Armenian Music

Armenian music is the traditional music of Armenia and its diaspora, a body of folk, liturgical and troubadour art unified by modal melody, additive dance rhythms and a characteristic repertory of laments. Its emblematic instrument is the duduk, a double-reed aerophone whose warm, vocal tone carries both village dances and songs of exile, alongside oud, kanun, tar, kamancha and frame drums. The tradition spans the sacred chant codified by *Komitas*, the ashugh troubadour songs of figures such as *Sayat-Nova*, kef dance music of the diaspora, and the concert folk playing of duduk masters such as *Djivan Gasparyan*.