March 4, 2009 - 22:10 AMT
Komitas Chamber Choir to mark composer's 140th birthday with series of concerts
Komitas Chamber Choir will mark the composer's 140th birthday with series of concerts in the countries where Komitas lived or worked.

Besides Armenian towns, the choir will tour Germany, France, Switzerland and Italy.

"The Armenian spiritual music was represented to the West thanks to Komitas," music expert Mher Navoyan said.

Head of the chamber choir Robert Mikaelyan said they are planning to release a DC of Komitas' music in their performance.

Turkey was excluded from the list of countries to be toured.

"Komitas is a victim of the Armenian Genocide. How can we give a concert in the perpetrator country, which denies this crime against humanity, demolishes or appropriates Armenian cultural heritage?" Navoyan said.