Edvard Mirzoyan
Edvard Mik’aeli Mirzoyan (May 12, 1921 – October 5, 2012) was an Armenian composer born in Gori, Georgia. He saw himself as an atheist but believed life on Earth is a miracle to be enjoyed. He is considered part of Armenia’s Mighty Handful and a key figure in the Armenian School of music, alongside Arno Babajanian and Alexander Arutiunian.
Mirzoyan studied at Yerevan’s music schools and graduated from the Komitas State Conservatory in 1941, working with Sargis Barkhudaryan and Vardges Talyan. He was drafted into the Red Army in 1942, where he wrote many patriotic songs. He began teaching at the Yerevan Conservatory in 1948 and led the composition department from 1965, and also taught at the Melikyan Musical College from 1952. In the late 1950s he became president of the Armenian Composers’ Union, a post he held until 1991, and he led the Peace Foundation of Armenia. He helped build the Composers’ Union Resort in Dilijan, now named after him and a major cultural hub from the Soviet era.
His parents were Semyon Alikhanov and Lusya B. Pershangova; his mother was an actress who trained in singing. He was married to Elena Heghine Mamikonovna for 50 years and had two children, Zara and Arshak. Mirzoyan’s music blends lyricism with drama and is often described as neoclassical with Armenian folk elements. Notable works include his String Quartet, Cello Sonata, Symphony for Strings and Timpani, and Epitaph for String Orchestra. He is buried at the Komitas Pantheon in Yerevan.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 00:09 (CET).