Komitas—a consecrated monk, an archimandrite of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and a brilliant composer—remains a towering figure in the world of Armenian music. For him, music was not merely a vocation but a sanctuary, the sole refuge where the full spectrum of reality could be rendered in sound. Through his compositions, he distilled the colors of life, weaving them into melodies that have come to define the very soul of Armenian culture. Komitas is celebrated globally as a pioneer ethnomusicologist, whose meticulous study and preservation of Armenian folk and liturgical melodies laid the foundation for a national musical identity.
On January 29, 2015, the Komitas Museum-Institute was officially inaugurated in the Komitas Park of Yerevan. The museum stands as a profound tribute to the life and legacy of this musical genius, offering visitors an in-depth look into his creative journey and the heritage he left behind.
The Komitas Museum-Institute is among the most significant cultural institutions in Yerevan. It honors the multifaceted life of Soghomon Soghomonyan—better known as Komitas—a composer, folklorist, conductor, singer, and ordained priest of the Armenian Church. His work inspired generations of Armenian musicians and elevated the country’s musical heritage to the world stage. Revered not only in Armenia but far beyond its borders, Komitas is widely recognized as a guardian of cultural memory and a symbol of national pride.
In 1906, during a concert in Paris attended by members of the artistic elite, Claude Debussy famously knelt before Komitas, kissed his hand, and proclaimed him a genius. Debussy would later remark that even if Komitas had composed only The Song of the Wanderer, it would be sufficient to secure his place among the greats.
The reverence for Komitas is tangible in many corners of the world. A park in Paris bears his name. A statue in the Kamsky Garden of Saint Petersburg commemorates him. In Quebec, a monument honors both Komitas and the victims of the Armenian Genocide, of which he was a witness.
In Armenia, his name graces the Yerevan State Conservatory and numerous other cultural landmarks. Located not far from the Komitas Pantheon, the museum stands on the right side of the main Arshakunyats Avenue. For anyone drawn to music and high art, the Komitas Museum-Institute is a must-visit destination.
Soghomon Soghomonyan was born in the Ottoman Empire, in what is now modern-day Turkey. His musical talents were evident from a young age and were passed down from his parents. He began his education at the Gevorgian Seminary in Etchmiadzin. From 1895 to 1896, he lived in Tbilisi (now the capital of Georgia), where composer and conductor Makar Yekmalyan introduced him to the principles of musical harmony. Komitas later studied philosophy at Humboldt University in Germany and graduated from the private conservatory of Richard Schmidt.
He became one of the founding members of the International Music Society and passionately promoted Armenian music at various international forums. Komitas lectured in cities like Berlin, Paris, Zurich, Lausanne, and Venice, where his insights captivated audiences of renowned musicians, composers, and critics.
Komitas’s scholarly contributions are highly esteemed among musicologists. He devoted much of his life to collecting, transcribing, and arranging Armenian folk songs, embedding them with the rich texture of Armenian life and tradition. Thanks to his tireless efforts, thousands of folk melodies were preserved for posterity—transforming what might have been lost into a lasting wellspring of Armenian identity and inspiration.
In 1910, Komitas moved to Constantinople (now Istanbul) to continue his work. But in 1915, during the Armenian Genocide, his life was irrevocably altered. Like many prominent Armenians of the time, Komitas was arrested and deported to Northern Anatolia. Though efforts by Turkish poet Mehmet Emin Yurdakul and U.S. Ambassador Henry Morgenthau led to his return to Constantinople, the horrors he witnessed left deep scars on his psyche. The trauma devastated his mental and physical health, and he was eventually committed to a psychiatric clinic in Constantinople, later transferred to Paris, where he spent the remaining years of his life in isolation. He died in France, but his remains were eventually brought home and laid to rest in Yerevan’s Pantheon.
Founded in 2015 at the initiative of President Serzh Sargsyan, the Komitas Museum-Institute was established to immortalize the name and preserve the legacy of one of Armenia’s most cherished musicians. The building was designed by architect Artur Meschian and features a concert hall, permanent and temporary exhibitions, a library, research center, music studio, and publishing house.
The museum’s eight galleries chronicle Komitas’s life and creative journey. Exhibits include his personal belongings, handwritten musical manuscripts, and a collection of books, artworks, sculptures, and scholarly writings dedicated to his life and music. Visitors can explore the breadth of his musical, theoretical, and spiritual contributions, immersing themselves in a world where every note and phrase reveals the genius of Komitas.
Address: 28, Arshakunyats Str., Yerevan
Phone: (+374 11) 57-05-70
Working hours: daily from 10:00 a.m. till 04:30 p.m.
Closed: on Wednesday
