Susanna Safaryan

Armenian folk and ashugh vocal art has been one of the pillars of our identity for centuries, and the bearers and transmitters of this art are national treasures. One such unique and dedicated figure is the Honored Artist of the Republic of Armenia, Susanna Safaryan.

Roots
Susanna Safaryan was born on July 5, 1955, in the city of Vedi, but the blood flowing in her veins and her genetic memory are deeply intertwined with Vayots Dzor. She descends from the historically renowned Melik-Safar lineage of Rind, being a worthy descendant of Safar, the son of Grigor.

Her father, Ambik Safaryan, was a talented painter and the director of the Vedi House of Culture, while her mother originally hailed from the neighboring village of Yelpin. Susanna’s brightest childhood memories are inextricably linked with the nature of Yelpin and Rind. In Ambik’s family, where three boys and two girls grew up, art and music were a way of life; all family members possessed bright musical abilities.

To hone her natural talent, Susanna studied at the vocal department of the Yerevan Musical-Pedagogical College (teacher: Vergine Hovhannisyan), and then at the folk song class of the Yerevan State Conservatory, under the guidance of the famous musician Arzas Voskanyan.

She was not only a brilliant performer but also a profound researcher: the topic of her postgraduate scientific work at the conservatory was “Armenian Lullabies.” She dedicated a significant part of her life to their preservation and restoration, later passing her knowledge to students as a lecturer at the conservatory.

Her exceptional vocal abilities did not go unnoticed, and she found her firm place in the most prestigious Armenian musical collectives:

• From 1976, she performed as a soloist with the State Orchestra of Armenian National Instruments.
• From 1990, she enriched the repertoire of the Aram Merangulyan Honored Ensemble of Folk Instruments.
• From 1995, she became one of the key singers of the Sayat-Nova Ashugh Song Ensemble.

Susanna Safaryan is not just a singer; she is a devoted guardian of our cultural heritage. She actively engaged in song-collecting, transcribed forgotten folk gems, and arranged and recorded them with the “Gandzer” ensemble and state orchestras. Her concert series “Songs of Pilgrimage”, “Melody of Emotion”, “Eternal Fire”, “Armenian Lullabies”, and “My Mother” hold an irreplaceable place in the golden fund of television and radio.

She is also an original author: she writes poems and songs that are constantly performed and warmly received during her solo concerts.

Ambassador of Armenian Song in the World
Through her art, Susanna Safaryan has taken the Armenian song to various continents of the world. Her voice has resonated in France, Australia, Syria, Iraq, Romania, Jordan, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Senegal, and Guinea.

For her long-term and fruitful activities, she has been awarded:

• Laureate of the YCL (Young Communist League)
• 1st prize at the Sayat-Nova Competition
• The highest honorary title of Honored Artist of the Republic of Armenia (2008).

Inseparable Connection with the Motherland
Her stage brilliance and nationwide recognition have never severed her from her roots. Susanna, who has one son, Harutyun, is boundlessly connected to nature and the mother earth. She personally tends, prunes, and waters her garden. In this work, she sees deep philosophy and patriotism:

“When I water the trees in the garden, I clearly realize that I am adding oxygen to my homeland.”

Rind is proud that a remarkable artist sprouted from its roots, whose voice encapsulates all the emotion and centuries-old history of the Armenian people. This child of the Melik-Safar family is truly a national treasure, whose song will resonate on the lips of generations for a long time.