Anniversary evening at NAI
2026-10-16 19:00 | Naregatsi Art Institute
Naregatsi Art Institute hosted the jubilee evening of Hakob Khalatyan
On October 16th, Naregatsi Art Institute hosted the jubilee evening dedicated to the 70th birthday of renowned kamancha player Hakob Khalatyan.
The evening kicked off with a performance by the jubilee, after which the musician, with his characteristic artistry, spoke about his journey.
According to Khalatyan, his connection with the kamancha goes back decades: “I have had the kamancha in my hands for 57 of the 70 years, 51 of which have been professional.”
In parallel with musical art, Khalatyan represents his creative muse through painting. He has about 540 paintings. He has had about 10 concert-exhibitions in Armenia and Russia. Hakob Khalatyan’s paintings were exhibited at the NAI Exhibitions Hall.
One of the key directions of the master's creative activity is the expansion of the performance possibilities of the kamancha. With this instrument, traditionally considered folk, he has broken stereotypes, proving its capabilities in classical large-scale works. He has transposed and performed Aram Khachaturian's "Violin Concerto" on the kamancha, as well as Eduard Baghdasaryan's "Rhapsody" for violin and symphony orchestra. The latter was performed in 1996 by the Armenian Radio Symphony Orchestra, under the artistic direction of Ohan Durian and conducted by David Terzyan.
Khalatyan’s performance art has been highly acclaimed by prominent Armenian composers such as Robert Petrosyan, Khachatur Avetisyan, Ruben Altunyan, Stepan Shakaryan, and Manvel Beglaryan. They dedicated several works composed for the kamancha specifically to Khalatyan, recognizing him as their first performer.
"When a musician performs, they should present the music in such a way that even an outsider can recognize their Armenian identity—so that they can understand how Armenian music differs from that of other peoples," emphasizes Khalatyan.
Hakob Khalatyan spent decades working with the Armenian Folk Instruments Orchestra, the "Horovel" Song and Dance Ensemble of Kirovakan (now Vanadzor), the Armenian Radio Folk Instruments Orchestra, and the Tatul Altunyan Honored Song and Dance Ensemble of Armenia. He performed during concert tours in approximately 30 countries worldwide while also engaging in pedagogical work; from 2017 to 2020, he lived and pursued his creative endeavors in Artsakh—specifically in Shoushi and Stepanakert.
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