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Princeton, N. J.--Speaking on 18 March in front of over 300 people in Montreal, Dr. Rita Soulahian-Kuyumjian introduced her groundbreaking study, Archeology of Madness: Komitas, Portrait of an Armenian Icon.
Dr. Rita Soulahian-Kuyumjian signing her book, Archeology of Madness: Komitas, Portrait of an Armenian Icon. The statue at left was a surprise gift from her husband, Dr. Jirair Kuyumjian.
Dr. Kuyumjian, who is a professor of psychiatry at McGill University, gave a beautifully written paper on the famed Armenian cleric who defined the modern Armenian musical tradition. Her talk touched on three key aspects of Komitas's life: his relationship with the Armenian Church, his relationship with Margaret Babaian, and his final years at a mental institution in Paris. The presentation, enhanced by numerous slides, captivated Dr. Kuyumjian’s audience from beginning to end.
Komitas survived the Armenian Genocide and developed a severe form of posttraumatic stress disorder. This diagnosis was not made at the time, but Dr. Kuyumjian’s research into Komitas’s medical records indicates that the symptoms were clearly there. The original research, in the words of Vahakn Dadrian, "brings to relief the psychiatric dimension of the toll of the Armenian Genocide."
Archeology of Madness took 13 years to complete. It was a labor that Dr. Kuyumjian shared with her husband and son. Her research took her to libraries and archives in Yerevan, Istanbul, Paris, and Montreal. Some materials were readily accessible, while others, such as the archives at the Hopital de la Paix in Istanbul, had been discarded many years ago.
The result of Dr. Kuyumjian’s painstaking research was "a very moving manuscript," to quote Vartan Gregorian. It was hailed by the late poet and literary critic Vahé Oshagan as "a pioneering achievement,"
Dr. Kuyumjian shared with the audience some of the precious moments she experienced when working on this book. She was still visibly moved as she recalled examining Komitas's medical records for the first time at the Ville-Evrard psychiatric hospital outside Paris.
The presentation was closed with a passage from the book, the last paragraph, where she summarized Komitas's significance as an Armenian cultural icon today: "Komitas performed no miracles in his lifetime, but his music had a profound healing effect on the psychological wounds of the Armenian people. Indeed, its restorative powers are still felt by Armenians to this day. His personal, highly creative method of mourning played an integral role in healing an entire nation. What he gave to the Armenian people is similar to what Bartok gave to the Hungarians--the voice of a nation's spirit. Through Komitas and his work, Armenians were able, both consciously and unconsciously, to liberate themselves from the pain and injustice inflicted on them by history."
The evening had been opened by Mr. Viken Attarian of the AGBU, Montreal. Janna Garabedian performed some of Komitas’s works on the piano before Dr. Kuyumjian’s presentation. There was also a brief word from Ara Sarafian of the Gomidas Institute, which published Archeology of Madness.
Dr. Kuyumjian signed copies of the book for members of the audience, which included His Excellency Ara Papian, the ambassador of Armenia to Canada.
Dr. Kuyumjian will make a similar presentation in Glendale, California, on Sunday, 22 April, at 2:30 P.M., at the Glendale Public Library, 222 East Harvard Street.
Archeology of Madness: Komitas, Portrait of an Armenian Icon (ISBN 0-9535191-7-1; xii + 238 pages; illustrations, maps, index; US$25 hardcover) is available from bookstores. It can be ordered directly from the publisher by calling 1-800-865-6405 from anywhere in the USA or Canada.
Dr. Rita Soulahian-Kuyumjian signing her book, Archeology of Madness: Komitas, Portrait of an Armenian Icon. The statue at left was a surprise gift from her husband, Dr. Jirair Kuyumjian.
Dr. Kuyumjian, who is a professor of psychiatry at McGill University, gave a beautifully written paper on the famed Armenian cleric who defined the modern Armenian musical tradition. Her talk touched on three key aspects of Komitas's life: his relationship with the Armenian Church, his relationship with Margaret Babaian, and his final years at a mental institution in Paris. The presentation, enhanced by numerous slides, captivated Dr. Kuyumjian’s audience from beginning to end.
Komitas survived the Armenian Genocide and developed a severe form of posttraumatic stress disorder. This diagnosis was not made at the time, but Dr. Kuyumjian’s research into Komitas’s medical records indicates that the symptoms were clearly there. The original research, in the words of Vahakn Dadrian, "brings to relief the psychiatric dimension of the toll of the Armenian Genocide."
Archeology of Madness took 13 years to complete. It was a labor that Dr. Kuyumjian shared with her husband and son. Her research took her to libraries and archives in Yerevan, Istanbul, Paris, and Montreal. Some materials were readily accessible, while others, such as the archives at the Hopital de la Paix in Istanbul, had been discarded many years ago.
The result of Dr. Kuyumjian’s painstaking research was "a very moving manuscript," to quote Vartan Gregorian. It was hailed by the late poet and literary critic Vahé Oshagan as "a pioneering achievement,"
Dr. Kuyumjian shared with the audience some of the precious moments she experienced when working on this book. She was still visibly moved as she recalled examining Komitas's medical records for the first time at the Ville-Evrard psychiatric hospital outside Paris.
The presentation was closed with a passage from the book, the last paragraph, where she summarized Komitas's significance as an Armenian cultural icon today: "Komitas performed no miracles in his lifetime, but his music had a profound healing effect on the psychological wounds of the Armenian people. Indeed, its restorative powers are still felt by Armenians to this day. His personal, highly creative method of mourning played an integral role in healing an entire nation. What he gave to the Armenian people is similar to what Bartok gave to the Hungarians--the voice of a nation's spirit. Through Komitas and his work, Armenians were able, both consciously and unconsciously, to liberate themselves from the pain and injustice inflicted on them by history."
The evening had been opened by Mr. Viken Attarian of the AGBU, Montreal. Janna Garabedian performed some of Komitas’s works on the piano before Dr. Kuyumjian’s presentation. There was also a brief word from Ara Sarafian of the Gomidas Institute, which published Archeology of Madness.
Dr. Kuyumjian signed copies of the book for members of the audience, which included His Excellency Ara Papian, the ambassador of Armenia to Canada.
Dr. Kuyumjian will make a similar presentation in Glendale, California, on Sunday, 22 April, at 2:30 P.M., at the Glendale Public Library, 222 East Harvard Street.
Archeology of Madness: Komitas, Portrait of an Armenian Icon (ISBN 0-9535191-7-1; xii + 238 pages; illustrations, maps, index; US$25 hardcover) is available from bookstores. It can be ordered directly from the publisher by calling 1-800-865-6405 from anywhere in the USA or Canada.