Armenian musical talents return to Carnegie Hall
by Florence Avakian
Published: Sunday December 29, 2013
Dr. Svetlana Amirkhanian (on right) with Eugenia Sarian at the
Khachaturian dedication.
NEW YORK – For the fifth consecutive year, Armenian Youth Talent
finalists were featured at New York’s prestigious Weill Recital Hall
at Carnegie Hall, on December 1.
Dedicated to the 110th anniversary of the legendary composer, pianist
and conductor Aram Khachaturian, and the fifth anniversary of Armenian
Youth Talent, it was organized by Direct Help for Armenian People
(DHAP), under the dedicated leadership of Dr. Svetlana Amirkhanian,
president and founder of DHAP.
Opening the program, the concert hosts Harut Minasian and Eugenia
Sarian welcomed the sell-out audience, and noted that that the event
is “to encourage young Armenian talent in the performing arts. It is a
great expression of Armenian ability, musicianship and spirit that our
heritage demonstrates and is proud of.”
The unique event featured thirty-two young musicians from ages six to
fifteen, many of whom had chosen compositions by Khachaturian, in
honor of the anniversary of his birth.
All performers were granted honorary certificates and monetary awards
following their performances.
Singers which included Zovinar Aghavian, Julia Cumming, Christina
Kerestedjian, Lucine Musaelian, Julia Naldjian and Amalia Shahinyan
displayed their bell-like angelic voices, and lovely expression.
Vahn Mouradian showcased his cello talents with an accapella Bach
Prelude, and Laura Navasardian displayed her formidable technique on
the cello which was larger and taller than her. Haig Hovsepian’s
musicianship was amply shown on the violin.
The largest group of young musicians tinkled the piano ivories. They
included Michael Khoury, David Hovanisyan, Harutiun Kljyan, Sophia
Hovakimian, Nico Carere, Ansel Chang, Zoe Pian-Chowdhury, Gregory
Sarafian, Irene Vilgorin, Ani Mouradian, all displaying impressive
technique and expression.
Fifteen year David Antabian showed his special versatility and
self-confidence in Khachaturian’s difficult “Sonata”. And duo pianists
Alin and Nicole Khrimian, and Marina and Eve Kazarian had impressive
synchronization.
A definite highlight of the event was the Arminstring violin group
featuring Griffyn Kang, Aren Arakelian, Nicholas Degoian, Anthony
Degoian, Lily Kliyan, Nicole Mark and Zovinar Aghavian. They delighted
the audience with a jazzy Cancan by Offenback and heartfelt Memories
by Babajanyan.
At the conclusion of the concert which brought on a spontaneous
standing ovation, Dr. Svetlana Amirkhanian expressed gratitude to the
parents, relatives, teachers, and sponsors which included the Gullabi
Gulbenkian FDN.INC, Edward and Carmen Gulbenkian, Armenian General
Benevolent Union (AGBU), Saro and Hilda Hartounian, among many others.
She pointed out that in the past five years of the Armenian Youth
Talent concerts, more than 300 young Armenian musicians have performed
on the Carnegie Hall stage. “The level is getting higher and higher,
with now even non-Armenian performers singing and playing Armenian
compositions with great Armenian feeling,” she said with obvious
pride, adding that in the last two years, a violinist’s group has been
included.
Dr. Amirkhanian also introduced executive member Marina Bagdasarova
for her tireless work, and as well this year’s distinguished judges
which included St. Vartan Cathedral Choir director Khoren Mekanejian,
singer Vagharshak Ohanyan, pianists Lusine Badalyan, Karen Hakobyan,
Karine Poghosyan, and violinist Diana Vasilyan.
Among the special guests attending were Armenia’s Ambassador to the
United Nations Garen Nazarian, St. Illuminators Armenian Cathedral
pastor the Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, Lucine Der Harootian, wife of
the renowned sculptor Khoren Der Harootian, and AGBU director of
Performing Arts Haig Arsenyan who emphasized that “promoting Armenian
culture, and supporting our next generation is necessary and crucial.”
Congratulatory letters sent by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of
the Eastern Diocese, Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the
Eastern Prelacy, Armenia’s Ambassador to the United Nations Garen
Nazarian, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the Tekeyan
Cultural Association, the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and
CulturalSociety of NJ,Metropolitan Opera diva Lucine Amara, and
renowned pianist and composer Sahan Arzruni were printed in the
program booklet given to all concert attendees.
