{"id":112495,"date":"2025-03-07T13:40:34","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T18:40:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=112495"},"modified":"2025-03-10T08:00:01","modified_gmt":"2025-03-10T12:00:01","slug":"preview-naghash-ensemble-bring-armenias-armenian-classical-fusion-torontos-aga-khan-museum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/03\/07\/preview-naghash-ensemble-bring-armenias-armenian-classical-fusion-torontos-aga-khan-museum\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | The Naghash Ensemble Bring Armenian Classical Fusion To Toronto\u2019s Aga Khan Museum"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The
The Naghash Ensemble of Armenia (Photo: David Galstyan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Naghash Ensemble of Armenia will be performing a concert titled Songs of Exile, Songs of Wisdom in Toronto on March 29. It takes place at the Aga Khan Museum\u2019s Nanji Family Foundation Auditorium.<\/p>\n

Their music fuses elements of Armenian tradition and Western classical music with contemporary minimalism and style in a unique 21st century sound.<\/p>\n

The Ensemble is named after Mkrtich Naghash, an Armenian painter, poet, and priest who lived from 1394 to 1470. He was eventually exiled from his post in Amid (Dikranagerd) by the Ottoman authorities for the temerity of constructing a church steeple that was higher than that of the mosques in the neighbourhood. Much of his poetry deals with the themes and practicalities of living in exile, and it\u2019s written in a style that was closer to spoken language in order to connect with his people.<\/p>\n

Those themes are reflected in the Ensemble\u2019s music, largely written by John Hodian. A new work, based on medieval writings by Kostandin Erznkaci, with music by Hodian, is titled Songs of Exile. It\u2019s a reflection on humankind\u2019s relationship to God, taken from the perspective of a monk who has been living in exile for many years.<\/p>\n