Petros Shoujounian was born in Gumri (formerly Leninakan), Armenia in 1957. He began music lessons on the violin, first in the Komitas School of Music, and then in the Gara-Mourza College of Music. In 1976 Shoujounian moved to Canada and continued his musical studies at the Quebec Conservatory of Music, in the Analysis and Composition class of Gilles Tremblay. Shoujounian has composed music for chorus and large orchestra, string orchestra, quartets, trios, solo instruments and voice. He orchestrated and arranged Armenian spiritual music for chamber orchestra, chorus and soprano for a CBC recording featuring Canadian soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian with conductor Raffi Armenian. And, as Music Director of two Montreal Armenia choirs, he has recorded and published many works written by Armenian composers.

Programme Note, Sourp Khatch

The oratorio Sourp Khatch (Holy Cross) commemorates 17 centuries of Armenian Christianity. Significant historical events of each century are represented by each of the seventeen movements beginning with the conversion of our nation to Christianity in 301 A.D. This is a sophisticated and complex 21st century work written for orchestra, choir, and three soloists. It is a very intense composition that depicts the struggle, suffering, victories, and failures of a nation but ends with a renewed hope in the future.

“I am grateful to my ancestors for my Christian faith and national image. With this composition, I wish to fill your souls with the determination to endure your faith in the Holy Cross.”

Credits: Petros Shoujounian
Creator: Petros Shoujounian
Subject: Sourp Khatch
Date Created: 2001

Interview, Shoujounian’s Cultural Influences: Armenia to Canada

“Cultural heritage is a powerful tool. One can use it to create expressive, deep, creative, visual music. When your music is based on a folkloric tune or on a religious chant, your musical identity takes a cultural direction, in my case it is typical Armenian music.” - P.S.

Armenian culture and history are central to Shoujounian’s life and work. Its history, religion, music, language, and literature all have a place in his original compositions and orchestrations of traditional music. The oratorio Sourp Khatch, a movement of which is featured on this website, is an important example of the power of Armenian traditions, and Shoujounian’s passion for representing it.

Shoujounian was a college student when he came to Canada, so his compositional career essentially began here. Aware of the “freedom of expression” that composers enjoy here, he feels he has always been able to “highlight what I thought was right in my music.” In Sourp Khatch, Shoujounian’s goal was to draw attention to Armenian philosophy and language through a large-scale vocal work describing the story of the Christian Church in Armenia (historically, it was the first country to adopt Christianity, circa 300 AD), and by relating relevant social and political developments in the country across the past 15 centuries. Armenia’s struggles throughout history are evident in the intensity of expression in this piece, and changes in the instrumental texture and rhythmic drive between movements help to project Shoujounian’s continued hope for the future of his homeland.

Credits: Dr. Mary Ingraham
Creator: Dr. Mary Ingraham
Subject: Petros Shoujounian | Sourp Khatch
Date Created: 2007

Icon, St. Gregory the Illuminator

A 14th-century icon of St. Gregory the Illuminator, the founder and patron saint of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Credits: Public Domain
Creator: Unknown
Subject: St. Gregory the Illuminator | Armenian Apostolic Church

Newspaper Review Excerpt, Armenian oratorio historical

In Canada, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrated with a performance of a new oratorio by Armenian-Canadian composer Petros Shoujounian last night at St. Michael’s Cathedral. [...]

Shoujounian’s oratorio took the form of a historical pageant, commemorating significant people and events through the centuries. Since struggle has been the main theme of Armenian history, a tone of dark endurance, overlaid with anxiety, ran through the entire piece. Rhythms became more lively for 4th-century battle and 9th-century optimism. Texture became simpler for 10th-century peace. But dark undertones were always present as the work approached the massacres of the early 20th Century.

The final movement, with its aching remembrance of all past loss and its ascending hope for the future, was the most impressive musically.

Credits: Lehr, John. Armenian oratorio historical; The Toronto Star, May 22nd, 2001.
Creator: John Lehr
Subject: Petros Shoujounian | Armenian Oratorio | Sourp Khatch
Date Created: 2001-05-22

• Programme Excerpt, Sourp Khatch (PDF 374 KB)
  

  History of the Armenian Apostolic Church

  Christianity in Armenia can be traced back to the age of the Apostles. Two of Christ’s Apostles, St. Thaddeus (35-43 A.D.) and St. Bartholomew (44-60 A.D.), preached the Gospel in Armenia as early as the first century and according to tradition were martyred there. The Armenian Church is therefore of Apostolic origin. There is historical evidence of the existence of a Christian community and clergy in Armenia prior to the fourth century. It was at the beginning of the fourth century, in 301 A.D., that Christianity was first proclaimed the official religion of Armenia. This proclamation was the result of the missionary activity of St. Gregory the Illuminator (240-332 A.D.) who baptized King Trdat III (Tiridates) and the royal family. St. Gregory was installed as the first Catholicos, or chief bishop of Armenia, and continued to convert the Armenian people.

  There could not have been a truly Armenian Christian culture if the Gospel could not be proclaimed to the Armenian people in the Armenian language. In 405 A.D., St. Mesrob Mashdots, an Armenian monk, invented the Armenian alphabet and with the help of the Catholicos, St. Sahak I, translated the Bible into Armenian. The Armenian Bible, one of the earliest translations of the Holy Scriptures, was without doubt an enormous literary achievement that integrated Christianity into Armenian life.

  The conversion of Armenia to Christianity permeated the whole course and destiny of Armenian history. Throughout the succeeding centuries, the Armenian people lived their national life under the influence of the Gospel, and as a result, Church and Nation became inseparably interwoven. During times of crisis and the absence of a physical Armenian state, the Church played an important role in preserving and fostering the spirit and culture of the nation. Hence, the Armenian Apostolic Church is seen by many as the custodian of Armenian national identity.

  
  Credits: Staff. Sourp Khatch concert programme; Armenian Holy Apostolic Church of Canada, 2001.
  Creator: Armenian Holy Apostolic Church of Canada
  Subject: Armenian history | Christianity | Armenian alphabet
  Date Created: 2001-05-21