The Shoghaken Folk Ensemble was founded in 1995 in Yerevan. The group uses only traditional Armenian instruments, maintaining an authentic sound with the duduk, zurna, dhol, kanon, kamancha, shvi, and other instruments. Singers Hasmik Harutyunyan and Aleksan Harutyunyan are known throughout Armenia, the former Soviet Union, and Europe for their unique interpretation of Armenian folk and ashoughagan (troubadour) music. In 1995, Shoghaken recorded folk music for Celestial Harmonies in the Music of Armenia series. The ensemble also had success in the Armenia Festival in Die, southern France, representing Armenia in the folk music tradition. Shoghaken was involved in several recordings in 2001. In May, Shakeh Avanessian, of London, and Laura Shannon, of Scotland, recorded an album of Armenian dance melodies in Yerevan. Avanessian and Shannon are professional dancers who present traditional dance in concerts and seminars in Europe and the Middle East. The recording, Gorani: Traditional Dances from the Armenian Homeland, is named for “Gorani,” a song and dance from the Moush region of Historic Armenia. In August, Shoghaken recorded an album of Armenian folk music for Traditional Crossroads (see Recommended Links). The recording included Armenian folk, ashoughagan, patriotic, and epic songs. The CD, entitled Armenia Anthology, was released in May 2002. You can order the CD directly from Traditional Crossroads by going to http://www.traditionalcrossroads.com. In search of authentic Armenian folk music for the soundtrack of Ararat, his film about the Armenian Genocide, Atom Egoyan traveled to Yerevan in December of 2001 with composer Mychael Danna. They found and recorded Shoghaken, whose inspired work has made them Armenia’s premier folk music ensemble. In addition to drawing on their extensive repertoire of Armenian folk music, the musicians of Shoghaken were successfully able to improvise according to the needs of the movie — the recording studio becoming a creative atmosphere in which the director and composer conveyed the style and feel of Ararat to the group. Through ensemble pieces and improvisations, Shoghaken was able to exert a deep and positive influence on Egoyan’s important film. The members of the group were also pleased to play a part in telling the story of the Genocide. Shoghaken was also invited to the United States by world-renowned cellist, Yo Yo Ma, to perform at the 2002 Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. To see photos and read more about the festival, click here. In July 2003, three members of the group traveled to Estonia to participate in the Viljandi Folk Festival in Viljandi, Estonia. Vocalist Hasmik Harutyunyan was accompanied by musicians Levon Tevanyan and Karine Hovhannisyan in two well-attended concerts. To see photos and read more about the group’s Estonia performances, click here. In February 2004, Traditional Crossroads released two more Shoghaken Ensemble recordings: Armenian Lullabies, a haunting collection of lullabies from Historic Armenia featuring Hasmik Harutyunyan and the musicians of Shoghaken; and Traditional Dances of Armenia, an instrumental and vocal presentation of traditional dances of the Armenian homeland. Official presentation of the CDs coincided with the ensemble’s 2004 U.S. tour, arranged by Harold Hagopian. Both CDs are available for purchase at Traditional Crossroads. In December, Shoghaken participated in “Armenian Culture Days,” a celebration of music, performance, and art held in Sharja, in the United Arab Emirates. To see photos and read more about the event, click here. In February 2005, the group performed in Montreal at the Strictly Mundial music conference. While in Canada, Hasmik Harutyunyan and Gevorg Dabaghyan were interviewed at the Palais de Congress for the Canadian Broadcasting Network’s widely distributed “Global Village” radio program. In August, Shoghaken appeared in Concert at the Cascade, a Yerevan event sponsored by the Cafesjian Foundation and filmed for the international Armenian television audience. In the first of several events scheduled for 2006, Shoghaken performed in Paris at the prestigious Theatre de la Ville in February. To see photos and read more about the event, which was filmed for worldwide broadcast, click here. For a French-language review, video, interview, gallery, and music samples, click here. In June, the group participated in the Armenia Year in Russia festivities at the St. Petersburg Palaces classical music festival. This was followed by a trip to Rudolstadt, Germany, in July for performances, workshops, and a radio program as part of the Dance and Folk Music Festival. In 2008, Shoghaken gave concerts and workshops during their second major tour of the US and Canada. Organized by Harold Hagopian of Traditional Crossroads, the tour coincided with the release of the ensemble’s latest CD, Shoghaken Ensemble: Music From Armenia. Rounding out Shoghaken’s schedule in 2008 are concerts in Jerusalem, Spain, India, and Yerevan. For information about other festivals, concerts, and recordings, write me at andranik48@aol.com. Traditional Dances of Armenia — Sample