The year of Komitas in Ejmiatsin is exceptionally active. This time the concert programs were followed by "Little Step" children's contest-festival of musicians-performers. This year it was organized for the first time by the joint efforts of Ejmiatsin Municipality and ‘’Artprogress’’ cultural non-governmental organization. The contest-festival was inter-regional, with the participation of more than 360 musicians-performers under 18 from Armavir, Ararat and Aragatsotn Marzes in the categories of piano, string, brass, folk instruments, vocal (classic, folk, pop).
The summary of the contest days of May 10-15 and gala concert took place on May 17 in the concert hall of Ejmiatsin №1 Music School after Makar Yekmalyan.
Before summing up the results, the children greeted the audience with their performances, receiving applause in return.
Artyom Harutyunyan, the President of "Artprogress" Cultural NGO and Artistic Director of "Little Step" contest, delivered a speech before the awarding ceremony: "Today, with our small but determined step, we have moved forward on a road called art and culture. I can proudly say that a new culture, a new cooperation, a new connection and approach have begun with this here”. The latter expressed hope that next year the contest will be nation-wide.
The jury consisted of one representative from each of the three regions in each category, and the president was selected from the professor-lecturer staff of Komitas Conservatory.
Lilit Hakobyan, the Head of the Department of Education and Culture of Ejmiatsin Municipality, awarded the grand prizes of the festival.
The first-class prizes of the piano category were awarded by Professor Karine Ohanyan, the chairman of the jury of the piano category, Honored Worker of Art, Head of the Piano Chair of Komitas Conservatory.
The prizes of the category of national instruments were awarded by musicologist-theorist Seda Sheyranyan, the lecturer at the Chair of Music Theory of the Conservatory.
Associate professor Anush Khachatryan, the Director of Yerevan Music School after Alexander Achemyan, the lecturer at the conservatory, was entrusted with the awarding ceremony of the string category. The latter also awarded the special awards "The Best Performance of the Work by Armenian Composer" and ‘’The Sympathy of Jury ".
Mayor of Ejmiatsin Diana Gasparyan also awarded special prize. The award was given to the youngest participant of the contest - Aleks Hakobyan.
In her concluding speech, the Mayor thanked the organizers and all those thanks to whom the festival took place. "I thought that it would be difficult to organize a festival of such scale in the busy daily life of all of us. I am glad to note that the festival can be considered successful for the first year, which was affirmed also by the honorary members of the jury. The emotions we received will reserve the right to be brave next year, to try to organize such a festival on a nation-wide scale.
It is impossible to appraise аrt and culture with words. Only due to these events we express our love and attitude towards national and international values. Art is the language that does not recognize any border or nationality”, - she noted at the end of her speech.

Photos