Applications for the Armenian Youth Talent 2014 competition are due on
February 16, 2014, and will be available on the website
http://dhap-ayt.orgstarting on January 7, 2014.
AGBU concert raises over $50,000 for arts program
An unexpected combination of Armenian folk songs, classical
compositions and Spanish lyrics all came together seamlessly at this
year’s AGBU New York Special Events Committee (NYSEC) Performing
Artists in Concert. The sixth annual event, held on December 7, drew
hundreds of guests to the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall to
commemorate the earthquake that devastated Armenia 25 years ago.
The evening’s program featured a number of well-known Armenian
composers, as well as original pieces prepared especially for the
NYSEC concert. Making its world premiere was Tomás Barreiro’s
“Rossignol Mecanique,” a variation of “The Death of the Nightingale,”
which won Barreiro the AGBU 2012 Sayat Nova International Composition
Competition and earned him the prize to showcase his work at Carnegie
Hall. The duduk, mezzo-soprano, oboe, piano and string trio brought
the composition to life.
Before taking the conductor’s stand, Barreiro, a Mexico City native,
commented on the Sayat Nova poetry that influenced him. He also
expressed his gratitude to AGBU, stating, “I have participated in a
number of competitions and never before found such an amazing group of
people. I cannot claim Armenian roots, but the AGBU Sayat Nova
International Composition Competition introduced me to the vibrant
Armenian community and its incredibly rich musical heritage, which
continue to inspire me.”
“Rossignol Mecanique” was one of the concert’s many works to combine
Armenian traditional music and more contemporary sounds. Maxime
Aulio’s “Odes Arméniennes,” which also debuted at the NYSEC event,
rearranged four of Sayat Nova’s poems. “Tagh to Resurrection” by
Tigran Mansurian incorporated medieval melodies while replicating an
audio recording of Vartapet Komitas. The audience also enjoyed
“Impromptu” and “Verhoush” by the late Alexander Arutiunian and Edward
Mirzoyan, respectively, as well as famous pieces by Aram Khachaturian
in honor of the 110th anniversary of his birth.
The young concert performers are carrying on the legacy of
Khachaturian, and other Armenian masters, as they pursue their own
careers with support from the AGBU Scholarship Program. Each member of
the international ensemble has received an AGBU Performing Arts
Fellowship: Pierre Bedrossian (oboe, duduk and English horn); Ani
Kalayjian (cello); Henrik Karapetyan (violin and viola); Solange
Merdinian (mezzo-soprano); Nazig Tchakarian (violin); Varta Tchakarian
(piano); and Adam Tendler (piano). With AGBU’s funding, they have
trained at some of the world’s top-ranking institutions, among them
the Yerevan State Komitas Conservatory, the Juilliard School of Music,
the National Music Conservatory of Paris, and the Royal Northern
College of Music in Manchester.
The concert’s artistic director Nazig Tchakarian, who partnered with
AGBU Performing Arts Department director, Hayk Arsenyan, commented,
“It was a pleasure to have collaborated with such dedicated and
talented artists. After months of preparation, and a great week of
rehearsing, it was rewarding to see everything come together so
beautifully. I was very pleased to be able to give back to AGBU after
all the organization has done for me over the years, and am thankful
to AGBU and NYSEC for making this evening such a tremendous success.”
The sixth annual AGBU Performing Artists in Concert was co-chaired by
Nila Festekjian and Sossy Setrakian and organized by AGBU NYSEC. This
year, generous supporters of the NYSEC concert donated more than
$50,000, which will help sustain AGBU’s performing arts initiatives
worldwide.
The AGBU Performing Arts Fellowship Program offers grants to full-time
undergraduate and graduate students of Armenian descent worldwide who
are pursuing their study in the field of Performing Arts. If you would
like to make a contribution to sustain and support the enhancement of
future Armenian musicians, please contact AGBU at 212-319-6383 or via
email at [email protected].
Established in 2012, the AGBU Performing Arts Department (PAD)
connects young Armenian artists worldwide and introduces Armenian art
to diverse audiences. In its pilot year, PAD launched the Musical
Armenia Program, an annual summer initiative that brings artists from
around the world to Armenia to explore the country’s musical heritage.
To learn more about PAD please visit:
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2013-12-29-armenian-musical-talents-return-to-carnegie-hall
www.agbu.org/program/culture.