MP3s Alashkerti Kochari       Shatakhi Dzernapar       Tsamerov Par       Ververi For more information about Shoghaken and a video link to their performance at the Kennedy Center, click here. (Video link requires high speed Internet access.) Shoghaken Folk Ensemble’s 2002 CD release, Armenia Anthology, was recognized as the Best CD of the year in the World Music category at the Association For Independent Music/National Association of Recording Merchandisers (AFIM/NARM) convention held in March 2003. The prestigious award, an independent labels version of the Grammys, is the fourth garnered by Harold Hagopian’s Traditional Crossroads label. What others are saying about Shoghaken and Armenia Anthology . . . These are the sounds of a people with great sorrow to be sure, given the massacres they have endured through even recent history, but they are also the sounds of a people determined that their history not be eradicated or disappear. Haunting, elegant, deeply spiritual, and moving. — Thom Jurek, All Music Guide We are told that “Shoghaken” means “source of light” and indeed, this CD has brightened my path to appreciating the music of Armenia more fully. . . . Highly recommended for lovers of traditional wind instruments, poetical lyrical verse and Balkan-like rhythms. — Erika Borsos, Amazon.com review A better introduction to the fabulous world of Armenian music would be difficult to imagine. — Dirty Linen Hasmik Harutyunyan’s vocals are deeply emotional, while duduk player Gevorg Dabaghyan often steals the show with his virtuosity. — Sing Out! The now well-known Shoghaken Ensemble . . . is dedicated to reviving the richness of Armenian folk music using traditional instruments and singing styles. Armenia Anthology reflects this with a range of folk songs, dances and ashugh (minstrel) music from various regions, as well as with a couple of 20th-century compositions. There are some real gems: the duduk’s expressive tone lifted by the contained excitement of the dhol (large cylindrical drum) on “Shorora”; some exhilarating weddings dances; and a number of strong and solemn work songs. And it’s a particular joy to hear the voice of Hasmik Harutyunyan, one of Armenia’s best-known folk singers, with her rich, fresh and clear tone, and an ear finely tuned to the local modes. — Songlines	Sample MP3 Recordings Nazani Armenia Anthology Performed by Hasmik Harutyunyan and Shoghaken Folk Ensemble Khnotsu Yerk Armenia Anthology Performed by Shoghaken Folk Ensemble Mokats Mirza Armenia Anthology Performed by Aleksan Harutyunyan and Shoghaken Folk Ensemble Naz Bar Music of Armenia, Vol. 5 Performed by Shoghaken Folk Ensemble Msho geghen Music of Armenia, Vol. 5 Performed by Hasmik Harutyunyan and Shoghaken Folk Ensemble Kessabi Lullaby Ensemble Karot, Vol. 1 Performed by Hasmik Harutyunyan Dances of Sassoon Music of Armenia, Vol. 5 Performed by Shoghaken Folk Ensemble Kroonk (Pontus Region) Ensemble Karot, Vol. 1 Performed by Hasmik Harutyunyan More about Shoghaken and Traditional Dances of Armenia ————— On Traditional Dances of Armenia, the Shoghaken Ensemble does more than preserve fading rural artifacts — the band gives them eternal life through interpretations that are stunning in their drive, beauty and mystery. Kevin R. Convey, The Boston Herald ————— The Shoghaken Ensemble have worked tirelessly preserving their musical heritage in both their performances and recordings. . . . Songs for battles, weddings, daily work, and love songs all surface on this recording. And when they do surface, the songs aspire as treasure for hungry hearts and feet that desire to dance barefoot on the ancestral soil. Crankycrow, online review ————— Traditional Dances of Armenia by Armenia’s master musicians is a stunning collection of pieces that keep the accompaniment of great ritual dances from obscurity and antiquity. . . . It’s full of cadences and syntaxes that baffle and confound with their haunted beauty and strident air of joy. The package comes complete with a lavish 36-page booklet with photos, historical and liner notes by Cynthia Rodgers. Highly recommended. Thom Jurek, All Music Guide ————— Exotic instruments, ballads in an ancient tongue, fire-marriage circle dancing . . . all from a people who survived Noah’s ark crashing into their mountains, genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Turks, and the Soviet era. What more could you want? There is no excuse not to purchase this album. Chris Kakovitch, The Cornell Daily Sun ————— A fabulous investigation from a band that warrants the tag “superb.” Global Village Idiot, online review The Shoghaken Ensemble approaches this material with great authority and assurance, and a bursting vitality that is evident from the first note to the last. Patrick Rapa, Philadelphia City Paper ————— In a seemingly emotional paradox, the wedding songs combined wildly ecstatic dance rhythms with mournful vocals. That the Shoghaken Ensemble makes the contrast sound perfectly natural says as much about these musicians as it does about their homeland’s unique culture. Aaron Cohen, Chicago Tribune
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