Geghuni Chitchyan or Chitchian (; ; born 30 August 1929) is an Armenian composer, pianist, and pedagogue. Her parents were veteran teachers; her brother, Henrikh, an established violinist.
Biography
Chitchyan was born on 30 August 1929 in Leninakan (now Gyumri). While attending the Tigranian Elementary School of Music, she began composing. At the age of ten she had already a published song. In 1940, she entered the Tchaikovsky Music School in Yerevan to study piano and composition. She continued her studies in composition with Grigor Yeghiazaryan from 1947 to 1953 at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory.
After graduating, Chitchyan became the founding director of the composition department at the Konstantin Sarajev Music School in Yerevan. In 1971 she joined the faculty of the Yerevan Conservatory. In 1982 she was appointed assistant professor, and in 1990 she became a tenured professor.
Chitchyan has been active in various musical and social organizations. She joined the Armenian Composers Union in 1955; was an associate of the Women's Council of Armenia; and a member of the Artistic Forum of State Radio. She is the author of training manuals for music institutes and the co-author of a music textbook for school children.
Chitchyan's compositions have been performed in the United States, Canada, Russia, various Republics of the Soviet Union, England, France, Switzerland, Latvia, Poland, Bulgaria, Lebanon, and Syria. There have been retrospective concerts of her music in Moscow, Yerevan, San Francisco, and Vilnius.
Geghuni Chitchyan is the laureate in more than 30 international and national competitions.
Compositions
Chitchyan's music is characterized by lyricism, immediacy, and vividness. She composes for orchestra, chamber ensembles, various solo instruments, voice, and choral groups, some of which are published by international companies. She has written music for the theatre and children as well.
Selected works
- ëñöäáöÿÃÂ¥ àÃÂøÃÂãáû (Andante and Fugue for string quartet), 1949
- ëÃÂøöáÿû (Sonata for cello and piano), 1951
- ëÃÂëöã üøôáöýöÃÂ¥ÃÂû (Five Art Songs, text by Hovhannes Shiraz), 1954
- ëÃÂáöïáïáö ýõøÃÂëÿû (ChildrenâÂÂs Suite for orchestra), 1955
- ëòáìÃ¥ÿáõëö ýõøÃÂëÿû (Choreographic Suite for orchestra), 1956
- ëÃÂëöã üøôáöýöÃÂ¥ÃÂû (Five Art Songs, text by Yeghishe Charents, 1957
- ëûô ÃÂáõáýÿáöû (My Armenia, cantata for a cappella chorus, text by Gegham Saryan, Maro Markarian), 1959
- ëÃÂëÃÂø ÃÂ¥ÃÂãÃÂ¥ÃÂû, üøôáöýöÃÂ¥ÃÂë ևÃÂà(Songs of Love, vocal cycle for voice and piano, text by Silva Kaputikyan), 1961
- ëÿøöÃÂÃÂ¥ÃÂÿ ñáõöë àýëôÃÂøöëï öþáãáÃÂôâë ðáôáÃÂû (Concerto for voice and orchestra), 1963
- ëÃÂ
øé ôáöïáïáö ýëôÃÂøöëï úáÿïÃÂ¥ÃÂöÃÂ¥ÃÂû (Seven Symphonic Pictures for Children for orchestra), 1964
- ëÃÂëöã üøôáöýöÃÂ¥ÃÂû (Five Art Songs, text by Paruyr Sevak), 1964
- ëÃÂáöïáïáö çûÃÂ¥ÃÂû (ChildrenâÂÂs Pieces for piano), 1966
- ëÃÂáõÃÂÃ¥öë ÃÂáÃÂÃÂ¥ÃÂû (Native Stones for a cappella chorus, text by Kankanyan), 1966
- ëòáÃÂë ìøÃÂõýû, ýëôÃÂøöëï öáÃÂÃÂ¥ÃÂãáöà(Hello Morning! overture for orchestra), 1967
