The 5th Penderecki Contemporary Music Festival concluded with the Armenian premiere of the soundtrack from Atom Egoyan’s film Ararat. The performance featured the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra and the Armenian National Academic Choir under the baton of conductor Sergey Smbatyan.

Oscar-winning composer Mychael Danna created the suite based on the film’s original score. In Ararat, Danna masterfully blended Armenian chants and folk melodies, creating a moving musical experience that has resonated with audiences around the world. According to the State Symphony Orchestra’s press service, the suite includes the folk songs “Krunk” and “Yeraz,” as well as the chant “Ur es, mayr im,” as reported by Factor.am .

The concert also featured Georgian composer Giya Kancheli’s piece Styx, written for viola, mixed choir, and orchestra. The viola solo was performed by Sarah McElravy, who described the piece as depicting the mythical river that separates life from death—where the viola’s voice lies at the boundary between the two.

“This is an incredibly lyrical, spiritual, and truly impactful work,” McElravy said.

To close the evening, McElravy performed Komitas’ “Shogher jan” as an encore. The program also included renowned Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki’s Three Pieces in Old Style for string orchestra.

This year’s Penderecki Contemporary Music Festival was held with the support of the Embassy of Poland. The event serves as a unique platform for engaging with the works of leading composers of our time.