On 21 September 2026, at the Hrant Dink Foundation’s Anarad Hığutyun Building, Melissa Bilal spoke about the life, music, and legacy of Koharik Gazarossian, one of Turkey’s first women composers, as well as a pianist and music educator.

During the talk, Bilal discussed Gazarossian’s place in Istanbul’s musical life, her education in Paris, her mentoring of musicians, and her connections with a circle of Armenian intellectuals, artists, writers, and feminist activists of the period. Drawing on her research into Gazarossian’s life and works, Bilal also shared her own projects and efforts to make Gazarossian’s musical and intellectual legacy visible and heard once again.

Throughout the event, we had the opportunity to hear different stories about Gazarossian’s life and music, as well as excerpts from some of her compositions. Bilal also shared new traces she has uncovered through her archival and research work, and discussed the process of rediscovering Gazarossian’s life and music.

You can watch the complete talk from the video above.