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Armenia’s folk instruments ensemble after Georgy Gurjiyev will give this month concerts in the Netherlands and Belgium, with performances also scheduled for the near future in Germany, Lebanon and Brazil. The repertoire includes works of composers Komitas and G. Gurjiyev.

‘Even when it is not announced in advance that the concerts are dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, that theme is touched upon indirectly – when works of Komitas are performed, the subject of the Armenian Genocide is impossible to avoid,” the ensemble’s artistic director Levon Iskenyan told the correspondent of Panorama.am.

Speaking about tours of the ensemble, Iskenyan said they participated this year in Holland Festival that brings together representatives of all forms of performing art from around the worlds. “We decided to present works by Komitas. The festival’s organizers expressed desire that the concert will feature Gurjinyan’s works as well,” he said.

According to him, the theme of the 1915 Armenian Genocide committed in the Ottoman Empire was widely discussed during the concerts in the Netherlands and Germany, and a discussion “The Art of Memory: the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide” attended by Diaspora art workers also took place. The events drew much coverage by the local media.

On July 22 the ensemble will participate in Germany’s Morgenland Festival, which has laid emphasis on Armenian music this year by inviting musicians from both Armenia and the Diaspora, L. Iskenyan said.