The gravestones of Aram Khachaturian, Vahram Papazian, Sergey Parajanov, William Saroyan, Alexander Tamanian, Avetik Isahakian, Vahan Terian, Hovhannes Abelian, Hrachia Nersisian and others rise above the spacious alley.
Here every gravestone was designed in an individual style, reflecting not only the physical features of the hero, but also his creative nature. Thus, for instance, on the gravestone of a well-known actor Vahram Papazian one can see masks, and the actor himself is shown in the position typical of one of his heroes.
On May 26, 1936 Komitas’ ashes were brought to the Pantheon and buried there. His magnificent sculpture with an open notebook in one hand stands on the round pedestal and reminds us of his inspired creativity and precious researches…
What Armenia has today is Komitas’ dream that didn’t come true during his lifetime: it is well-known that all his life he dreamt of opening a higher musical institution on his motherland, for local preparation of professional music candidates. It is also well-known that he, being a brilliant teacher, repeatedly developed programs for teaching the Armenian musicians of various profiles.
In 1921 a music studio was opened under the leadership of a famous Armenian composer Romanos Melikian in Yerevan. On its basis, on October 1, 1923, Yerevan State Conservatory was opened. After World War II, in 1946 the latter was named after Komitas.
Yerevan Conservatory is the only musical institution of higher education in Armenia.
On October 1, 2003, it celebrated its 80th anniversary. Throughout all these years the Conservatory has had numerous generations of graduates-musicians, who have performed the best stages of the world up to this day.
Not only musicians, but the Conservatory itself that carries the name of Komitas, has gone through a long and interesting path of development. In the first years of its foundation it offered classes of piano, violin, alt, cello, wind instruments, vocal, choral singing, string quartet and teaching.
In 1924-25 academic years the Conservatory organized the first Armenian symphonic orchestra.
In 1926-27 the first opera studio was opened, in 1930-31 – a composition class, and a year later – classes of opera and symphony conducting.
In 1937-38 academic years the Musicology department was founded, which allowed the students to obtain deep knowledge in the fields of music theory and history, art critique, harmony, polyphony, form analysis, and other.
Postgraduate studies have functioned at the Conservatory since 1961; here the students who wish to continue to perfect their music education, have an opportunity to receive an academic degree of a Candidate of Arts after the defense.
In the latter years the Conservatory opened a number of classes related to the problems of national folklore. In 1969 there was created the cabinet of national folklore, in 1978 – the cabinet of national instruments, in 1987 – the cabinet of national song, and in 1988 – the department of national folklore.
Today the Conservatory also offers the departments of foreign students, foreign languages, social sciences and computer science, which contribute to the expansion of professional outlook of the students. In 1997 the department of jazz music was opened for future representatives of Armenia’s music.
For its 80-year old path the Conservatory of Komitas has been developing under the leadership of bright musicians, famous composers and artists: