Fantasy On Shalakho Themes

Born in the village of Gandzak, Gegharkunik Province. In 1963 Onik Galstyan graduated from Yerevan Secondary School No. 54, and in 1973 from the kamancha department of the R. Melikyan Music College. In 1974-2024 he worked in the A. Merangulyan Honored Folk Instruments Orchestra of the Public Radio of the Republic of Armenia, as a small bambir player and later as a kamancha player. In 1980-96 he worked at the Arno Babajanyan Music College as a kamancha teacher, and in 1978-89 at the Etchmiadzin Club and Library Technical School as a kamancha teacher and orchestra leader. During the same period he worked with amateur dance groups as head of the music section. He composed more than three dozen dance tunes, which have been used by dance groups and performing musicians. In 2009 Onik Galstyan's collection "Haykakan pareghanakner" ("Armenian Dance Tunes") was published. The dance tunes were recorded by the small and full line-ups of the A. Merangulyan Honored Folk Instruments Ensemble. Since 2010 Onik Galstyan has been the concertmaster of the A. Merangulyan Honored Folk Instruments Ensemble. The year 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of his work in the orchestra.