· Classical
UN WEEK-END À L'EST։ "Hover" choir performs in Saint-Germain-des-Prés monastery in Paris
"Hover" state chamber choir, led by Sona Hovhannisyan, gave a concert on November 23 in the historical Saint-Germain-des-Prés monastery in Paris as part of the UN WEEK-END À L'EST ("One Week in the East") festival.
The program featured pieces by Armenian classical and contemporary composers, as well as Western European composers (Komitas, T. Mansurian, E. Hovhannisyan, A. Azizian, B. Britten, R. M. Schafer, V. Buchenberg, and F. Poulenc).
"It was an honor and a responsibility for us to participate in the "Hover" State Chamber Choir's "A Week in the East" festival and to return to Paris with a concert program featuring Armenian choral music. We are grateful to the French side for the warm and honorable reception, full hall, exchange of love and affection, and the financial support that made all this possible.
It is usually difficult to write formal texts when you have thousands of impressions. Among the number of concerts the "Hover" choir has performed in France, this one stood out because it was held in Paris' oldest church, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, where place and acoustic exclusivity added to the mystery of our performance. Along with works by Armenian spiritual, secular, and contemporary authors, our program included several samples of Western European choral works honed over time, which, from the depths of the 33-year-old choir's experience to the reading of the young cast of current singers, create parallels equivalent to the Parisian spirit, a phenomenal harmonization of the past and the present. The spirit of art surrounding all aspects of Parisian life, the harmony of classic and modern, is exceptional and unforgettable for anybody visiting this wonderful city. As a symbol of unwavering commitment, the "Hover" choir is preparing a new concert program, this time in Yerevan, as part of "2025-Francophonie". Sona Hovhannisyan, artistic director and conductor of the "Hover" State Chamber Choir, writes.
Photo by M. Toussaint
The program featured pieces by Armenian classical and contemporary composers, as well as Western European composers (Komitas, T. Mansurian, E. Hovhannisyan, A. Azizian, B. Britten, R. M. Schafer, V. Buchenberg, and F. Poulenc).
"It was an honor and a responsibility for us to participate in the "Hover" State Chamber Choir's "A Week in the East" festival and to return to Paris with a concert program featuring Armenian choral music. We are grateful to the French side for the warm and honorable reception, full hall, exchange of love and affection, and the financial support that made all this possible.
It is usually difficult to write formal texts when you have thousands of impressions. Among the number of concerts the "Hover" choir has performed in France, this one stood out because it was held in Paris' oldest church, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, where place and acoustic exclusivity added to the mystery of our performance. Along with works by Armenian spiritual, secular, and contemporary authors, our program included several samples of Western European choral works honed over time, which, from the depths of the 33-year-old choir's experience to the reading of the young cast of current singers, create parallels equivalent to the Parisian spirit, a phenomenal harmonization of the past and the present. The spirit of art surrounding all aspects of Parisian life, the harmony of classic and modern, is exceptional and unforgettable for anybody visiting this wonderful city. As a symbol of unwavering commitment, the "Hover" choir is preparing a new concert program, this time in Yerevan, as part of "2025-Francophonie". Sona Hovhannisyan, artistic director and conductor of the "Hover" State Chamber Choir, writes.
Photo by M. Toussaint
