The artistic community gathered in the Belgian capital, Brussels, to pay homage to Aram Tigran, a prominent Armenian figure in Kurdish music, known as the “Nightingale of the Middle East”, on the 14th anniversary of his death.
Organised by the Mesopotamian Movement for Democratic Culture and Art in Europe (TEV-ÇAND), the memorial event featured poignant speeches by fellow artists and culminated in a moving performance of Aram Tigran’s unforgettable compositions.
Affectionately known as Apê Aram, ‘Aram Uncle’ in Kurdish, Tigran was born in 1934 in the Kurdish city of Qamishli (Qamişlo) in northern Syria. He came from a family that had been displaced from Turkey’s Kurdish-majority southeastern province of Diyarbakır (Amed) in 1915.
He wished to be buried in his ancestral hometown, a wish that was denied by the Turkish Ministry of Interior on the grounds that he was a non-citizen.
Symbolically, soil from Diyarbakır was placed on his grave, symbolising the link between his birthplace and final resting place.
A virtuoso of languages, Tigran demonstrated his remarkable linguistic prowess by singing in various tongues, including Armenian, Kurdish, Syriac, Arabic, Turkish and Greek, throughout his illustrious 55-year musical career. His compositions not only captivated audiences, but also conveyed powerful political messages.
Tigran’s influence went beyond his musical achievements. He once famously proclaimed:
“If I were to be born again in this world, I would melt down all the tanks, rifles and guns and turn them into instruments like the saz, cümbüş and zurna.”
As a gesture to perpetuate his memory and artistic legacy, the Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality established the Aram Tigran Municipal Conservatory in 2010. For years, this institution nurtured countless students in their musical pursuits. However, its legacy was tainted when it was closed in November 2016 by a trustee appointed to the municipality.
Aram Tigran’s life, which spanned from Qamishli to Brussels, is encapsulated in 14 Kurdish-language albums, each contributing to his revered status in the hearts of the Kurdish people. His death marked a solemn juncture for Kurdish art and culture, but his melodies and legacy live on, serving as a testament to the enduring power of music to transcend boundaries and foster unity among peoples.
