Only in Armenia: A Free Symphony Concert With Thousands in Attendance

The Armenia State Symphony Orchestra celebrated the close of its 20th anniversary season Monday night with a free open-air gala that drew thousands of people to Yerevan’s iconic Cascade Complex for an evening of classical music, Armenian traditions and symphonic interpretations of modern hits.

The performance took place at the Cafesjian Sculpture Garden, where the orchestra, led by Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Sergey Smbatyan, presented a program spanning centuries and musical styles. The concert reflected the ensemble’s evolution over the past two decades while bringing symphonic music to one of the city’s most popular public spaces.

The repertoire featured works by Dmitri Shostakovich, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Maurice Ravel, Aram Khachaturian, Tigran Mansurian and Charles Aznavour. The evening also included orchestral arrangements of contemporary songs such as System of a Down’s “Aerials,” Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir,” and Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song” and “Billie Jean.”

The program also celebrated Armenia’s musical heritage with symphonic arrangements of the traditional dances Kochari and Yarkhushta. The arrangements were created by Serouj Baghdassarian, known professionally as C-Rouge, while the orchestrations were by Martin Ulikhanyan.

With free admission, the gala transformed the Cascade into a gathering place for residents and visitors alike, underscoring the orchestra’s commitment to making live symphonic music accessible to a broad audience.

GTB Holdings was the principal partner of the Armenia State Symphony Orchestra’s 20th anniversary concert season.

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