National Chamber Choir of Armenia

The Armenian Chamber Choir (ACC) was established with the generous sponsorship of “Vatche and Tamar Manoukian” Benevolent Association in October 2000. Robert Mlkeyan, a “Movses Khorenatsi” medal recipient and an Honored Art Worker of Armenia since 2008, was invited to occupy the post of the Artistic Director and the Principal Conductor of the Choir. Under Mlkeyan’s leadership, the ACC was recognized as the best chamber choir of Armenia in a short span of time. In 2008, the ACC acquired the status of a state (public) choir and was renamed into State Chamber Choir of Armenia (NCCA).

NCCA is a professional choir consisting of 35 musicians. Their repertoire includes the works of Gabrielli, Bach, Brahms, Vasks, Schnittke and other great composers. SCCA brilliantly performs works of Komitas, as well as works of contemporary Armenian composers. Over the years the choir has presented the audiences with world premieres featuring works of Tigran Mansourian, David Halajian, Edward Hayrapetian and many others. Moreover, the choir has introduced the debut performances of choral masterpieces of Britten, Schnittke, Vasks, Poulenc, Debussy and other composers to the Armenian audience.

In addition to frequent concerts in Yerevan, NCCA implements charity projects by performing in various regions of Armenia and spreading choral art among the wider Armenian public.

One of the greatest achievements of the Chamber Choir is the release in 2006 of “ARS POETICA” CD, featuring the choral concert written by Tigran Mansourian on the basis of 10 poems by Yeghishe Charents. In 2006, the CD was awarded a five-star rating by the World Music Council. The inclusion of the ARS POETICA CD in “The Gramophone”, one of the most prestigious music catalogues, reporting on the most prestigious classical CDs since 1923, may be considered another significant achievement for the Choir.

From 2001 to , the Choir held concerts in London, Italy, in the “White Hall” and Catherine Palace in Saint Petersburg, in the Council of Europe Concert Hall in Strasbourg, France.

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ROBERT MLKEYAN

The first steps as a musician he started as violinist. After he simultaneously studied symphonic and choral conducting, continuing studies in Saint-Petersburg

Attempted a big professional experience working as:

• Students' choir of the department of composition and music science at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory.

• Conservatory Youth Choir , the republican competition «Gran-pri» prize , being jointly an Emin Khachaturian classroom assistant intern .

• Gyumri State Symphonic Orchestra's principle conductor and Artistic director, at the same time also the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Chamber Choir of Gyumri (1992-2000)

• Created "Hay folk" vocal ensemble in Yerevan, having exceptional success and a lot of tours (1995)

• Since 2000 - principal conductor and Artistic director of the National Chamber Choir of Armenia

Have had guest appearances in Paris (Saint-Louis, Sal Gavo), Lyon, Marseille, Aleppo, Damascus, Latakiayum, Tbilisi, Moscow, St. Petersburg (White Hall, Smolni temple Glazunovi Hall), Hannover, Frankfurt, Strasbourg, Bergamoyum (Donitsettii hall), Toronto, Ottawa, Dresden (in cooperation with Dresden Philharmonic at Fraukirkhe temple).

«ARS POETICA» CD was recorded by worldwide famous ECM recording studio, uploading the complete information of the CD on Brittish «THE GRAMOPHONE» honorable musical catalog pages.

In 1996 was awarded the "Movses KHORENATSI" medal for a significant contribution to the cultural life and music in Armenia.

In 2008 he was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Republic of Armenia.

ARMEN ARABYAN

A violinist by training, a graduate of Yerevan State Conservatoire after Komitas (1975), Arabyan joined the State Symphonic Orchestra of Armenia following his graduation. In the same period he began to teach violin classes at the School of Music after T. Tchouhadjian. Having joined the Symphonic Orchestra of the State Radio and Television in 1978, he became its director in 1988. Between 1991 and 1993 he served as the Chief Director of the Music Programmes Service of the State Radio and Television. In 1993 he was appointed to the position of the Chief Adviser to the Head of the State Radio and Television. Two years later he became the Head of the Department of International Affairs of the RA Ministry of Communications. Between 1996 and1997 he served as the Deputy Chief of the Department of Cultural Affairs of Yerevan Municipality. In 1997 Armen Arabyan became the Director of the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia. Since 2009 he has devoted his creative talents to the National Chamber Choir of Armenia.
Since 2007, A. Arabian has been the Golden Medal recipient of the Armenian Ministry of Culture, and in 2011 he has been awarded with the honorary title of the Honoured Art Worker of Armenia.