Asbarez: Maestro Tigran Mansurian Visits AMAA’s Avedisian School


Maestro Tigran Mansurian with Avedisian School students and staff

Living legend Maestro Mansurian was engaging. There were more students who wanted to ask questions than those who did not. Then he approached the piano, sat down slowly, his fingers touched the keyboard, and the sounds of his famous music from the film “A Little Sky” first spread then began to soar to great heights. Even the air became noble and the hall held its breath.

At the conclusion of this exciting event, School Principal Melanya Geghamyan presented the Maestro with a book about Komitas, “The Magnificent Song of All Armenians,” and a book about the Avedisian School. The students promised to continue their newly formed friendship with the Maestro by sending letters.

The meeting was not yet over, as the dear guest, who left the room, continued answering questions, signing autographs, and taking pictures with the students outside the Auditorium.

Established in 1988, the Armenian Missionary Association of America’s Khoren and Shooshanig Avedisian School is an educational institution that provides outstanding K-12 holistic, tuition-free education in a modern, environmentally friendly building, using state-of-the-art facilities in the low-income Southwest District of Malatia-Sebastia in Yerevan, Armenia.

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS