Kousan Chamber Choir: preserving traditional Armenian singing and music

Lebanon is a multicultural country and the diversity of its people creates harmony and a colorful panorama. Cultures and traditions are preserved and passed on from one generation to another. The Armenians who are part of the Lebanese people have a rich culture transmitted by their ancestors expatriated because of the genocide so they have one more reason to preserve and safeguard their culture and tradition.

The Kousan choir is committed to preserving traditional Armenian singing and music. It was founded by the composer, ethnomusicologist, researcher and singer, Reverend Father Komitas/Gomidas/Կոմիտաս in Constantinople in 1910 and in Alexandria in 1911. ‘Kousan’ means the one who tells a story, a story of love, of people, of nature accompanied by appropriate music and attributed to the context. Since its foundation until today, the Kousan choir is present in different countries and cities in the Middle East such as Constantinople, Alexandria, Goudina (Kotahya), Latakia, Aleppo, Damascus, Amman and Nicosia.

In Lebanon, it is present in Beirut , Bourj Hammoud, Byblos, Anjar, Zahle and Saida. 60 people are members of the ‘kousan’ choir: Armenian musicians, music students, people who have great experience in the field of singing; knowing that music forms a fundamental part of the life of the Armenian family. Some are members of the same family: Mother and son/daughters, two sisters/brothers, couples. The youngest of the choristers is 17 years old, while the oldest is 60 almost years old.

The repertoire of the Koussan Choir consists of religious music, folk songs on traditional music. Armenian religious (or sacred) music, which is predominantly vocal, is one of the oldest branches of Christian culture, and was introduced after the Christianization of Armenia in 301 AD. Armenian chants, or sharakans, composed in one of eight modes, are the most common kind of religious music in Armenian churchs. It is written in khaz, a form of indigenous musical notation. Many of these chants are ancient in origin, extending to pre-Christian times, while others are relatively modern.Traditional Armenian folk music as well as Armenian church music is based on a system of tetrachords. The last note of one tetrachord also serves as the first note of the next tetrachord – which makes a lot of Armenian folk music more or less based on a theoretically endless scale. Traditional musical instruments include the flute, shvi, zurna and dudug. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d6O3mevMoU