Brilliant Performance of Khachaturian’s Piano Concerto by the Thessaloniki Symphony Orchestra — Dedicated to the Memory of the Victims of the Armenian Genocide

Audience would not let Hayk Melikyan leave the stage, greeting him with prolonged ovations

On April 30, the prestigious Thessaloniki Concert Hall (Megaron) hosted the concert “Sounds of the World: Armenia,” dedicated to the memory of the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The event was organized at the initiative of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia to the Hellenic Republic, in partnership with the Thessaloniki Concert Hall (Megaron) and with the support of the Hovnanian Family Foundation.

The centerpiece of the evening — Aram Khachaturian’s Piano Concerto — was performed by the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra under the baton of the distinguished French conductor Philippe Forget. The soloist was the renowned Armenian virtuoso pianist, Honored Artist of the Republic of Armenia, Hayk Melikyan.

Maestro Forget, who was conducting Khachaturian’s Piano Concerto for the first time in his career, expressed his deep admiration for the great Armenian composer’s musical language, the vivid orchestral colors of the work, and its distinctive national style. Highlighting Hayk Melikyan’s virtuosic performance, he noted that collaborating with a soloist of such caliber was an exceptional artistic experience.

The Greek audience, together with numerous international and official guests, would not allow Hayk Melikyan to leave the stage, greeting him with prolonged standing ovations. In response, the pianist offered Komitas’ delicate and soulful “Shushiki,” whose every note sent shivers through the hall, leaving an indelible impression in the hearts of all those present.

“Today's concert, jointly organized by the Embassy of Armenia in Greece and the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, is dedicated to the 111th anniversary of the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. This is, in fact, the first time that the Embassy has organized such an event in Thessaloniki. Recognizing the importance of this occasion, we invited from Armenia the Honored Artist of the Republic of Armenia, Hayk Melikyan, who performed one of the finest piano concertos of the 20th century — the concerto by Aram Khachaturian. In 2025, during the official visit of the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Armenia, Zhanna Andreasyan, to Greece, the Thessaloniki Concert Hall and the Armenian National Philharmonic signed a Memorandum of Cooperation, which also envisions the organization of joint events and concerts featuring musicians from both of our countries. This symbolic event can be regarded as the inaugural expression of such cooperation,” said the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Hellenic Republic.

“Tonight’s concert held a deeply symbolic meaning for me. Music is the language through which one can convey both pain and hope, and the indomitable spirit of our people. Last year, I had the honor of performing at the Athens Megaron, and tonight, feeling the warmth and sincere affection of the Thessaloniki audience, I was once again convinced of how warm-hearted, sensitive, and music-loving the Greek public is. I am grateful to the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Greece, to the Thessaloniki Megaron, and to the Hovnanian Family Foundation for making this possible,” said Hayk Melikyan.

The concert was further graced by especially moving moments from Siranush Tsalikyan, a gifted soprano of Greek-Armenian heritage, who, with her velvety and soul-stirring voice, performed the contemporary Greek composer Christos Hatzis's vocal-symphonic work Light from the Cross — a piece built upon themes from Armenian sacred music. The artist’s performances — full of inner emotion and distinctive national spirit — created in the hall a special atmosphere of Armenian-Greek cultural kinship, once again underscoring the deep roots that unite the two peoples.