News
RAFFI SEVADJIAN (March 10, 1935-February 6, 2026)
His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan, Prelate, and the Religious and Executive Councils learned with deep sorrow of the passing of the distinguished conductor Raffi Sevadjian, on Friday, February 6, in New York. He was 91.
Raffi Papken Sevadjian was born on March 10, 1935, in Beirut. He attended St. Nshan School and the Nshan Palandjian Djemaran. From an early age, he was drawn to music, and in 1956–1957, he attended the Beirut Conservatory, while also studying music theory and harmony with Parsegh Ganachian.
After completing his conservatory studies in 1957, he founded Hamazkayin’s first choir and stirred great enthusiasm within the community with his concerts. From 1960 to 1965, he continued his musical studies at the conservatory in Marseille, France, while also directing the Armenia Choir at the request of its founder, Vartan Sarkissian, a student of Gomidas Vartabed. With the choir, he gave concerts in cities with sizeable Armenian communities, including Marseille, Valence, Lyon, Décines, Vienne, and Paris, finding an enthusiastic reception. During this period, he also served as choirmaster of Serpotz Tarkmantchats Cathedral in Marseille.
In 1965, he settled in the United States, assuming the conduction of the Boston Cultural Association’s choir. In 1966, he directed AGBU’s Knar Choir, and from 1967 to 1969, he served as director of the cultural and youth association department of St. James Armenian Church. He also founded the Sayat Nova Choir.
In 1969, on the 100th anniversary of Gomidas Vartabed’s birth, Maestro Sevadjian served as a guest conductor of the Kusan Choir of the New York Armenian Cultural Association (later the Hamazkayin Cultural Association). After settling in New York, he directed the Hamazkayin choirs of New York and New Jersey, as well as the New York Iranian-Armenian Association’s choir until 2002, presenting major annual concerts. He attended and completed two years of conducting studies at The Juilliard School in New York. He was choirmaster of St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Westchester, NY (1971-1991) and St. Sarkis Church in Douglaston, NY (2002-2008).
In the aughts, he visited Armenia, where he gave concerts in 2002, 2003, and 2005. In 2007, he was awarded the gold medal of Armenia’s Ministry of Culture, and in 2008 he received an honor from Hamazkayin’s Central Executive. In the final years of his life, his declining health prevented him from continuing his devoted service in the field of music.
The wake service for Maestro Sevadjian will take place on Thursday, February 12, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., at St. Sarkis Church in Douglaston, NY, where the funeral will be held on Friday, February 13, at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Sarkis Church.
On behalf of the Religious and Executive Councils, the Prelate extends his heartfelt condolences to the deceased’s wife, Armine Sevadjian; his children, Christopher and Aline; and all family members. May God illuminate his soul.