Singer and dedicated figure of the Artsakh music scene Tigran Mkrtchyan has passed away.
Tigran Mkrtchyan’s life and creative journey were closely linked to Artsakh and the art of Armenian national song. He was born in Artik and studied at the Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan. In 1989, he moved to Artsakh and took part in the Artsakh Liberation War.
He later worked as a soloist with the NKR State Song and Dance Ensemble and subsequently directed the "Menq Enq, Mer Sarery" ("We Are Our Mountains") ethnographic ensemble.
In 2002, Tigran Mkrtchyan founded the "Vernatun" pop-folk quartet and served as its artistic director. The ensemble’s work was dedicated to preserving and promoting Armenian national and folk music.
Tigran Mkrtchyan’s art resonated beyond the borders of Artsakh and Armenia. He performed in France, Australia, various cities across Russia and Ukraine, the Baltic states, and nearly all the republics of the former USSR, showcasing Armenian song and culture far beyond his homeland.
For him, song was not merely an art form; it was a means of preserving the homeland, memory, and national identity. His composition "Ode to Artsakh" holds a special place; today, more than ever, it resonates as a voice expressing love, longing, and sorrow for Artsakh.
The voices of those who live through the songs of Artsakh do not fall silent. Yet, living with the heavy pain of losing Artsakh is incredibly difficult. That pain lingers in the soul like an unhealed wound, and tragically, many of those who lived for the songs, the spirit, and the memories of Artsakh depart this earthly life prematurely. "Tigran Mkrtchyan's voice will also remain with us—in his songs, performances, and our memories," states the "News from Artsakh" Facebook page.
