Kuzhn Ara; Gna-gna

Armenak Shahmuradyan was born in Mush. From 1890 to 1893 Shahmuradyan studied at Gevorkian Seminary in Etchmiadzin, tutored Komitas. From 1893 to 1897 he was a soloist and assistant director for the Yekmalian Choir at Nersisyan School. In 1897 he was imprisoned and exiled to Turkey. In 1898 he taught at St. Karapet Monastery in Mush, from 1900-1902 at Karin’s national schools (as music and church head teacher), and in 1902 was a head teacher for John the Baptist Church in Paris. From 1902 to 1904 he studied at at W. de Andy's private school "Scola Cantorum", and from 1904 to 1906 took classes from P. Viardo. In 1906 he entered the Paris Conservatory, and in 1910 he was invited to the Grand Opera. Since 1914 he participated in the Komitas concert of the International Music Company of Paris. He lived first in the U.S. and then in Paris. He died in Paris in 1939.