SAN DEIGO — St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church of San Diego welcomed over 100 guests following the Divine Liturgy for a memorable concert by the Grigorian Gubenko Piano Duo on Sunday, September 27. The program, titled “From Yerevan to Paris,” celebrated the musical traditions of both Armenia and France.
The afternoon was emceed by Sarah Baghdasaryan, who invited the Very Rev. Fr. Pakrad Berjekian, Pastor of St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church, to offer the opening invocation.
Pianist and composer Anna Grigorian, together with her piano duet partner Natasha Gubenko and guest violinist Matthias Von Herrath, led the audience through a beautifully curated program. Works by Debussy, Khachaturian, Fauré, Ravel, and selections by Babajanian and Arutiunian carried the listeners across cultures and centuries.
A special highlight of the afternoon was Anna Grigorian’s original composition, “Ascension 133,” performed with guest violinist Matthias Von Herrath. The work offered a deeply moving moment, blending melodic memories of Armenia’s landscapes with a Western musical language, and touched the hearts of all present.
In his closing remarks, Fr. Pakrad expressed heartfelt gratitude to the performers, noting the profound impact of Grigorian’s composition and the beauty of the program as a whole.
As a gesture of appreciation, bouquets of flowers were presented to the musicians, followed by a group photo that brought the afternoon to a joyful close.
St. Sarkis is grateful to Anna Grigorian, Natasha Gubenko, and Matthias Von Herrath for offering our community such an inspiring cultural experience. We look forward to welcoming many more uplifting concerts like this one.
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