KOHAR Symphony Orchestra and Choir
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The KOHAR Symphony Orchestra and Choir (frequently named and known as KOHAR) is a
symphony orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, ce ...
and
choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which ...
based in
Gyumri Gyumri ( hy, Գյումրի, ) is an urban municipal community and the second-largest city in Armenia, serving as the administrative center of Shirak Province in the northwestern part of the country. By the end of the 19th century, when the city w ...
,
Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
.


History

KOHAR was founded in 1997 as an independent musical and cultural institution by the Armenian culture patron Harout Khatchadourian of
Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
, who along with his brothers, Shahe and Nar Khatchadourian, entirely sustained the activities of KOHAR and all its concerts, in tribute to, and in memory of, their late father Aram, and named the orchestra to honor their mother 'Kohar'. KOHAR initially started as a symphony orchestra in the year 2000, playing the
music of Armenia The music of Armenia ( hy, հայկական երաժշտություն ''haykakan yerazhshtut’yun'') has its origins in the Armenian highlands, dating back to the 3rd millennium BCE, and is a long-standing musical tradition that encompass ...
, and other popular songs and well-known
symphonies A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning com ...
, under the helm of Creative Director and Conductor Sebouh Abcarian of Cyprus. Later the KOHAR Choir was formed to complement the work of the KOHAR Symphony Orchestra. KOHAR consisted of over 150 musicians and 12 solo singers, along with a 15 dance-member ensemble. The Symphony Orchestra & Choir quickly grew in popularity with its initial outdoor concerts on the premises of KOHAR in Lebanon, which attracted interest and admiration from locals and overseas visitors.


Break out tours

KOHAR's first major concert tour 'All Time Armenian Favourites', took place in the summer of 2002, in
Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
and Lebanon, and it spread over four days. The concerts served as a distinctive cultural experience, drawing more than 4000 people to BIEL, downtown Beirut, which transformed the hall into a scenic, memorable and glorifying moment for Armenian musical history. According to media, the collection of traditional & popular songs "drew many into tears of nostalgia, reminiscence and pride".


International success

In October 2005, it was the turn for Istanbul, Turkey, to enjoy KOHAR’s ''All Time Armenian Favorites'' Tour. On October 9–12, 2005, the concert was held at Lutfi Kirdar Concert Hall, with more than 7000 Armenians, and visiting audiences from Istanbul and the suburbs, and as far away as the Adana province attended. KOHAR’s triumphs continued from one capital to another, and on 28–29 April 2006, the Grand Hall of the
Kremlin The Kremlin ( rus, Московский Кремль, r=Moskovskiy Kreml', p=ˈmɐˈskofskʲɪj krʲemlʲ, t=Moscow Kremlin) is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow founded by the Rurik dynasty, Rurik dynasty. It is the best known of th ...
, Moscow, witnessed unprecedented enthusiasm, when almost 12,000 Armenian, Russian and foreign audiences, relished KOHAR’s unique performance for the first time. It was a widely publicized rare appearance by an Armenian Orchestra in Russia, which was highly successful with the Russian audience.
KOHAR made its North American debut at the end of 2007, and conquered the major cities of the US and Canada. The North American Tour of KOHAR began on October 18, 2007, in Los Angeles, and moved to San Francisco, Detroit, Chicago, Boston, Toronto and Montreal, before ending with the conquering of New York’s
Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...
on November 20, 2007. KOHAR has continued to spread its message when touring the Middle East, commencing with the Syrian Arab Republic, and the first appearance on July 9, 2009, a

The Opera Theater of Damascus, followed by successful performances in the 15th, 16 and 17 July 2009, within the ancient fortress of the renowned world-heritage site of the
Citadel of Aleppo The Citadel of Aleppo ( ar, قلعة حلب, Qalʿat Ḥalab) is a large medieval fortified palace in the centre of the old city of Aleppo, northern Syria. It is considered to be one of the oldest and largest castles in the world. Usage of ...
. KOHAR showcased its largest concert with Stars of Armenia at Liberty Square near the Opera House in the heart of Yerevan, Armenia on 28 May 2011. The star-studded event brought together the most popular singers of Armenia who performed with KOHAR their much-loved songs that are admired by fans and audiences alike. The live concert was broadcast live by Armenia’s Channel 1 TV and for the first time via Internet live stream. Over 10,000 spectators, in addition to tens of thousands of TV and Internet viewers from Armenia and the Diaspora, were mesmerized by KOHAR’s performance of the finest tunes and the program which was dubbed as the biggest show ever performed in Armenia for its grandiose magnificent production. KOHAR's latest production by HAYASA Productions LTD of Cyprus and Domino Production of Armenia boasted a superb 3D mapping and projection on the façade of the Opera House of images that transposed into Armenia’s history from Noah’s Ark to its national symbol Ararad, its rich Alphabet – the Ayp Pen Kim – reaching historic Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. The culmination of the night was the performance of the song "Babenagan Guiliguia", which topped the charts in Armenia as the Number 1 song for 8 consecutive weeks. Together with KOHAR, the audience joined in the performance waving more than 3000 flags of Kingdom of Cilicia that were distributed by the organizers. A similar enthusiasm from the audience erupted with the song “Veraganknir Guiliguia,” which has become KOHAR’s anthem. During the course of its existence, KOHAR has become an important cornerstone, with its unique musical renditions of Armenia's favorite songs, for the
Armenian Diaspora The Armenian diaspora refers to the communities of Armenians outside Armenia and other locations where Armenians are considered an indigenous population. Since antiquity, Armenians have established communities in many regions throughout the world. ...
. Aiming at reviving and promulgating the
Armenian alphabet The Armenian alphabet ( hy, Հայոց գրեր, ' or , ') is an alphabetic writing system used to write Armenian language, Armenian. It was developed around 405 AD by Mesrop Mashtots, an Armenian linguist and wikt:ecclesiastical, ecclesiast ...
and
culture Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tyl ...
, and bringing its share to preserving Armenian heritage for future generations at home and abroad.


Awards and acknowledgements

In 2004, KOHAR won the Intermedia Award at the World Media Festival in Hamburg, Germany In 2005, it also won the Anoush Achievement Award at the Seventh Annual Armenian Music Awards, held at the Hollywood Palladium, California. Patron of Armenian culture, Harout Khatchadourian of Lebanon, was awarded at the presidential palace with the “Movses Khorenatsi” medal by President
Serzh Sargsyan Serzh Azati Sargsyan ( hy, Սերժ Ազատի Սարգսյան, ; born 30 June 1954)Of ...
of Armenia on 17 September 2011 for his decades of continuous and dedicated cultural contribution in different Armenian Diasporas in safeguarding and promulgating Armenian music, song, culture, Ayp Pen Kim’s (Armenian alphabet).KoharBlog: Harout Khatchadourian is awarded with Movses Khorenatsi medal
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References


Further reading


External links


Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kohar Symphony Orchestra And Choir Symphony orchestras Armenian diaspora Music organizations based in Armenia Musical groups established in 1997 Gyumri