The Naghash Ensemble is one of the most original and striking musical projects to emerge from Armenia in recent years. Created by Armenian-American composer John Hodian, the ensemble blends the earthy spirituality of traditional Armenian music with elements of contemporary classical music, post-minimalism, and the energy of jazz and rock. At the heart of the project lies the poetry of Mkrtich Naghash, a 15th-century Armenian mystic and priest, whose meditations on exile, faith, and human fragility form the foundation of the musical cycle Songs of Exile. Songs of Exile (Canções do Exílio).

Described by composer Tigran Mansurian as “the sound of ancient Armenia reinvented for the 21st century,” the Naghash Ensemble brings together some of Armenia’s finest musicians, combining lyrical voices with traditional instruments such as the duduk, oud, and dhol, accompanied by piano. The group has received critical acclaim across Europe for its powerful live performances and groundbreaking recordings.

Since its debut in 2014, the ensemble has released three volumes of Songs of Exile — Wanderer, Credos & Convictions and Lamentations & Benedictions — followed by a live album in 2021. Their upcoming studio release, Songs of Wisdom, based on the poetry of Kostandin Erznkaci, is scheduled for 2025.

The ensemble’s genesis traces back to the moment when John Hodian heard singer Hasmik Baghdasaryan perform sacred music in the ancient Temple of Garni. That moment inspired him to set the timeless texts of Naghash to music. The resulting work explores the universal experience of displacement and spiritual searching. As Hodian explains, “Naghash’s words are a mirror of our time — they speak to both the powerful and the powerless, the believers and the skeptics.”

Bridging past and present, east and west, the Naghash Ensemble offers a uniquely Armenian voice to the global contemporary music scene — both deeply rooted and boldly innovative.