[1] Nikoghayos Tigranian was born in Alexandropol in the Russian Empire (present-day Gyumri, Armenia) to a prominent family.

He also took piano lessons from Professor Schenner of the Vienna Conservatory (now named University of Music and Performing Arts).

He gave piano recitals and delivered lectures in Western Europe, Russia and Transcaucasia, and published several articles on Oriental music.

It was through his efforts that melodies sung at the turn of the previous century in Transcaucasia by Armenian, Persian and Kurdish peoples were preserved.

A number of composers, including Alexander Spendiaryan, Aram Khachaturian, Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov, Reinhold Moritzevich Glière, Armen Tigranian, and Sargis Barkhudaryan, have utilized these melodies in their own compositions.