The Plovdiv Singing Society was founded in 1896 by 18 enthusiastic music lovers with passion for choral singing. Over the years, as conductors of the Plovdiv Singing Society have been appointed Angel Bukoreschliev, Anton Tsarigradsky, Emanuil Manolov, Svetoslav Obretenov, Assen Diamandiev, Mesru Mehmedov, Krikor Chetinyan, Nikola Lipov, Dimitar Grigorov.
In 1970 the choir was renamed Plovdiv Singing Society "Angel Bukoreschliev". Krikor Chetinyan took the leadership in December 1971.
In April 1972 PSS delivered an excellent performance as a part of Decade of amateur art. Krikor Chetinyan was truly delighted. The group of almost 100 choristers encompassed a wide range of people from different background - Music school pupils, students, doctors, economists, lawyers, professional opera singers. The PSS maintained mixed, women's, men's and chamber choirs. In September 1972, PSS organized a series of concerts abroad with a boat trip on the Danube and concerts in Plovdiv's twin cities such as Bratislava, Budapest, Vienna. This was the only Plovdiv ensemble to travel outside the country. In the autumn of 1972 Krikor Chetinyan had already selected for the PPD the performance of a completely new repertoire, according to his views and the qualities of the ensemble.
The beginning of 1973 launched an intensive study of a new repertoire. On March 18, 1973, the choir was already widely known and being invited on a concert stage in Sofia, at Bulgaria hall. The hall then held about 2000 people. On the right and left balcony stood prof. Georgi Dimitrov and prof. Petko Stainov, and the most prominent Bulgarian musicians were also present. During the performance of a complex piece by Georgi Dimitrov, two choristers got the part wrong, right at the end. Krikor Chetinyan stopped the performance and commenced again. The choir performed the piece superbly. Prof. Georgi Dimitrov tearfully admits that he has never witnessed a better performance of his work. The audience erupted in applause and ecstatic “Bravo “.
On Chetinyan's earlier trip with the Student Chamber Choir, he had friendly contacts with the conductor of the School of Music, Helmut Wassmuth, from Warburg, West Germany.
In 1973 a successful month-long tour of West Germany took place, which included concerts and recordings for media such as Radio Cologne and others. The choir performed regularly outside the country and spread the choral glory of Bulgaria. The press started pouring in as early as 1971:
"When I find that the PSS ranks among the most perfect international choirs, it corresponds to my deepest conviction." Alfred Wolf - Vice-Rector of the Vienna Conservatory.
"It is a great joy for all those who love choral art that PSS started on the path of great art - a sound that most resembles the Bulgarian musical soul." Prof. Georgi Dimitrov - composer, choir conductor and pedagogue.
Another quote from the Boner Rundschau newspaper from the capital Bonn:
"In the framework of its grand tour in the FRG, the Bulgarian choir "Angel Bukoreschliev" revived the Bonn Summer Festival, it is a world-class choir, its repertoire is very extensive, from madrigals to modern music. Much of the credit for this success goes to conductor Krikor Chetinyan. In the Bulgarian songs of the Angel Bukoreschliev Choir, all the registers of modern quasi-instrumental choral music were covered in order to then infuse them with very realistic sound images. All of this demonstrated a performance virtuosity that was dazzling and engaging."
Another quote from the Boner Rundschau newspaper from the capital Bonn:
"In the framework of its grand tour in the FRG, the Bulgarian choir "Angel Bukoreschliev" revived the Bonn Summer Festival, it is a world-class choir, its repertoire is very extensive, from madrigals to modern music. Much of the credit for this success goes to conductor Krikor Chetinyan. In the Bulgarian songs of the Angel Bukoreschliev Choir, all the registers of modern quasi-instrumental choral music were covered in order to then infuse them with very realistic sound images. All of this demonstrated a performance virtuosity that was dazzling and engaging."
In the comments of the international jury in Langollen we read:
"A wonderful choir, with endless possibilities. The tone was perfectly controlled. This is a perfect ensemble with wonderful musicianship. The women's ensemble has brilliant technical qualities. This Bulgarian choir has a wonderful range of tone, which it masters with great musicianship."
In the comments of the international jury in Langollen we read:
"A wonderful choir, with endless possibilities. The tone was perfectly controlled. This is a perfect ensemble with wonderful musicianship. The women's ensemble has brilliant technical qualities. This Bulgarian choir has a wonderful range of tone, which it masters with great musicianship."
In 1975, Krikor Chetinyan had already begun his work as a teacher at the Academy of Music, but he still devoted time and extraordinary attention to the PSS. The choir developed an entirely new repertoire including church music by Bulgarian composers, which was a very bold undertaking for those years.
A new tour of West Germany followed in 1976. During the tour, Krikor Chetinyan had been approved for an associate professorship at the Academy of Music. This continued with concerts in the town of Kassel, various churches, where the church chants appeal immensely. Here's a new quote from Die Kasselsche Allgemeine Zeitung about the 1976 guest appearance of the ensemble: “The sound image, created both with bravura and with exceptional singing discipline, proved a sonic uniformity that has hardly ever been heard from a large choir. Polytonality, polyrhythmic, quarter-tone shouts and whispers, these are the things that bring the performance to the greatest perfection. So, it can be argued that this achievement could hardly be surpassed by any other choir. For here the limit of what is at all possible to realize has unquestionably been reached."
