Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Open Music Society Foundation
Media Contact: Alina Koutnouyan
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 818-649-8653

Led by Aram Gharabekian,
exuberant artistic performances
complement shuttle-arrival ceremony in Los Angeles

Los Angeles, September 27, 2012 – On September 21, when the world
watched the dramatic arrival of Space Shuttle Endeavour in Los Angeles,
the welcoming ceremony at LAX was made all the more unforgettable as it
included breathtaking artistic performances led by maestro Aram
Gharabekian. The program, comprising music and dance presentations
throughout the arrival ceremony, featured the Open Music Fest Orchestra,
tenor Steve Amerson, and choreographer Aida Amirkhanian and the Open
Music Fest dancers.

In the months prior to Endeavour’s arrival in Los Angeles, the Open
Music Society Foundation (OMSF) worked closely with the City of Los
Angeles and the California Science Center, the spacecraft’s new home,
to design an integrated artistic program for the arrival ceremony. The
innovative concept that resulted was developed jointly by Aram
Gharabekian, the OMSF’s artistic director and conductor, and a
dedicated artistic and production team. The artistic presentations at
the arrival ceremony would mark the performance debuts of the OMSF.

The arrival ceremony, held at an United Airlines hangar at LAX, was
attended by some 600 guests, among them several elected officials.
Dignitaries who delivered remarks at the event included Los Angeles
mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Inglewood mayor James Butts, and California
Science Center president and CEO Jeffrey Rudolph. The event’s mistress
of ceremonies was actress Nichelle Nichols, of Star Trek fame.

Toward noon, the ceremony’s artistic program kicked off with a highly
spirited flash-mob dance performance inside the hangar, featuring the
Open Music Fest Dancers led by Aida Amirkhanian. The dancers, dressed as
VIPs, performed to a specially created soundtrack, with works by Richard
Strauss, James Brown, and Aaron Copland, as well as a recording of the
poem `The Early Morning in Space,’ recited by its author, Hilaire
Belloc.

During the dance performance, employees and volunteers from the
California Science Center and United Airlines joined the flash mob. As
the shuttle-arrival countdown began and the hangar gate opened,
gradually revealing the ceremony stage outside, the flash mob concluded
its performance with a grand finale. The dancers then ran outside,
inviting the guests to follow to their seats across the bleachers and
the VIP section.

Subsequently the attendees watched Endeavour’s majestic aerial spin
over Los Angeles landmarks on a Jumbotron screen, and were awed by the
spectacular sight of the shuttle flying overhead.

NASA’s Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, carrying Endeavour, touched down to
the glorious strokes of timpani, bass drum, and tam-tam, the opening of
Aaron Copland’s `Fanfare for the Common Man.’ Offstage, trumpets
and horns played the opening phrase of the fanfare while the Open Music
Fest Orchestra musicians joined the percussion in front of the podium.
It was at this juncture, as Endeavour and its host aircraft taxied
toward the hangar, that Gharabekian approached the orchestra and
conducted the fanfare. With the climax of the fanfare, the shuttle came
to its final halt in front of the guests.

`It was a profoundly humbling experience to conduct Copland’s `Fanfare for the Common Man’ while Endeavour took its last few steps before
coming to a spectacular stop,’ Gharabekian said. `I will never
forget the expression and emotions of the musicians and guests at this
larger-than-life sight of man’s scientific triumph. I was deeply moved
by the historic moment, and will always treasure the enthusiasm,
dedication, and commitment which our musicians, dancers, and the entire
OMSF team brought to this unique celebration.’

As VIP passengers deplaned from the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, tenor
Steve Amerson took the stage to deliver an a cappella performance of
`America the Beautiful.’ He was soon joined by the brass and
percussion of the Open Music Fest Orchestra. During the third verse of
the song, guests joined in at the encouragement of Amerson and
Gharabekian.

`What a sight: Shuttle Endeavour with all its history and might,
approaching, as the Open Music Fest Orchestra delivered a powerful
fanfare, timed perfectly to climax as the spacecraft came to a halt,’
Koutnouyan continued. `We are proud of the talented artists who
performed at the arrival ceremony: Aida Amirkhanian and her dancers’
celebratory kick-off inside the hangar, Aram Gharabekian’s commanding
selection for and conducting of the orchestra, and Steve Amerson’s
powerful salute to one of this country’s greatest achievements.’
Alina Koutnouyan, executive producer of the ceremony’s artistic
program and COO of the OMSF, said, `As commented on by several news
networks, the music and performances created a profound moment of
grandeur for Endeavour’s arrival. The historical significance of the
moment will forever be remembered each time we hear Aaron Copland’s
`Fanfare for the Common Man.”

`The union of the shuttle’s arrival and the OMSF performances was
simply awe-inspiring,’ stated OMSF founding Board member and CFO
Varand Gourjian.

