Armenian Folk Music: Preserving an Oral Tradition

The Zulal A Cappella Trio is a musical powerhouse that gives life to Armenian village folk melodies through unique and original arrangements. Here, they explore folk songs as a living, dynamic form of storytelling, continually transforming and taking on new life, dialects and characteristics from one village and community to the next. Passed down through generations, these songs represent a long-standing oral tradition and an opportunity to keep alive a piece of our history told through the language and stories of our ancestors.

Originally published juillet 2020.

About the speaker

Zulal A Cappella Folk Trio

Zulal, the a cappella folk trio of Armenian-American women, takes melodies from the Armenian folk tradition and weaves intricate arrangements that pay tribute to the rural roots of the music while introducing a sophisticated lyricism and energy to these songs. Teni Apelian, Yeraz Markarian and Anaïs Tekerian have been singing together since 2002 and have performed in such esteemed venues as the Getty Museum, Berklee College of Music, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage and Symphony Space in New York. The trio has also performed for Cirque du Soleil and the Silk Road Project, scored the film Stone Time Touch and has three critically acclaimed albums to its credit.

Zulal A Cappella Folk Trio