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 KACHATURIAN Aram (24. 5. (6.6). 1903, Tiflis – 1.5.1978, Moscow, he was buried in the Komitas Pantheon in Yerevan), Armenian composer, conductor, pedagogue,  public figure. He was People’s  Artist of the Armenian SSR (1955), USSR (1954), Georgian SSR (1963), Azerbaijani SSR (1973), doctor in National Academy of sciences of Armenian SSR (1963),  doctor of fine arts  (1965). Hero of Socialist Labour (1973). He was the brother of  S. Khachaturian. Aram Khachaturian graduated from  Moscow Conservatory (1934), he finished his post-graduate course in 1936. Aram Khachaturian was the secretary of  Composers' Union of USSR from 1957.

In his student years he arranged Armenian, Russian, Hungarian and other national music. During this period he  composed «Dance» for violin and piano (1929), «Poem» (1929), «Toccata» for piano (1932), trio for piano, violin and clarinet (1932), «Dance Suite» for symphonic orchestra (1933).

Khachaturian's compositions contributed to the development of a new period of Armenian music in 1930's.

Armenian national music served as a source for his music, the latter was influenced by world musical art, especially Russian musical art.

Khachaturian's music is closely connected with musical traditions of Komitas, A. Spendiaryan, R. Melikyan, especially it is connected with Armenian national, spiritual and ashugh music.

In his compositions Khachaturian widely used the rhythmic and intonational energy of Armenian national music. This is the innovative essence of Khachaturian’s music in the history of world music. Khachaturian enriched the Armenian music with new forms and expression, he enlarged the frames of genres too.

Khachaturian composed the first national ballet («Happiness», 1939, the second edition «Gayane», 1942, USSR state prize in 1943), symphonies (first symphony (1934), second symphony (1943, USSR state prize in 1946), third symphony (1947)), concerto for piano and orchestra (1936), concerto for violin and orchestra (1940, USSR state prize in 1941), concerto for cello and orchestra (1946). He is the founder of Armenian film music.  His music of the films «Pepo» (1935), «Zangezur» (1938), «The Battle of Stalingrad» (1949, USSR state prize in 1950), as well as music for such dramatic performances, as «The Widow from Valencia» (1940), «Masquerade» (1941) were highly appreciated. Khachaturian’s masterpiece is his ballet «Spartacus» (1954, Lenin prize in 1959). 

In his concertos for violin (1961), cello (1963, USSR state prize in 1965), piano (1968, USSR state prize in 1971) the connection with national sources is manifested  through the development of free improvisation.

Chamber music plays a great role in Khachaturian’s compositions: piano (1961), solos for cello (1974), violin (1975), alt (1976), sonatas, polyphonic series «Seven fugues and recitative» (1928-70). From 1950 Khachaturian gave concerts in USSR and abroad, where he was the conductor of the concerts.

Khachaturian was deputy in the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union (1958-62) and Armenian SSR (1947-51). He was the chairman of  Soviet society of friendship and cultural relations with Latin America (from 1958), member of soviet committee of peace keeping  (from 1962), honorary member of Italian music academy «Santa Cecilia» (1960),  honorary professor  of conservatory of Mexico (1960), associate professor of Academy of Sciences of  Federal Republic of Germany  (1961).

The Grand Philharmonic Hall is named after Aram Khachaturian (in front of which stands the statue of the composer). Music school № 10, one of the streets of Yerevan are named after him too. Museum of Aram Khachaturian was opened in 1984. The festival of symphonic music «Aram Khachaturian -93» was held in 1993, Aram Khachaturian International Competition is held annually in Yerevan since 2003.

 Source - «Who is who. The Armenians» encyclopedia, volume 1, chief editor Hovh. Ayvazyan, Yerevan, 2007, p. 496 (in Armenian).

See also

Aram Khachaturian - Spartacus