On August 4, 2017, the Saint George Cathedral in Tbilisi was turned into a crowded concert hall, where the Makar Yekmalyan Choir of the Cathedral of Saint George gave a concert. The concert was dedicated to the opening of the “House of Hovhannes Tumanyan” Center for Science and Culture at Hovhannes Tumanyan’s last home in Tbilisi. Through the efforts of the choirmaster Svetlana Tatoeva and piano player Karen Mirzoyan the choir presented classical music and religious songs program for the audience.

In attendance were the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, the guests who had arrived to Tbilisi specially to attend the opening: delegates of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, led by the Primate of the Tavush Diocese, His Grace Bishop Bagrat Galstyan; President of the Union of Writers of Armenia Eduard Militonyan; Executive Director of Jinishian Memorial Foundation Armen Hakobyan, and his wife; diplomats from the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Georgia, Artur Sargsyan, Karen Parunakyan and Artak Grabsky; as well as the clergy, community officials and many faithful.

The event began with the Lord's Prayer and the blessings of the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia.

In the highly decorated ancient temple the choir and soloists Michael Nazaryan, Sergey Aleksanyan, Nana Zakutova and choirmaster Svetlana Tatoeva performed Komitas’s, Yekmalyan’s, Schubert’s and Tigranyan’s works and other classical music pieces.

The blissful songs and enchanting music not only fascinated the audience, but attracted tourists to the church to enjoy a wonderful performance of music masterpieces.

At the conclusion of the concert, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia conveyed his appreciation to the members of the Makar Yekmalyan Choir, the choirmaster and the piano player for the concert and gave Right Rev. Father Bagrat Galstyan the floor. The Primate of the Tavush Diocese attached importance to the role and significance of the Armenian community in formation and development of religious and lay life in Old Tbilisi many centuries ago; he reflected on the important role the Diocesan Primate Vazgen Mirzakhanyan and the Armenian community had played to return the Armenian community to the values of Old Tbilisi and to turn Tumanyan’s last home in Tbilisi into the Center for Science and Culture. Bishop Bagrat congratulated the choir on the wonderful concert and wished them to perform religious songs and classical music with masterful technique at all times and in all places.

The event concluded with the “Guard Us” prayer offered by the two Bishops and the clergy.