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 KOMITAS (Soghomon Soghomonyan) was born on September 26, in 1869 in Kütahya (Turkey). An Armenian composer, musicologist, singer, choir leader, pedagogue, the founder of Armenian national school of composers. In his early years he studied Armenian notes and Armenian spiritual music; he collected national songs, and made efforts to compose music as well.

In 1893 after graduation he became a music teacher and conducted the monastery choir of the Cathedral, in 1894 he became a monk and was renamed Komitas, in 1895 he obtained the title Vardapet (church scholar).In 1896-99 he studied theory of composition, history of music, aesthetics, he modulated his voice, learnt to play the piano and the  organ  in private conservatory of Prof. Richard Schmidt (Berlin). He was one of the co-founders of International Music Society, where he delivered his reports. In 1899 he continued his academic and pedagogic activity, as well as collection of national songs. Komitas gave concerts with the choir of the Seminary in Echmiadzin, Yerevan, Tiflis, Baku, in some towns of Switzerland and in Mechitarist Congregation (Venice). In 1906 he represented his arrangements of works with choir of French «Lamuro» society. In 1910 he moved to Constantinople, formed a choir, gave concerts in Constantinople, Adabazar, Partizak, Alexandria, Cairo, etc.

Komitas gave concert and delivered reports in cultural center «Turkish hearth» in Bayazet, Istanbul on 2-3 April, 1915. 

Armenian massacres by Turkish government on April 24, 1915 interrupted his activities. He acquired mental disorder witnessing the nightmare of genocide and exile and the rest of his life he spent in psychiatric clinics in Paris.

Collection of Armenian national songs and academic works are among Komitas’ multilateral activities.

He put down national songs with deep knowledge of the history and psychology of Armenian nation with academic analysis.

These songs reflect the Armenian national style and language, as well as diversity and uniqueness of expressions.

Pagan horovels by Komitas, such as «David of Sassun» and «Mokats Mirza» epic songs, medieval antunis (Armenian national song) and spiritual taghs (type of a verse) are major cultural and historical achievements.

Armenian peasant songs by Komitas are unique historiography of Armenian national music.

In his theoretical works Komitas revealed the basis of national music, the principles and features of music formation and classified its types and characterized their aesthetic merits.

The fundamental principle of the unification national and spiritual music and the inference on ancient Armenian note (khaz) system made by Komitas are of great importance.

The compositions by Komitas (solo and choral) are classified into: based on national and spiritual source and based on original works. (the psalm «By the Rivers of Babylon», the comical «The Harm of Good Breeding» by H. Paronian, «Kaqavi yerg» (The quail song) by H. Tumanyan, etc).

Komitas gave importance to the compositions based on national sources («Garun a» (It is spring), «Qeler-tsoler», «Loru gutanerg» (Lori ploughmen's song), «Tsirani tsar» (Apricot tree), «Antuni» (Song of the homeless), «Lusnyakn anush», etc). In these compositions Komitas used unique polyphony and new techniques of his time; he combined national music and modern European composition means.

Komitas  contributed to the development of national music art and had a noticeable influence on the development of the music of other nations of Orient. Komitas died on October 22, 1935, in Paris and is buried in the Pantheon named after him.

A string quartet, Yerevan Conservatoire, The house of chamber music, an avenue, a park and Stepanakert Music school were named after Komitas. The monuments of Komitas are located in Yerevan, Echmiadzin, Paris and in other cities. 

Source - Encyclopedia «Who is who. The Armenians», volume 1, chief editor H. Ayvazyan,  Yerevan 2007, p.-569-570  (in Armenian).