Commissioned by
a consortium of 14 band directors, led by Dr. Shannon
Shaker and the Beer City Winds
Ashughs were troubadours in 16th-19th century Armenia who composed
hundreds of songs, many of which remain popular today.
Similar troubadours also existed in other areas of the Middle East
during
this
time, and the term "ashugh" is likely derived from the Arabic word
"ashiq".
Almost all existing Armenian-influenced band music (for instance,
Alfred Reed's "Armenian Dances") is based on the
transcriptions,
arrangements, and original compositions by an ethnomusicologist
and composer named Komitas
Vardapet.
Komitas is revered by Armenians, but his works comprise only one
small
fraction of Armenian music.
"Ashugh Songs" is a setting of melodies written by five different
Ashughs:
Sheram, Ashot, Shahen, Havasi, and Sayat Nova
*ASHUGH SONGS IS CURRENTLY UNDER
THE CONSORTIUM EXCLUSIVITY PERIOD AND IS AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER
ONLY*
Preordered scores and parts for "Ashugh Songs" will be sent out on
August 1, 2026
I
handle each order personally: I am not always able to reply
immediately, but I will always send an email response (along with any
PDFs ordered) within 24 hours.
Occasionally
email servers will redirect it to your junk mail folder or will reject
emails with attachments from contacts you have not previously emailed: if you have not received a response
after 24 hours, please contact me at michael@michaelmikulka.com