A square in Paris’s 9th arrondissement has been officially named after renowned French-Armenian composer and conductor Garbis Aprikian, founder and longtime director of the Sipan-Komitas Choir. The inauguration ceremony took place on October 15, marking the first anniversary of Aprikian’s passing and honoring his lifelong contribution to music and culture.
Born in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1926, Garbis Aprikian was a French-Armenian composer and conductor who dedicated his life to preserving and promoting Armenian music. After moving to Paris in 1953, he studied under renowned composers such as Olivier Messiaen and went on to lead the Sipan-Komitas Choir for nearly fifty years. Through his compositions and harmonizations of Armenian folk and sacred music, Aprikian pioneered the fusion of Armenian melodies with Western classical harmonies, becoming a bridge between the two traditions. His lifetime achievements earned him numerous distinctions, including the Medal of Saint Nerses Shnorhali (1989), the Medal of Saint Mesrop Mashtots (1993), the Vermeil Medal of the City of Paris (1994), the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2004), and the Grand Vermeil Medal of the City of Paris (2024), awarded for his life’s work.
This initiative was launched on the first anniversary of Aprikian’s death as a tribute to his decades-long creative and cultural legacy and to ensure the permanent remembrance of his name.
The event brought together numerous officials, dignitaries, and members of the Armenian community. Among those delivering remarks were Armen Khachatryan, Ambassador of Armenia to France; Laurence Patrice, Deputy Mayor of Paris in charge of Memory and Veterans Affairs; and Delphine Bürkli, Mayor of the 9th arrondissement. Members of the Aprikian family—his sons Goryoun Aprikian and Ara Aprikian, and granddaughter Talin Aprikian—were also in attendance. Additional participants included Paris Deputy Mayors Arnaud Ngatcha and Anouch Toranian; Paris City Council member and Delegate for Memory and Veterans Affairs Alexis Govciyan; Olivier Mantéi, President of the Philharmonie de Paris; and representatives of Armenian organizations, cultural circles, and the broader French-Armenian community.
In his address, Ambassador Armen Khachatryan expressed gratitude to Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, the Paris City Council, and the leadership of the 9th arrondissement for their initiative in perpetuating Garbis Aprikian’s memory and strengthening Armenian-French friendship. The ambassador highlighted that through his creative work and leadership of the Sipan-Komitas Choir, Aprikian played a vital role in promoting both Armenian and French musical heritage. He added that having Aprikian’s name inscribed in the heart of Paris symbolizes the harmonious unity of Armenian and French cultures.
Photos by Melkon Ajamian and Lydia Kasparian
