The music of Armenia has its origins in the Armenian highlands, dating back to the 3rd millennium BCE, and is a long-standing musical tradition that encompasses diverse secular and religious, or sacred, music. Folk music was notably collected and transcribed by Komitas Vardapet, a prominent composer and musicologist, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, who is also considered the founder of the modern Armenian national school of music. Armenian music has been presented internationally by numerous artists, such as composers Aram Khachaturian, Alexander Arutiunian, Arno Babajanian, Haig Gudenian, and Karen Kavaleryan as well as by traditional performers such as duduk player Djivan Gasparyan.
Alfred Roubenovich "Avet" Terterian was an Armenian composer, awarded the Konrad Adenauer Prize.
Alexander Grigori Arutiunian, also known as Arutunian, Arutyunyan, Arutjunjan, Harutyunian or Harutiunian, was a Soviet and Armenian composer and pianist, widely known for his 1950 Trumpet Concerto. A professor at Yerevan State Conservatory, he was recognized with many awards for his work, including the Stalin Prize in 1949 and People's Artist of the USSR in 1970, as well as numerous honors from his homeland of Armenia.
The Armenian General Benevolent Union is a non-profit Armenian organization established in Cairo, Egypt, in 1906. With the onset of World War II, headquarters were moved to New York City, New York.
Uri Caine is an American classical and jazz pianist and composer from Philadelphia.
André Sergeyi Hovnanyan, better known by the mononym André, is an Armenian singer. He was one of the most popular pop stars of Armenia during the mid-2000s, winning the Best Male Singer trophy at various Armenia Music Awards in 2004–2018.
Şahan Arzruni is a New York–based Armenian classical pianist, ethnomusicologist, lecturer, composer, writer and producer.
Alexander Afanasyevich Spendiaryan was an Armenian music composer, conductor, founder of Armenian national symphonic music.
Garbis Aprikian is a musician from the Armenian Diaspora. He has composed many vocal and instrumental works in which Western musical technique marries Armenian melodies. As a performer, Garbis Aprikian has directed for about fifty years the Armenian mixed chorus of Paris Sipan-Komitas. His contribution in the European knowledge of the works of Komitas, Ganatchian and Alemshah is crucial.
Yerevan's first jazz band was formed in 1936, by composer and trumpeter Tsolak Vardazaryan. In 1938, composer Artemi Ayvazyan founded the Armenian State Jazz Orchestra, the first in the Soviet Union. The orchestra's first drummer Robert Yolchyan became an important artist of Soviet and Armenian jazz, developing his own style over time and continuing to play and give master-classes until his death in early 2000s. Other jazz bands were founded in Nairi Cinema, Yerevan Park of Communars, and others. In 1954, Konstantin Orbelyan organized an Estrada quintet for Armenian Radio. In 1966, young composer Martin Vardazaryan founded the Estrada Orchestra, renamed in the 1970s as the Estrada Symphonic Orchestra under the direction of Melik Mavisakalyan and Yervand Yerznkyan. Then Stepan Shakaryan founded the jazz sextet Radio, and jazz trios were founded by David Azaryan and Artashes Kartalyan. Jazz pianist Levon Malkhasian ("Malkhas") founded his jazz trio with Armen Toutounjyan ("Chico") and Arthur Abrahamyan. In 1998, Malkhas become one of the initiators of the Yerevan International Jazz Festival.
Konstantin Petrossian is a composer, pianist and conductor.
Vartan Adjemian is an Armenian composer of orchestral, operatic, and chamber music whose works have been performed worldwide.
Armen Martirosyan is an Armenian musician and composer.
David Satian is Armenian contemporary composer, jazz pianist, media producer and entrepreneur.
Nuance Jazz Band is an Armenian ethnic jazz sextet active since 2009. Founded and led by Garik Saribekyan, Nuance is one of the most recognised and ethnically sounding bands on Yerevan jazz stage.
Artur Avanesov is an Armenian composer of chamber, choral, vocal, and piano works that have been performed in Armenia and abroad.
Nemra is an Armenian rock band established in 2012 in Yerevan. Led by songwriter Van Yeghiazaryan on vocals and guitar, Vaspur Yeghiazaryan on bass and backing vocals, keyboardist and backing vocalist Marianna Karakeyan, and drummer Marek Zaborski. The band's music draws from the alternative and indie rock genres. They also perform cover versions of Armenian folk songs.
Swallow Music Awards is an annual national music awards ceremony first held in Yerevan, Armenia, on 25 March 2017. The awards are created and sponsored by RA Ministry of Culture to appreciate and spur the activities of individuals and creators of various genres of Armenian musical art, as well as to display the significant achievements in the field of music to the broader layers of society. The awards consist of four parts: achievements in classical genre, folk genre, mass pop genre, and special/other awards. During the ceremony artists are given the awards designed by Armenian painter and designer Arman Nur. Each year, the award ceremony airs live on Public Television company of Armenia.
Karen Asatrian is an Armenian jazz pianist and a composer. His music is a synthesis of contemporary jazz and Armenian folk music. The recent album "Noor" with Karen Asatrian and Armenian Spirit band is composed of Armenian traditional songs rearranged with a contemporary jazz style.
Zela Margossian is an Australian pianist of Armenian heritage. Born in Beirut, she is currently based in Sydney.
