KOMPONIST UND INTERPRETEN

KİRKOR ÇULHAYAN

(1868-1938)

A composer, violinist and player if nısfiye (a register of ney), he was also known as “Teacher” and “the Notater.” He was born and died in the Kumkapı quarter of Istanbul. In 1876, while a student in the Boğosyan-Varvaryan Armenian School, he began taking music lessons from Aristakes Ohannesyan. Upon the death of his teacher, he continued his training with Nikoğos Taşçıyan, and studied religious music with Der Bağdasar, a monk at the Surp Arutyun Church in Kumkapı. In 1885, he became a cantor in the Church of the Patriarchate, and during the same year, after Nikoğos’ death, he began studying with Hamparsum Çerçiyan. During this period he served as first cantor in the Surp Santuht, and Surp Tekirdağ churches in Rumelihisarı, and the Surp Takavor church in Tekirdağ, and continued his education in religious music with Vırtanes Hisarlıyan. At the same time he began going to Sufi lodges and learning Turkish religious music. From 1910 until his death, He served as head cantor in churches in Balat and Gedikpaşa, in Surp Kevork church in Samatya and Surp Agop church in Altimermer. He also taught music in several Turkish schools. He began recording in 1910. He also wrote a book about the lives and works of Bedros Karabetyan and Kirkor Çulhacıyan.