New repertoire was again explored in 1977, and a tour of the Soviet Union followed in 1978. Concerts were attended by huge attendances in Moscow, Leningrad in prime venue such as Congress Hall.
From late August to mid-October 1979 a new West Germany tour was realized. It included Westphalia, the Ruhr, the west of the country, Munich, Nuremberg as well many concerts and recordings in Germany. Newspapers and magazines in nationwide come out every day with laudatory articles about the choir.
In 1981 the choir was already invited to perform in Langollen, UK. Another phenomenal performance, accolades and articles about Krikor Chetinyan followed.
Krikor Chetinyan was a member of international juries at the most prestigious choral festivals - USA, Italy, France, Germany, UK, Canada, etc.
Chetinyan has been with PSS for 14 years. According to the choir directors of PSS, where such luminaries as Angel Bukoreschliev, Assen Diamandiev and others have been conductors, Krikor Chetinyan's time is the peak of possibilities and achievements. He studied and performed between 33 and 38 pieces a year - an extremely vast repertoire. His leadership achievements were undoubtedly without precedent in the history of Plovdiv Singing Society.
In 1979, the PSS signed a contract with the then State Philharmonic Orchestra - Plovdiv for artistic partnership in the performance of oratorial works and this was the creation of the first Bulgarian amateur philharmonic choir. Two remarkable conductors furthermore outstanding masters of interpretation were in charge - Dobrin Petkov and Krikor Chetinyan. One of the most significant achievements of this tandem is the very first performance in Bulgaria of Artur Honegger’s “Joan of Arc at the Stake” in 1984.
Още един цитат от вестник Бонер Рундшау от столицата Бон:
„В рамките на голямото си турне във ФРГ, българският хор „Ангел Букорещлиев“ съживи фестивала Бонско лято, това е хор на световно равнище, репертоарът му е много обширен, от мадригалите, до модерната музика. Голяма заслуга за този успех има диригентът Крикор Четинян. В българските песни на хор „Ангел Букорещлиев“ бяха застъпени всички регистри на модерното квазиинструментално хороводство за да се влее след това в съвсем реалистични звукови образи. Всичко това доказва една изпълнителска виртуозност, която действаше заслепяващо и увличащо.“
В протоколните бележки на международното жури в Ланголен четем:
„Прекрасен хор, с неизчерпаеми възможности. Тонът беше отлично овладян. Това е съвършен ансамбъл с прекрасно музициране. Женският състав е с брилянтни технически качества. Този български хор притежава чудесна гама на тона, който той овладява с голямо музикално майсторство.“
През 1975 г. Крикор Четинян вече е започнал работа като преподавател в Музикалната академия, но въпреки това отдава изключително време и внимание на ППД. Хорът разработва изцяло нов репертоар, включващ църковна музика от български композитори, което е било твърде смело начинание за онези години.
През 1976 г. следва ново турне в Западна Германия. По време на турнето вече е съобщено, че Крикор Четинян е одобрен за доцент в Музикалната академия. Продължава се с концерти в гр. Касел, различни църкви, като особено църковните
песнопения се харесват изключително много. Ето нов цитат от Касише алгемайне за гостуването на състава през 1976 г.: „Звуковият образ, създаден едновременно и с бравурност и с изключителна певческа дисциплина доказа звукова еднородност, каквато едва ли е чувана някога от един голям хор. Многотоналност, полиритмика, четвърттонови провиквания и шептене, това са нещата, които довеждат изпълнението до най-голямата съвършеност. Така че може да се твърди, че това постижение едва ли би могло да бъде надминато от друг хор. Защото тук безусловно беше постигната границата на въобще възможното за реализиране.“
През 1977 г. отново се разучава нов репертоар, а през 1978 г. следва турне в Съветския съюз. Изнесени са концерти при огромна посещаемост в Москва, Ленинград в големи зали като Залата на конгресите.
През 1979 г. следва ново турне в Западна Германия от края на август, до средата на октомври. Обикаля се Вестфалия, Рур, западната част на страната, Мюнхен, Нюрнберг. Изнасят се много концерти и записи в Германия. Вестниците и списанията в Германия излизат всеки ден с хвалебствени статии за хора.
През 1981 г. хорът е вече поканен да участва в Ланголен, Великобритания. Следва ново отлично представяне, овации и статии за Крикор Четинян.
Крикор Четинян вече е член на международните журита по най-престижните хорови фестивали – САЩ, Италия, Франция, Германия, Великобритания, Канада и т.н.
Четинян работи в ППД 14 години. Според хористите в ППД, в което диригенти са били светила като Ангел Букорещлиев, Асен Диамандиев и др., времето на Крикор Четинян е върхът на възможностите и постиженията. Годишно разучава и изпълнява между 33 и 38 пиеси – изключително богат репертоар.Това което е постигнато по негово време не е било постигано нито преди, нито след неговото ръководство.
През 1979 г. ППД подписва договор с тогавашната Държавна филхармония – Пловдив за творческо сътрудничество при изпълнение на кантатно-ораториални творби и така се слага началото на дейността на първия в България самодеен филхармоничен хор с ръководители двама забележителни диригенти, двама изключителни майстори и интерпретатори Добрин Петков и Крикор Четинян. Именно с този хор е осъществено премиерното изпълнение на „Жана Д’Арк на кладата“ през 1984 г.
