Makar Yekmalyan

Makar Yekmalyan was born in Vagharshapat (now Etchmiadzin). In 1872 he graduated from the Echmiadzin Juridical School. From 1873 to 1874, under the guidance of Nikoghayos Tashjian, he studied Armenian notation and participated in the recording and publication of spiritual songs. From 1874 to 1877, Yekmalyan taught singing and theory of Armenian Church music in Gevorkian Seminary. From 1877 to 1891, he lived in St. Petersburg. From 1879 to 1888, Yekmalyan studied at the Department of Composition at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. From 1891 to 1982, he lived in Tblisi and taught at the Nersisyan School. He was the teacher of Komitas and Armen Tigranyan, both hugely influential figures in Armenia's musical history. From 1893 to 1894, Yekmalyan was a teacher and director of the Musical College of the Tblisi Department at the Imperial Russian Musical Company. The primary focus of his compositions is the Patarag (music of the Armenian Liturgy). Yekmalyan's work played a key role in the formation of National Music School. In 1895, with the mediation of Archbishop Gevorg Surenyants and the patriarchal kondak (letter) of the Catholico Mkrtich A. Vaneci (Khrimyan Hayrik), Yekmalyan's Patarag was officially accepted by Armenian Church. Yekmalyan died in Tblisi.