Fifteen years ago and more than 5,000 miles away, in the country of Armenia, Saugerties-based Armenian-American composer John Hodian was exploring his ancestral homeland. Inspired by the powerful and timeless medieval Armenian poetry he discovered, he began to write music that brought together the earthy spirituality of Armenian folk song, new classical music, contemporary post-minimalism, and the energy of jazz and rock.

Fast forward fifteen years, and Hodian’s Naghash Ensemble is now one of the premiere “world acts” in Europe, touring extensively across the continent. Featuring three exceptional female vocalists and some of Armenia’s finest instrumentalists on duduk, oud, dhol, and piano, the ensemble will be making a sporadic appearance in North America for a series of concerts in the U.S. and Canada. Thanks to Hodian’s Hudson Valley roots, The Naghash Ensemble will perform at the wonderfully intimate venue, The Local in Saugerties.

At the heart of the Naghash Ensemble’s appeal is the unique combination of instrumentation and vocal prowess. The ensemble’s three extraordinary female vocalists – Hasmik Baghdasaryan, Tatevik Movesesyan, and Shahane Zalayan – alongside some of Armenia’s finest instrumentalists: Harutyun Chkolyan on duduk, Aramayis Nikoghosyan on oud, Tigran Hovhannisyan on dhol, and Hodian on piano, create a mesmerizing atmosphere that feels at once rooted in the past and strikingly fresh. In Hodian’s compositions, ancient Armenian sacred texts, such as the evocative poems of exiled medieval priest Mkrtich Naghash, are woven into a fabric of sound that draws on a diverse set of influences.

The group’s upcoming Songs of Wisdom draws inspiration from another Armenian medieval poet, Kostandin Erznkatsi, whose writings, filled with admonitions and sorrow, pushed Hodian to explore new musical terrain. These new compositions are more rhythmic, intense, and emotionally charged but retain the haunting melancholy that defines so much of Armenian sacred and folk music. This shift in style comes not only from the text but from a decade of creative evolution, during which the ensemble has honed its distinctive voice on stages across Europe and the world.