Vahram Sargsyan

Vahram Sargsyan (; also spelled Sarkissian ) is an Armenian-Canadian composer, choral conductor and vocalist based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

His work spans chamber, choral, and vocal music and often engages contemporary compositional practices and extended vocal techniques. He was awarded the Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music in 2023 for his composition Quiet Songs.

Biography Vahram Sargsyan studied composition with Ashot Zohrabyan at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory from 1998 to 2003, while also studying choral conducting with Tigran Hekekyan, which he completed in 2006. He later pursued graduate-level composition studies at the Schulich School of Music, McGill University, working with composer Philippe Leroux.

Sargsyan’s music has been performed internationally in Europe, North America, and Asia, including performances in Armenia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Japan, and the United States. His composition Luys Zvart was performed at the 6th World Symposium on Choral Music (Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2002).

His arrangement of Khorurd Metz (Great Mystery) was published in Oxford University Press's anthology World Carols for Choirs (2005) and has been recorded by BBC Singers. It has been broadcast by BBC Radio 3.

Sargsyan has received commissions from Oxford University Press, Norddeutscher Rundfunk, and AGBU Foundation, CBC Radio and others. His work Hunting the Hunter was premiered under his own baton in 2012 at Carnegie Hall.

In addition to his compositional work, Sargsyan is active as a lecturer and workshop leader, presenting on extended vocal techniques and contemporary choral practices. His workshops and presentations have been featured at international choral festivals and conferences, including the World Symposium on Choral Music, Europa Cantat, the ACDA Regional Conference, and PODIUM Conference among others.

Vahram Sargsyan is a member of Composers' Union of Armenia, Canadian League of Composers, and Canadian Music Centre.

Awards Artiste de l’année à Laval (Quebec, Canada 2024) Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music (Canada 2023), for Quiet Songs Winner, POLYPHONOS 2017 Commission Competition (Seattle, United States, 2016) Third Prize, Godfrey Ridout Award from the SOCAN Foundation (Canada, 2012), for Tribulationes Winner, 3rd BCE Commission Competition (Boston, United States, 2010), for Tribulationes First Prize, International Contest for New Choral Compositions (Petrinja, Croatia, 2009), for Anegh Bnutiun Award, World Armenian Congress “for creative achievements” (2009), for Mythis Co-winner, European Seminar for Young Composers (Aosta, Italy, 2008), for Laudate Dominum Co-winner, Choral Composition Competition (Yerevan, Armenia, 2006), for Tantum ergo

Selected works

Orchestral

Ter yete - God, if (cantata), mixed chorus, large orchestra (64 players), 2003 Mythis, 18 strings, 2008

Chamber music Five Images, cello, piano, 1996 Poem, cello, piano, 1998 Sonatina, clarinet, piano, 1999 String Quartet, 2000 Music for 13, large ensemble (13 players), 2002 Selbstvergessenheit, 2 clarinets, cello, piano, 2006 Deux Silhouettes Féminines (texts by Paul Fort, Yeghishe Charents), soprano, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, 2007 Hunting the Hunter, clarinet, marimba, 2 violins, viola, cello, piano, 2012 deperson, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, 2013 Gandz, large ensemble, 2013

Choral Tkhur meran - Sadly Departed (text by Vahan Terian), female chorus, 1999 Kesgisher - Midnight (text by Vahan Terian), mixed chorus, 1999 Voghormya - Lord, Have Mercy (text from Psalm 50 [Armenian translation]), mixed chorus, 2000 Luys Zvart - Joyful Light (text from an ancient Greek sacred text [Armenian translation]), female chorus, 2001 (also version for mixed chorus, 2006) Lux aeterna, mixed chorus, 2004 Tantum ergo (text by St. Thomas Aquinas), mixed chorus, 2006 Domine Deus (text from the Gloria), 7 mixed voices, 2007 Laudate Dominum (text from Psalm 150), mixed chorus, 2008 Anegh Bnutiun (text by St. Nerses Shnorhali), female chorus, 2008 (also version for male chorus, 2009) Dzaynik (text by Komitas Vardapet), female chorus, 2009 Ilik (folk text), female chorus, 2009 Stabat Mater, mixed chorus, 2010 Tribulationes (excerpts from the Psalms), mixed chorus, 2010 Wage Peace (text by Judyth Hill), mixed chorus, 2011

Piano Visions, 1997 Variations, 1999

Arrangements Sirt im sasani - My Heart Is Grieving over Judas (13th-century Armenian choral), mixed chorus, 2002; Khorurd metz (Movses Khorenatsi), mixed chorus, 2002 Ousti Guqas (Sayat-Nova), clarinet, marimba, cello, 2012