- ëÿøöÃÂÃÂ¥ÃÂÿáõëö úëÃ¥ýöÃ¥à÷ÃÂ¥ÃÂøÃÂë àäá÷öáôøÃÂÃÂë ðáôáÃÂû (Concert Pieces for trumpet and piano), 1970
- ëñüáþøÿû, ÃÂ¥ÃÂãÃÂ¥ÃÂë ևÃÂà(A series of 10 songs for voice and piano, various poets), 1972
- ëõÃÂÃ¥àúëÃ¥ý ûøÃÂéáïáðáÃÂöÃÂ¥ÃÂë áöýáôúìë ðáôáÃÂû (Three pieces for violin ensemble), 1970
- ëÃÂáõïáïáö ÃÂøÃÂáÃÂáöäáïöÃÂ¥ÃÂû äá÷öáôøÃÂÃÂë ðáôáà(Armenian Bas-Reliefs for piano), 1972
- ëÃÂáÃÂþá Ã¥òáöáïöÃÂ¥ÃÂû (The Seasons, a brief cantata for a cappella women's choir, text by Sargis Kharazyan, Suren Muradyan, and Sarmen), 1972
- ëñöðáõÿ æëöþøÃÂèû (The Unknown Soldier, poem-requiem for a cappella chorus, text by Suren Muradyan), 1975
- ë÷ûÃ¥àûýáðáïõáöëÃÂû (Pages from Isahakyan, text by Avetik Isahakyan), 1975
- ëÃÂÃÂ
ö ðáõÃÂÃ¥öëÃÂëöû (Ode to the Homeland, text by Suren Muradyan), 1976
- ëÿøöÃÂÃÂ¥ÃÂÿ ûøÃÂéáïë àöþáãáÃÂôâë ðáôáÃÂû (Concerto for violin and orchestra), 1976
- ëÃÂÃÂ¥ÃÂÃÂè á÷öáöû (An Autumn Leaf for a cappella chorus, text by Tsakan Shogents), 1977
- ëõÃÂïøàïþëöÿÃ¥ÿöÃ¥àÃÂáõÿá-ÃÂøòáõëö ãøÃÂîëÃÂöÃÂ¥ÃÂë ðáôáÃÂû (Two Woodwind Quintets for Young Players), 1979
- ëÃÂøöáÿ ÷ÃÂ¥ÃÂøÃÂë àäá÷öáôøÃÂÃÂë ðáôáÃÂû (Sonata for trumpet and piano), 1979
- ëòÃÂÃ¥ìõøÃÂÿàÃÂþëÃÂøÃÂô ÃÂëìþá ÿáúøÃÂÿëïõáöëöû (Prelude in Dedication to Silva Kaputikyan for piano), 1979
- ëõÃÂïøà÷÷øÃÂïû (Two Whispers, vocal cycle, text by Vahagn Davtyan), 1979
- ëñöýáôâìöÃ¥àäá÷öáôøÃÂÃÂë ðáôáàùøÃÂý ñÃ¥üÃÂøþû (Ensemble for piano four hands), 1980
- ëÃÂáõøàîáüèû, úøÃ¥ô (The Tree of Armenia, poem for a cappella choir, text by Suren Muradyan), 1980
- ëÃÂøöáÿ-ôëöáöþáã éáþûøÃÂéáïë ðáôáÃÂû (Sonata for solo cello), 1983
- ëõÃÂãÃÂ¥ÃÂû (A collection of 26 songs for voice and piano, various poets), 1985
- ëÃÂøöáÿ áìÿë àäá÷öáôøÃÂÃÂë ðáôáÃÂû (Sonata for viola and piano), 1986
- ëÃÂøöáÿëöû (Sonatina for piano), 1986
- ëÿáôÃÂ¥ÃÂáõëö ýëôÃÂøöëáû (Chamber Symphony 'In Memoriam Aram Khachaturian' for string orchestra), 1988
- ëÿþëöÿÃ¥ÿ ùøÃÂý ÃÂìÃ¥õÿá àáìÿ ÃÂìÃ¥õÿáë ðáôáà(Quintet for four flutes and alto flute), 1988
- ëùÃÂ¥ÃÂþÃ¥ì ç ýáÃÂèû üøôáöýöÃÂ¥ÃÂë ևÃÂà(The Mountain Bent Down, a cycle of art songs, text by Hamo Sahyan), 1990
- ëÃÂáöïáïáö áìâøôû (Children's Album for piano), 1990
- ëÃÂøöáÿ øÃÂÿë àäá÷öáôøÃÂÃÂë ðáôáÃÂû (Sonata for oud and piano), 1990
- ëñöñÃÂÃÂè ÿÃ¥òáÃÂû (The Rain Has Poured Down, vocal cycle, text by Samvel Safaryan), 1993
- ëÃÂøÃÂÃÂâ ðøãëû (The Sacred Soul, text by Abp. Nerses Pozapalian), 1995
- ëõÃÂÃ¥àáòÃÂ
éÃÂû (Three Prayers for a cappella chorus, text by Moushegh Ishkhan), 2000
- ëÃÂáõïáïáö øÃÂÃÂþáöïáÃÂû (Armenian Sketch for trumpet and piano), 2001
- ëÃÂøöáÿû (Sonata for clarinet and piano), 2006
- ëÃÂøþÃ¥ìÃ¥ÿû, ëòøÃÂÃÂìÃ¥ýïû ÃÂáãøÿë àäá÷öáôøÃÂÃÂë ðáôáà(Noveletta, Burlesque for bassoon and piano), 2007
- ëúáöÃ¥áïöÃÂ¥ÃÂû (Laces for flute and piano), 2008
- ëÃÂéöáñøÃÂøÃÂôû, ëÃÂÃÂÃÂàÃ¥ýû (In the Dark Valley, Where Are You?, for a cappella chorus, text by Yeghishe Charents), 2010
- ë÷ýÿáôúöÃÂ¥ÃÂû (Estampes for piano, violin and cello), 2012
- ë÷úëÿáÃÂëáû äá÷öáôøÃÂÃÂë ðáôáà(Epitaph 'In Memory of my brothers' for piano), 2018
Awards
References
Further reading