KOMITAS, SHUSHIKI

Soghomon Gevorki Soghomonyan - Komitas Vardapet (“Սողոմոն Գևորգի Սողոմոնյան“ - “Կոմիտաս Վարդապետ“ in Armenian), by Western Armenian transliteration also Gomidas Vartabed, born on September 26 or October 8 (see discussion) 1869 in Kütahya, Ottoman Empire, died on October 22, 1935 in Paris, France, was an Armenian priest, composer, choir leader, singer, music ethnologist, music pedagogue and musicologist. Many regard him as the founder of modern Armenian classical music. Komitas lost his mind after witnessing the 1915 Armenian Genocide and is ranked among the Armenian martyrs of genocide.