Lectures by Haig Utidjian (EMS) I Activities May and June 2026

Haig Utijian, a researcher in the Early Music Studies Group, has announced three international lectures over the coming weeks, in Prague and Lisbon.

The first session will take place on May 29 in Prague, as part of the “Churches’ Night”, during which the city’s churches will be open to the public. The lecture-recital, scheduled for 6.00 pm, is entitled Arménská liturgie a hudba (Armenian Liturgy and Music) and will include an informal introduction to the Armenian liturgical tradition, as well as the performance of various hymns and odes, accompanied with succinct introductions and Czech translations.

On June 8, the researcher will return to Lisbon to take part in a conference organised by CESEM. On the unsung sacred musical traditions of the Mekhitarist Order will take place at 9.30 am at NOVA FCSH. The lecture will address this unique monastic musical tradition, which has been flourishing for over three centuries on the Venetian island of San Lazzaro, and discussing some of the unique musicological problems and conundrums.

The third conference, associated with the dedication of the newly-built organ of St. Vitus’ Cathedral, in Prague, will take place in Lužany. On June 14, the researcher will present the lecture „Víra, naděje a láska k Bohu nejvyššímu“: O Dvořákově Mši D dur, „Lužanské“ u příležitostí osvěcení nových varhan chramu Sv. Vita [“Faith, hope and love towards God the Highest”: On Dvořák’s Mass in D (the “Lužanská”)]. As part of the dedication ceremony, the Czech Philharmonic will be performing the Mass in D, and as the editor of the recent Bärenreiter critical edition of the work, Haig Utijian will discuss the colourful history of the work, the extant sources (including the composer’s sketches) and the various versions of the piece, reflecting the evolution of Dvořák’s thoughts and compositional processes.