2005)^[3] and has been recorded by BBC Singers. It has been broadcast^[4] by BBC Radio 3.

He has had commissions from Oxford University Press (UK), A.R.CO.VA.(Italy), Boston Choral Ensemble (USA), Norddeutscher Rundfunk (Germany),^[5] AGBU Foundation (USA), CBC Radio and others. Sargsyan's work Hunting the Hunter was premiered^[6] under his own baton in 2012 at Carnegie Hall.

Vahram Sargsyan's name has appeared in Who is Who in Choral Music^[7] since 2007. He is a member of Composers' Union of Armenia. He served as a music consultant^[8] for European Choral Association - Europa Cantat from 2010 to 2012.

Awards

Artiste de l’année à Laval ^[9] (Quebec, Canada 2024)
Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music .^[10] (Canada 2023, for Quiet Songs)
The winner award in the POLYPHONOS 2017 Commission Competition^[11] (Seattle, USA 2016)
Third prize in the Godfrey Ridout Awards from the Socan Foundation^[12] (2012, for Tribulationes);
The winner award in the 3rd BCE Commission Competition^[13] (Boston, USA 2010, for Tribulationes)
1st prize in the International Contest for New Choral Compositions^[14] (Petrinja, Croatia 2009, for Anegh Bnutiun);
An award from the World Armenian Congress “for creative achievements” (2009, for Mythis);
Co-winner award at the European Seminar for Young Composers^[15] (Aosta, Italy 2008, for Laudate Dominum);
An award in the Choral Composition Competition in Yerevan, Armenia (2006, for Tantum ergo).

Selected works

Orchestral

Ter yete - God, if (cantata), mixed chorus, large orchestra (64 players), 2003
Mythis, 18 strings, 2008

Chamber music

Five Images, cello, piano, 1996
Poem, cello, piano, 1998
Sonatina, clarinet, piano, 1999
String Quartet, 2000
Music for 13, large ensemble (13 players), 2002
Selbstvergessenheit, 2 clarinets, cello, piano, 2006
Deux Silhouettes Féminines (texts by Paul Fort, Yeghishe Charents), soprano, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, 2007
Hunting the Hunter, clarinet, marimba, 2 violins, viola, cello, piano, 2012
deperson, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, 2013
Gandz, large ensemble, 2013

Choral

Tkhur meran - Sadly Departed (text by Vahan Terian), female chorus, 1999
Kesgisher - Midnight (text by Vahan Terian), mixed chorus, 1999
Voghormya - Lord, Have Mercy (text from Psalm 50 [Armenian translation]), mixed chorus, 2000
Luys Zvart - Joyful Light (text from an ancient Greek sacred text [Armenian translation]), female chorus, 2001 (also version for mixed chorus, 2006)
Lux aeterna, mixed chorus, 2004
Tantum ergo (text by St. Thomas Aquinas), mixed chorus, 2006
Domine Deus (text from the Gloria), 7 mixed voices, 2007
Laudate Dominum (text from Psalm 150), mixed chorus, 2008
Anegh Bnutiun (text by St. Nerses Shnorhali), female chorus, 2008 (also version for male chorus, 2009)
Dzaynik (text by Komitas Vardapet), female chorus, 2009
Ilik (folk text), female chorus, 2009
Stabat Mater, mixed chorus, 2010
Tribulationes (excerpts from the Psalms), mixed chorus, 2010
Wage Peace (text by Judyth Hill), mixed chorus, 2011

Piano

Visions, 1997
Variations, 1999

Arrangements

Sirt im sasani - My Heart Is Grieving over Judas (13th-century Armenian choral), mixed chorus, 2002;
Khorurd metz (Movses Khorenatsi), mixed chorus, 2002
Ousti Guqas (Sayat-Nova), clarinet, marimba, cello, 2012

References

^ Khorurd Metz Mp3 Sample on the website of Oxford University Press: http://fdslive.oup.com/www.oup.com/academic/mp3/music/WCFC_Armenia.mp3
^ World Carols for Choirs http://www3.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/World_Carols_for_Choirs
^ B. Chilcott & S. Knight: World Carols for Choirs; Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-353231-X
^ BBC Radio 3 Playlist 12 December 2005, 10.38: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/latejunction/pip/dp97o/
^ "Das Repertoire von Ensemble Oktoplus: Grosse Kammermusik im Oktett und mehr".
^ "Fifth Annual AGBU NYSEC Performing Artists in Concert Raises over $50,000 to Support Students and Music Programs Worldwide".
^ G.Lazri & S. Simon, Who is Who in Choral Music ISBN 978-3-00-022159-0
^ Music Consultants of the European Choral Association – Europa Cantat until the end of 2012: http://www.europeanchoralassociation.org/about-us/music-commission/
^ "Vahram Sargsyan, Artiste de lâ€™annÃ©e Ã Laval". 3 June 2024.
^ "Vahram Sarkissian wins Jules LÃ©ger Prize for New Chamber Music". 20 November 2023.
^ POLYPHONOS 2017 winners: http://www.theesoterics.org/polyphonos/competition-results
^ Socan Foundation - Annual Young Composers Awards https://www.socan.ca/news/socan-foundation-announces-recipients-annual-young-composers-awards
^ BCE Commission Competition Winners: https://www.bostonchoral.org/commissions/2010-vahram-sargsyan/
^ Kompositionswettbewerb für neue Werke für Frauen- oder Männerstimmen, Preisgewinner: http://www.choralcroatia.com/germany/petrinja.aspx
^ Europa Cantat: European Seminar for Young Composers: http://www.imc-cim.org/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_detail&agid=11&year=2008&month=07&day=13&Itemid=203

External links

[1] Khorurd Metz Mp3 Sample on the website of Oxford University Press: http://fdslive.oup.com/www.oup.com/academic/mp3/music/WCFC_Armenia.mp3

[2] World Carols for Choirs http://www3.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/World_Carols_for_Choirs

[3] B. Chilcott & S. Knight: World Carols for Choirs; Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-353231-X

[4] BBC Radio 3 Playlist 12 December 2005, 10.38: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/latejunction/pip/dp97o/

[5] "Das Repertoire von Ensemble Oktoplus: Grosse Kammermusik im Oktett und mehr".

[6] "Fifth Annual AGBU NYSEC Performing Artists in Concert Raises over $50,000 to Support Students and Music Programs Worldwide".

[7] G.Lazri & S. Simon, Who is Who in Choral Music ISBN 978-3-00-022159-0

[8] Music Consultants of the European Choral Association – Europa Cantat until the end of 2012: http://www.europeanchoralassociation.org/about-us/music-commission/

[9] "Vahram Sargsyan, Artiste de lâ€™annÃ©e Ã Laval". 3 June 2024.

[10] "Vahram Sarkissian wins Jules LÃ©ger Prize for New Chamber Music". 20 November 2023.

[11] POLYPHONOS 2017 winners: http://www.theesoterics.org/polyphonos/competition-results

[12] Socan Foundation - Annual Young Composers Awards https://www.socan.ca/news/socan-foundation-announces-recipients-annual-young-composers-awards

[13] BCE Commission Competition Winners: https://www.bostonchoral.org/commissions/2010-vahram-sargsyan/

[14] Kompositionswettbewerb für neue Werke für Frauen- oder Männerstimmen, Preisgewinner: http://www.choralcroatia.com/germany/petrinja.aspx

[15] Europa Cantat: European Seminar for Young Composers: http://www.imc-cim.org/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_detail&agid=11&year=2008&month=07&day=13&Itemid=203

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