Grikor Suni
Grikor Mirzaian Suni (Armenian: Գրիգոր Միրզայեան Սիւնի; originally Grikor Mirzaian, also Grigor; September 10, 1876 – December 18, 1939) was an Armenian composer and choirmaster.[1]
Grikor Suni Mirzaian
Grikor Mirzaian
September 10, 1876
Getabek, Elisabethpol Governorate, Russian Empire
December 18, 1939 (aged 63)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Composer, Choirmaster, Musicologist
In his hometown of Shushi, Suni became famous for his musical talents and organized his first concert. This would get him in trouble with Russian authorities forcing his chorus out of Shushi where they went on to spread Armenian cultural music around the world.[2] Suni was an instrumental figure in establishing the national identity of Armenian music and considered one of the many founders of modern Armenian music.[3][4]
Political activity[edit]
Suni was known as an outspoken politician figure during his time. At a young age, Suni was influenced by the socialist ideals of the Russian empire. Initially, Suni was part of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Dashnaktsutyun, which was a socialist party. However, he had a falling out with the Dashnaks and later became an avid spokesperson for the Bolsheviks. Because of this, he was frequently persecuted for the political nature of his works by fellow Armenian nationalists and under constant threat of arrest. Along with the folk songs he collected, he also wrote militaristic songs that had strong communist themes. This would culminate into his eventual exile into the United States where he spent the rest of his life and joined the Armenian communist party of America, the Harajdimakan.[3][10]