“Armenian Sharakans: Origins, Development, and Living Tradition” by Dr. David Zakarian and Marianna Asatryan
Dr. David Zakarian and Marianna Asatryan will present a talk on “Armenian Sharakans: Origins, Development, and Living Tradition” at 7:00PM on Friday, May 8, 2026, in the Grosse Industrial Technology Building, Room 101 (2255 E. Barstow Ave.) on the Fresno State campus. The lecture is free and open to the public.
This lecture explores the rich tradition of Armenian sharakans – the liturgical hymns of the Armenian Church – tracing their origins, historical development, and enduring role in worship. Beginning with the earliest compositions, it examines how sharakans evolved over the centuries in form, style, and theological expression, and how they became an integral part of the Armenian church rite. These themes will be illustrated through live performances of selected sharakans, providing both historical insight and a direct engagement with this distinctive musical heritage.
Dr. David Zakarian is Haig and Isabel Berberian Professor of Armenian Studies at Fresno State. He holds a DPhil in Oriental Studies from the University of Oxford. His doctoral thesis focused on the representation of women in early Christian Armenian texts. He taught Classical and Modern Armenian at Oxford from 2020 to 2024. Dr. Zakarian is the author of Women, Too, Were Blessed: The Portrayal of Women in Early Christian Armenian Texts and co-editor of Armenia through the Lens of Time. He has also published extensively on Armenian manuscripts and early Christian literature.
Marianna Asatryan is an education assessment specialist and is currently Head of Outreach and Selection at the Ellison Institute of Technology, which administers scholarship programs for study at the University of Oxford. Alongside her professional work, she has devoted decades to choral singing, particularly within church settings in Armenia, Greece, and the United Kingdom. She is currently a singer and assistant conductor at St. Yeghishe Armenian Church in London.
Asatryan is a member of the London Armenian Opera, where she has performed in major productions of Armen Tigranyan’s “Davit Bek” in 2015 and “Anoush” in 2022. She is the founder and the director of the Oxford Armenian Choir, which brings together students and members of the Oxford community who share a passion for Armenian folk and sacred music.
Free parking is available in Fresno State Lot P23, near the Industrial Technology building. Parking permits are not required for Friday night lectures.
The presentation will also be live-streamed on YouTube at: https://bit.ly/armenianstudiesyoutube.
For information about upcoming Armenian Studies Program presentations, please follow us on our Facebook page, @ArmenianStudiesFresnoState or at the Program website, https://fresnostate.edu/armenianstudies.
—
Barlow Der Mugrdechian
Associate Professor
Berberian Coordinator, Armenian Studies Program
Director, Center for Armenian Studies
Armenian Studies Program
5245 N. Backer Ave. PB4
Fresno CA 93740-8001
Tel. 559.278.2669
