The poetry and music group Valo/Luys was formed in 2018 from the meeting of Armenian and Finnish art enthusiasts who, though walking different professional paths, shared a common passion for poetry and music and a curiosity to learn more about each other’s cultures.

Each year, the group chooses a unifying theme, bringing together translated poetry, Armenian into Finnish and Finnish into Armenian, alongside songs that echo the spirit of both lands. Their carefully crafted performances come to life on the stage of Q-Teatteri in Töölö, inviting audiences into a space where language and music come together.

The group will perform the songs of Komitas, the Armenian priest, teacher, conductor, composer, singer, and ethnomusicologist, whose legacy continues to resonate across time and borders and whose work shaped Armenian music.

The songs of Komitas carry the lives, struggles, and joys of people who sang in fields, at weddings, in mourning, and in celebration. Through them, we honor not only Komitas, but the enduring power of cultural memory.