Gayane's Aria (from "David Bek" Oratorio)

Ashot Satyan was born in Merv (now Mari), Turkmenstan. From 1926 to 1930 he studied at the Armenian Art House Musical School in Baku. From 1930 he lived in Yerevan. In 1936 Satyan graduated from the Class of Composition (under the tuition of Haro Stepanyan, then Sargis Barkhudaryan) and the Class of Conducting (under the tuition of Constantine Sarajev) of Yerevan State Conservatory after Komitas. From 1930 to 1939 he worked at the National Academic Theater after G. Sundukyan as a head of the musical department and a conductor. From 1939 to 1947 Satyan directed the musical part of the studio "Haykino". From 1947 to 1952 he was the chairman of the Union of Composers of Armenia and a member of the Board of the USSR Composers' Union. Satyan was awarded the Order of ‘‘Badge of Honor’’. 1947 he was awarded the title of Honored Art Worker of Armenia. Satyan died in Yerevan.