Haig Ohanian - Tar
Haig Ohanian – Armenian Tarist, Radio Host, and Record Producer
Haig Ohanian was an Armenian tar player, recording artist, radio host, and cultural advocate who helped shape the Armenian-American musical experience in the mid-20th century. Born in 1904 in Ekaterinodar (present-day Krasnodar, Russia), Ohanian may have received his early musical education in Tiflis (now Tbilisi, Georgia), a major cultural center in the Caucasus.
After immigrating to the United States in 1924, Ohanian became active in ethnic theater and music circles, even taking occasional small roles in Hollywood productions. He eventually settled in Detroit, where he emerged as a central figure in Armenian-American cultural life during the 1940s and 1950s.
Ohanian founded the High Art Recordings label, issuing 78 rpm album sets that paired his tar performances with vocal works from Armenian classical and folk traditions. These albums often featured American-Armenian sopranos such as Maria Arakian and Araxie Serkaian Terterian. The instrumental backing on many of these records was arranged by Ohanian and performed by non-Armenian classical session musicians, highlighting his ability to adapt traditional music to a modern recording environment. One of his most iconic releases was the self-produced “Armenian Folk Gypsy Songs and Dances.”
In addition to his recordings, Ohanian played a pioneering role in ethnic broadcasting. On May 22, 1943, he launched The Armenian Radio Hour of Detroit on WJLB-AM (1400), which he hosted throughout the 1940s and 1950s. The program became a staple of Armenian-American cultural life, particularly at a time when demand for traditional Caucasian music at live events had declined. By the 1960s, he appears to have resumed the show in the New York area, where he remained active and was still documented performing in New Jersey as late as 1982.
Ohanian often described his tar as being over 300 years old. Whether or not the instrument’s age verifiable, the claim underscores Ohanian’s reverence for the cultural and historical depth of Armenian music.
A 1949 newspaper article documents a live performance by Ohanian at the Racine Woman’s Club in Wisconsin, where he appeared with soprano Elizabeth Nalbandian, accompanied by Bessie Mitler on piano. The concert also included Armenian dances performed by George Kocharian, with arrangements by Paul Chobanian, illustrating his collaborative spirit and commitment to cultural programming.
Though the final chapters of his life remain obscure, Haig Ohanian’s influence endures through his rare recordings, radio work, and deep commitment to transmitting Armenian musical heritage in the diaspora. Bridging old-world tradition and new-world innovation, he remains a notable figure in the history of Armenian music in America.