The Music of Armenia, Volume 5: Folk Music
Founded in 1991 by reed virtuoso Gevorg Dabagian, the Shoghaken  Folk Ensemble uses only the traditional instruments of Armenia. The group  aims to recreate the authentic sound of Armenian music as it was performed  in past centuries, without external instruments or influences. Musicians of  the ensemble include Gevorg Dabagian, playingduduk,zurnaandshevi(also the featured performer onThe Music of Armenia,  Volume Three: Duduk; Karineh Hovhannessian on the kanon (the featured  performer onThe Music of Armenia, Volume Four: Kanon; Kamo  Khachaturian on thedhol; Hakob Khalatian on thekamancha;  Eduard Harutunian and Grigor Takushian both onduduk dam(drone).The vocalists with the ensemble are all noted soloists in their  own right and include: Hasmik Harutunian specializing in the songs of  Western Armenia; Lida Zakarian specializing in both Armenian folk music and  contemporary music; and Artavazd Voskanian who sings classical, sacred  music and folk music. The Sasun Folk Group was founded in 1988 in the  village of Nerkin Bazmaberd by Andranik Manukian. The group specializes in  the folk songs and dances of Mush and Sasun in Western Armenia, maintaining  a more regional, authentically vernacular or popular sound. Vocalists  include Tsovinar Manukian, Norair Manukian, Sedrak Harutiunian, Harutiun  Harutiunian, Artiom Hakobian, Astgik Hakobian, Liana Makhsudian, Gayaneh  Khachaturian, Hasmik Khachaturian, Inga Gazarian, and are accompanied by  Ara Mkoyan and Samvel Grigorian on theduduk dam(drone), and  Gourgan Manukian on thedhol.