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PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday, April 25, 2007
AGBU-Sponsored Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra Tours France
>From February 6 – 15, 2007, the 120-member Armenian Philharmonic
Orchestra (APO) toured seven French cities (Nice, Vendée,
Saint-Etienne, Lyon, Valence, Marseille, and Paris) to entertain
thousands of music lovers as part of the "Year of Armenia" festival
of Armenian culture taking place in France this year.
Entitled "Armenié mon Amie" (Armenia my friend), the yearlong showcase
of Armenian culture was established by France to honor the special
relationship between the two countries while creating bridges between
the peoples of both nations.
Sponsored by AGBU and with the involvement of the organization’s many
French chapters, the nine-day APO tour provided one of the highlights
of the "Year of Armenia" in France, by showcasing the high level of
achievement in Armenia’s cultural institutions.
The APO concerts were attended by a variety of French political
figures and cultural personalities. On stage, the APO was joined by a
number of leading European Armenian musicians whose presence
highlighted the wide breadth of achievement among Armenians across
Europe. Twenty-two-year-old virtuoso violinist Sergey Khatchatryan
accompanied the APO in its sold-out concert for 1,200 in St. Etienne,
pianist Vahan Mardirossian joined the APO for major performances in
Lyon and Marseilles, and renowned pianist Vardan Mamigonian joined the
orchestra for its Valence concert that attracted over 1,000 music
lovers.
Along with songs by Armenian composers, Alexander Spendiarian and Aram
Khatchaturian, renowned pieces by Jean Sibelius and Sergei Rachmaninov
completed the APO program during its French tour.
In each city they visited, members of the APO took time out of their
busy schedules to familiarize themselves with the local French
Armenian community, and visit local AGBU chapters, to promote greater
awareness of the orchestra.
The French media covered the tour extensively as part of the "Year of
Armenia" events. For more information on the APO’s role in the
festivities, visit:
de-l-Orchestre.
Established in 1924, the APO has been primarily subsidized by AGBU
since 1992 in recognition of the importance of the performing arts in
Armenia. Annual grants are allocated for weekly concerts, new
instruments, administration, salary supplements, international guest
artists and special festivals. APO has successfully toured Austria,
England, France, Germany, Greece, Iran, Lebanon, Russia, Turkey, UAE
and the United States, and has produced dozens of CD recordings. For
more information on APO, please visit
For more information on AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit