I recently had the opportunity to perform with The Hye Vibes, led by Mark Gavoor and friends, at the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Junior Olympics in Chicago, IL. It was a weekend filled with spirited competition, tradition, and a hopeful dose of the unexpected.

As musicians, we often talk about the decline of traditional music. We worry that as younger generations grow up surrounded by streaming playlists and fast-moving trends, the centuries-old sounds of our ancestors may quietly disappear. I’ve heard it said—maybe even believed it myself—that in another generation, this music might fade from the dance floor and the community memory.

But as I sat behind my kanun and looked out at a crowd of teens dancing—really connecting—with music that’s well over 100 years old, I had to pause. These young people weren’t just being polite. They were present. They were joyful. They were in it.

It made me question: Is the story of decline really the whole story? Or do we sometimes miss the signs of life because we’re looking in the wrong places?

The future of Armenian music is not set in stone. It’s a living question. And in that packed church dance hall in Chicago, backed by live Armenian music, I saw a glimpse of the answer. And it was dancing.