Aram Khachaturian House Museum

Armenia nourishes every work created on this land with the furious rhythm of mountain peaks, the melodic ringing of mountain streams and the sad groan of winds lost in fertile valleys. Delicate notes are brought by the aroma of blooming apricots, the sweet strength of amber of Armenian cognac, and amazing shades of combinations of various spices. Everything here, from amazing landscapes to exquisite culinary masterpieces, awakens creativity. This land is rich in geniuses, and it is not surprising that it was here that the great musician Aram Khachaturian was born. He managed to saturate traditional folk music with modern motives, polish it to the shine of a classical piece, and weave different unique voices into one powerful friendly choir.

Aram Khachaturian is known not only in his homeland, but also throughout the globe. His melodies, which have merged into the River of Eternity, sound original and bright there too – these are “Gayane”, “Spartacus” and “Masquerade”.

Of course, Yerevan would not be the same if one day a museum dedicated to this composer had not appeared on its shady streets. Since such openings are usually timed to coincide with the death of great figures, the house-museum also appeared in the cultural space of the capital of Armenia only in 1982. Territorially, it is located near the Grand Cascade. Since the maestro himself did not live in Yerevan permanently, the building where he preferred to stay during his visits to the capital was allocated for the museum. The house was chosen by Khachaturian and the organizers of his museum for a reason – the composer’s brother Vaghinak lived here for a long time with his family. Several wonderful hotels in Armenia can be found nearby.

The exposition was initiated by the maestro’s son, who did not spare the personal belongings of his famous father for the museum. He carefully selected the most interesting examples for the collection, telling about the important little things that made up the life of the great Khachaturian, depicting his taste preferences in everyday life. The exhibits once decorated the dining room, personal office and bedroom of the master. It was impossible to do without the tools of the great composer’s labor – a conductor’s baton, a grand piano, letters and working documents were donated to the museum. In addition, at the exhibition you can see Khachaturian’s tailcoat and personal photographs.

The house-museum has been growing and blossoming for many years under the sensitive hands of the famous Armenian musical figure, conductor Gohar Harutyunyan. She puts her whole soul and talent into preserving the memory of the great composer, and who else can so carefully and lovingly preserve the creative heritage of Khachaturian, if not another musician born on the same fertile land. The maestro’s music always sounds in the spacious halls, and the courtyard, where it is so pleasant to wait out the summer heat, is very touchingly and a little femininely decorated with fragrant roses. Tour operators of Armenia recommend visiting this place not only to ardent fans of the maestro’s work, but also to people who simply love music.

The Aram Khachaturian House-Museum in Yerevan holds many unique exhibits: rare documents containing the author’s music; sketches; manuscripts; books dedicated to this type of art and just trinkets, priceless for music lovers and admirers of the composer’s work. The spacious building accommodated a small concert hall under its vaults, where about two hundred listeners can enjoy the beautiful sounds.

Tourism in Armenia is developing so quickly, precisely due to the sensitive and respectful attitude towards people who once created in the vastness of the country (unlike, for example, tourism in Uzbekistan, statistics show this).

Every second summer, the Aram Khachaturian House-Museum welcomes composers within its walls, presenting their best musical works to the judgment of a demanding jury.

Any exhibit here preserves not only echoes of notes, but also touching stories. For example, the Pleyel piano, which, before finding itself behind the reliable walls of the house-museum, made a long journey from Argentina. On its lid you can see letters carved by the maestro Khachaturian himself. It’s not that the composer liked to paint his musical instruments with such designs, it’s rather an exception. And it happened like this: Khachaturian was touring Brazil back in 1957, and in the city of Sao Paulo he accepted an invitation from the antique dealer Tigran Mostidzhyan. Mostidzhyan was not happy about the visit of such a distinguished guest for long – he remembered with horror that he didn’t have a piano. In an unprecedented time, the instrument was bought and delivered, so that under the sensitive fingers of the maestro it could tell everyone many stories that evening. The antique dealer, trembling with delight, begged, asked and still managed to persuade Khachaturian to leave an autograph. The composer wrote it with a nail. After this, the instrument was cherished and nurtured as a precious family heirloom, and only many years later did they find the strength to give the treasure as a wedding dowry to Mosti’s daughter. dzhyana. And she took “Pleyel” with her to Buenos Aires. In 1988, 10 years after the death of the great master, the Shirinyan family, who owned the priceless instrument, decided to donate the piano to the Yerevan museum. Having traveled half of Latin America and crossed the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, “Pleyel” is now deservedly resting in the halls of the museum. Along with other exhibits, it pleases and surprises with its history music lovers, devoted admirers of Aram Khachaturian’s work and just visitors who are not alien to beauty.

A tour of the house-museum is one of the most popular tours in Armenia.

The Khachaturian House-Museum is located on Zarubyan Street in the house at number 3. The museum is open 6 days a week, excluding Sunday, from 11 am to 4 pm.