Kilikia

Hayrik Muradyan was born in Jnuk village of Van (Western Armenia), studied at school in Van. In 1915 he migrated to Salmast city of Iran, returned to Van, then again to Iran and finally reached to deserts of Iraq. Only his mother, brother, uncle and Hayrik himself could stay alive from the genocide. In 1921 they moved to Armenia and lived in Verin Artashat. He worked as a farm laborer, finished middle school and studied at Yerevan State University (history faculty). He was imprisoned together with the other Armenian intellectuals. Participated in Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), was awarded with “Order of the Patriotic War”, “Badge of Honor” and with three martial medals. In 1965 his voice was broadcast for the first time. Hayrik Muradyan founded “Akunq” and “Van” ethnographic ensembles with his daughter Maro Muradyan in 1980. He recorded about 200 songs in the library of the Armenian National Radio. Died in Yerevan.