Armenian musician from Aynjar finds new home in Armenia

Musical director and singer Kevork Hadjian would like to change many things in Armenia. Number one on his list is that Armenians greet one another, even complete strangers, on the street with a simple “hello” or “how are you doing?” This is the norm in the Lebanese village of Aynjar where Kevork was born. Armenians politely greet each other whether they know the person or not.

Aynjar, a village populated with Armenians who trace their roots back to Mousa Ler, is the only community where all the residents are Armenians. There are three churches and schools in the town. “Saying hello to someone lifts their spirits. It’s considered an insult not to say hello. When the Sharakan Ensemble went to Slovenia, the locals would say hello to us while walking around. It was such a nice and sincere gesture. It puts a smile on your face,” says Kevork. In 2005, Kevork moved to Armenia with his wife and young son.

“My life is here. I have some land and a house. My wife and I have become dual citizens. You can say that I have arrived home. I should have made the move earlier, but I thank the Lord above that my dream finally came true.” Before relocating for good to Armenia, the family visited on several occasions. Local Armenians advised him against settling here for good. His Armenian friends in Lebanon told Kevork he was taking a big risk and that Armenia hadn’t yet become the country they had read about in their history books.

“Don’t look at Armenia through rose-colored glasses and don’t go”, was their advice. Despite the warnings, Kevork packed up whatever he had back in Lebanon and made the move to Armenia. He brought about two tons of stuff – he wasn’t going back. Problems began the first day he arrived. Kevork had a document from the Armenian ambassador in Lebanon stating that the used furniture he brought wouldn’t have to be declared and levied at customs if the owner was permanently relocating to Armenia. Kevork, however, had to pay customs duties on the goods. Kevork says that the duties he paid went to the state budget and that he has the receipts to prove it.

“That was the law back then. Now, I don’t know how it is handled. I never mentioned any of this to my friends back home. I didn’t want the news of our problems to spread and come back to bite us here in Armenia. I have come to accept my country as a young adult. What more will they demand from a 19 year-old? First and foremost, this is my country, Armenia. It is not the country itself that will provide for my wants in life. Rather, it is individuals that must satisfy those wants. One must come here and participate in life,” says Kevork. He believes that Armenians can’t survive for much longer outside Armenia. They’ll eventually assimilate. It may take 50 or even 150 years, but in the end they’ll disappear.

“Here in Armenia, we are eternal. Of course, if we adopt a correct national politics. I feel pity for those Armenians living on foreign shores who create and waste away.” says Kevork, adding that many Armenians living in Russia, the internal diaspora, don’t speak Armenian even though they don’t live that far from Armenia. Kevork attended the Zarehian Seminary at the Catholicosate of Cilicia and the Parsegh Ganatchian Musical College in Lebanon. He also serves as a senior deacon in the Armenian Apostolic Church.

“As a child, my first steps were taken as an altar boy in the Saint Boghos Armenian Church in Aynjar,” Kevork recollects. In 1994, he moved to Kuwait and spent the next ten years directing both the young people’s choir at the Armenian National School and the Armenian Church Diocese’s Naregatsi coed adult choir. After moving to Armenia, Kevork attended musical director classes at the Komitas Conservatory. He takes master classes of academic solo singing from world opera singer, Barsegh Tumanian. In 2005-2008 Mr. Hadjian attended Hovhannes Vartanian`s professional classes at the Yerevan State Komitas (Gomidas) Conservatory. Kevork doesn’t like to brag about his achievements saying such talk would only make him lazy.

“I am never fully satisfied with my work performance. If and when I feel completely satisfied, then I’ll lose my drive.”

 He doesn’t even think about composing songs. Kevork is convinced that first he needs to distribute just half of what he’s already created. Kevork has performed on the stages in various countries – Syria, Iran, Cyprus, Slovenia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada and the U.S. In 2006, He had his first solo concert in Yerevan. Later on, he staged a tour of Armenia. His repertoire consists of Armenian spiritual songs – Komitas and others.

“For me, Armenian music is first Mesrop Mashtots, Narekatsi and Komitas. A singer must perform works that on a [personal level have a spiritual affinity and that speak to the heart. In my case, I am attracted my spiritual music.” Kevork is quick to point out that non-Armenians understand the beauty of Komitas better than the youth in Armenia today. He recounts that at his solo concert in Canada, Zhuan Wang, the Chinese pianist accompanying him, was amazed at the musical simplicity and richness of Komitas. The same effect also took place at Kevork’s performance in Iran. There, attending Swiss and German clergy were spellbound by the music of Komitas even though they understood not a word. “Just imagine their amazement if they had understood the words as well, the thoughts and feelings expressed through the music. It would have been magical for them.”

Kevork doesn’t like the fact that there isn’t even one TV station in Armenia that showcases Armenian art alongside normal show business fare. “Nowadays, given that Armenian TV programming gets beamed around the world via satellite technology, Armenian kids overseas get bombarded with these Turkish rhythms and songs. The young people like this kind of stuff with a beat that goes one ear and out the other. It gets you up and dancing but leaves you empty as well.” Kevork believes that musical directions imported from the outside can be compared to national culture like water and oil. They are both liquids but can never mix. Rather than preserving and passing down the inheritance of one’s own parents, the love of foreign things leads to inheriting that owned by one’s neighbors. The singer is convinced that tourism to Armenia could easily double if only Armenians would showcase their true national songs to the wider world audience.

“It’s like when a person sits down to eat breakfast. They eat a bit of bread, butter, jam and cheese; a balanced meal to get the required nutrients. Today, we are presenting all the nutrients except for our Armenian, national ones. Through art, we can change a whole lot of things, even political issues, if we get serious.” Kevork has released three CD’s in Armenia. In 2008 he released the first, entitled “Firstling Inspired by Gomidas” which includes 19 songs by Komitas with Levon Javadian`s piano accompany. The second is devoted to spiritual music. The third CD is a collection of songs from western Armenia rearranged by Daniel the Musician. The singer has a series of concerts scheduled in the coming months in Yerevan Stepanakert and Shushi. He also plans an overseas tour. Kevork is now working on his fourth and fifth CD’s. The next CD, also showcasing works by Komitas, will be devoted to the 25th anniversary of the St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Church in Vancouver. The 5th CD will highlight songs of the liberation struggle in western Armenia during the second half of the 19th century.