Sahakyan, My Family: Samatya Sahakyan Choir

Sahakyan, My Family: Samatya Sahakyan Choir is a feature-length documentary about the Samatya Surp Kevork Church Sahakyan Tıbrastas Choir, the oldest church choir in Turkey, founded in 1703. In the documentary, the cultural and artistic background and the current situation of the Sahakyan Choir are conveyed to the audience through the stories of the choir members and their ancestors. In this context, the place of Samatya, one of the oldest neighborhoods of Istanbul, in the lives of Istanbul and Anatolian Armenians in history and today is also examined.

In this documentary, topics such as what church choirs mean to the Armenian community, the cultural and social functions of choirs, the place of church choirs in Armenian music, the repertoire of the Sahakyan Choir, etc. are discussed. Choir members, musicologists and religious officials convey their views on these issues to the audience based on their own experiences. Aware of the importance of the Sahakian Choir for Armenian identity, culture and music, the choir members, all of whom are amateur musicians, share with us the choir’s work and results, which they continue with great devotion. In the documentary, we follow the choir’s process leading up to the New Year’s concert in 2020 step by step from the first rehearsals. We share their excitement. Now it is time to share this excitement with the Turkish society and the world audience. The story of the Sahakian Choir will now meet audiences around the world.