Early Recordings of Armenian Classics

INVITATION to LECTURES followed by a PANEL DISCUSSION

in the Musicology Lecture Series (2025)

Early Recordings of Armenian Classics

SPEAKERS:

Ara Dinkjian (Independent performer & researcher)

Vahé Tachjian (Houshamadyan Association)

MODERATORS:

Ersin Mıhcı (Orient-Institut Istanbul)

Will Sumits (Orient-Institut Istanbul)

Monday, 29 September 2025, 19:00 (Turkish Time GMT+3)

For sixty years, Ara Dinkjian has been collecting Armenian and Turkish 78rpm records, amassing a collection of over 5,500 discs, many of which are more than a century old. Most Armenian American homes preserved these precious, old records, either imported or licensed from Türkiye, or recorded and manufactured locally. As younger generations lost interest and these valuable sources were being discarded, Ara Dinkjian made it his mission to rescue, document, and digitize – an effort that has resulted in a vast archive safeguarding both musical and historical memory. Tracing the emergence of the recording industry and the development of ethnic record markets in Türkiye and the United States, Dinkjian will highlight in his talk how Armenian music from Anatolia transformed in the diaspora, evolving into a distinct sound under the influence of American music. During his lecture, Dinkjian will play recordings and show historic photographs to demonstrate this gradual change.

In the following talk, Vahé Tachjian will focus on ongoing projects featured on the Houshamadyan website, which document and showcase two key aspects of the intangible cultural heritage of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire: dances and songs. The song project is led by Ara Dinkjian. Interestingly, it is in the United States — despite the strong influence of the local environment — that these two cultural traditions have been best preserved. Tachjian will reflect on this historical paradox and examine the reasons why these legacies were more rapidly abandoned and have nearly disappeared in other diaspora communities, such as Lebanon, where community life has otherwise been richer and more dynamic.

Ara Dinkjian is an Armenian composer, musician, collector, and historian, born in America. He grew up performing with his father, Onnik Dinkjian, a renowned folk and liturgical singer. Ara’s childhood experiences provided him with a strong foundation to explore various musical genres and traditions without compromising his Armenian perspective. His band “Night Ark” gained international acclaim, and his other music project, “The Secret Trio,” recently released its fourth album, Old Friends. Ara’s music has reached global audiences—from Olympic ceremonies to religious celebrations, such as the Jewish High Holidays—continuing to inspire musicians worldwide.

Vahé Tachjian was born in Lebanon and earned his PhD at the École des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in Paris. He is the chief editor of the Houshamadyan website (based in Berlin), a project to reconstruct the Ottoman Armenians’ local history and memory. He is the author of many academic articles and books. Some of his main publications include La France en Cilicie et en Haute-Mésopotamie (2004), and Daily Life in the Abyss (2017). He is now working on a book project about Armenians in Lebanon in the 1920s and 1930s.

Ersin Mıhcı and Will Sumits are research associates in the musicology section at the Orient-Institut Istanbul.

The event takes place in collaboration with istos publishing and Boğaziçi University.

The language of the event is English. Participation is free of charge. To join this invitation in person please register through the link below. To join online no registration is necessary. Photos or videos will be taken during the event. By participating, you agree that these may be used on the OII website, newsletter and social media. The event will not be recorded.

VENUE

Orient-Institut Istanbul

Galip Dede Cad. 65, Şahkulu Mah., TR – 34421 Istanbul

Tel: +90 212 293 60 67 oiist@oiist.org www.oiist.org

REGISTRATION

To join this invitation at the venue please register here:

To join ONLINE please use this Zoom Link. No registration necessary:

https://maxweberstiftung.zoom-x.de/j/67595691223?pwd=sPKVeqm659Xwd10AqGRpWMjtQ2vpeh.1

Toplantı Kimliği: 675 9569 1223

Parola: 707319