Karen Khachaturian Appeals to Prime Minister Pashinyan in Support of Armen and Sergey Smbatyan

In support of Armen and Sergey Smbatyan, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has received an appeal from the son of the great Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian, Karen Khachaturian. He expressed hope that the Prime Minister would have the opportunity to clarify the situation regarding Armen and Sergey Smbatyan's current predicament, emphasizing their invaluable contributions to Armenian culture and the promotion of Aram Khachaturian's artistry.

The letter from Karen Aram Khachaturian to the Prime Minister is presented below:

“I write to you, as I firmly believe that if my father, Aram Khachaturian, were alive, he would certainly reach out to you regarding this acute issue. While awaiting a verdict, Armen and Sergey Smbatyan remain imprisoned, individuals whose activities in Armenia's cultural sector are immeasurable in value. In Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, Armen Smbatyan founded and later Sergey Smbatyan developed unique initiatives that commemorate Aram Khachaturian and promote his artistry, held annually up to June 2023.

In 2003, the first international competition named after Aram Khachaturian was established, initiated by Armen Smbatyan, who later also became the chairman of the competition’s board of trustees. Due to its rapid development and international recognition, the competition became a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC) in 2013 in Geneva. Today, it is regarded as one of the most prestigious competitions in the world, largely owing to Armen Smbatyan's contributions. He has involved esteemed musicians in the jury as well as talented young performers.

Additionally, he initiated the installation of a statue of the composer in Moscow. Sergey Smbatyan is also a significant figure in Armenia's contemporary music culture. He is the founder of the international festival named after Aram Khachaturian and serves as its irreplaceable artistic director and principal conductor. The festival is now placed alongside renowned European festivals.

Although my father was not born in Armenia, he took immense pride in his Armenian heritage and in how he felt and represented the spirit of the Armenian people. This pride was particularly evident when he was abroad, attending performances of his music. In this sense, it is safe to say that over the past 15 years, no musician has performed the works of Aram Khachaturian on the world’s leading concert stages as consistently and skillfully as Sergey Smbatyan.

Esteemed Nikol Vova, understanding your busy schedule, I still hope that you will have the opportunity to clarify this situation, which causes terrible damage to the contemporary music art of Armenia and Armenian culture outside the borders of Armenia.

With great respect,

Karen Aram Khachaturian
08.08.2023