On her part, choreographer Aida Amirkhanian said, `Time stood still
and everything became perfect as the shuttle did its last majestic dance
to the dignified music played by the orchestra. It was a magnificent
experience to watch the birth of the OMSF as Endeavour was retiring. The
beginning and the end united to create a rare moment of universal
perfection. It was one of the most beautiful choreographies I have ever
seen: so instinctive, so resplendent, so dignified, so perfect.’About
the OMSF: The Open Music Society Foundation is a nonprofit organization
dedicated to advancing musical education and mentorship for young
talent, and increasing public interest in the arts through Open Music
Fest, an unprecedented and unique series of arts festivals in which
artistic collaboration embraces cultural diversity, fostering mutual
understanding and appreciation. Artistic entities of the OMSF include
the Open Music Fest Orchestra and the Open Music Fest Dancers. For more
information, please visit openmusicsociety.org

DMITRIY ATBASHYAN: THE DATE OF THE FIRST FLIGHT FROM STEPANAKERT AIRPORT IS NOT KNOWN YET

ARMINFO
Thursday, September 27, 12:57

Next week the Stepanakert airport will get an official certificate
that will allow reception and flight of aircrafts. However, the date
of the first flight from the Stepanakert airport is not known yet,
the head of Civil Aviation Department under the government of Nagornyy
Karabakh Republic, Dmitriy Atbashyan, told ArmInfo correspondent.

“The given certificate allows reception and flight of aircrafts. But
there are some limits because of non-availability of certain
conditions, for instance, lightening of the platform. For this reason,
flights will be implemented at daylight and if there is no frosting”,
– Atbashyan said. He declined to specify the date of the first flight
saying it does not depend on him. As for the type of aircraft that
will implement the first flight, at present, he cannot make such
information public.

ARMENIAN CITIZENS CAN’T VOTE OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY YET

Mediamax
Sept 27 2012
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. The Armenian government presented its negative
conclusion on the draft law on amendments in the Electoral Code
envisaging formation of polling stations for Armenian citizens who
are outside the country during national elections.

Minister of Justice Hrayr Tovmasyan stated that the consulates don’t
have definite mechanisms of registering citizens which may cause
distrust among voters, Mediamax reports

“These changes may cause serious problems on the eve of upcoming
elections”, he said.

The Minister admitted that the issue should be resolved and offered
to discuss it after the upcoming elections.

NEW “ARMENIA MARRIOTT” BRANCH IN TSAKHKADZOR

ARMENPRESS
September 27, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: Mikkel Krantz will be the new
director of Sales and Marketing Department of “Armenia Marriott”
hotel from October 1. He will replace Zoltan Konsanszky who is to
continue his activity in Moscow branch of the hotel. As Mikkel
Krantz noted in his interview with reporters on September 27 it
was a great pleasure for him to be in Armenia. He said that he had
worked in different branches of this hotel for years. Mikkel Krantz
has highlighted that there is no need for staff change because it
is very good and qualified. “The evidence are the prizes that the
hotel has already won”. He has also noted that he has some projects
and events but before realizing them he needs some time for adaptation.

Zoltan Konsanszky said that in all probability a new branch of the
hotel will be opened in Tsakhkadzor in October. In case there is
a need to open braches in other places “Marriott” will, everything
depends on the demand.

‘RED DOG HOWLS’: AN INTERVIEW WITH PLAYWRIGHT ALEXANDER DINELARIS

Posted by Lilly Torosyan on September 27, 2012

“Red Dog Howls” tells the story of a dark family secret, and one
man’s journey to unveil the truth. The play opened on Sept. 24 for a
three-week run at the New York Theatre Workshop in Manhattan. The cast
includes Tony Award nominee Kathleen Chalfant, Florencia Lozano, and
Alfredo Narciso. The Weekly’s Lilly Torosyan conducted the following
interview with the playwright Alexander Dinelaris.

Florencia Lozano and Alfredo Narciso 300×200 ‘Red Dog Howls’: An
Interview with Playwright Alexander Dinelaris

Florencia Lozano and Alfredo Narciso in ‘Red Dog Howls’

Lilly Torosyan: How did the project get started?

Alexander Dinelaris: My family has a history of secrets, dysfunction,
and depression. When I found out that I was going to be a father back
in 2006, I started to panic. I feared that somehow these elements
would pass down to my child-like some unwanted legacy.

I began to wrestle with the notion in my head, and that’s when I
conceived ‘Red Dog Howls,’ a play about a man who is desperately trying
to understand the pain that has lived in the houses of his fathers so
that he might be cleansed of it and be a strong father for his child.

After a trip to Athens, and the theatre of Dionysus, it occurred to
me that the structure would be that of a Greek tragedy. Oedipus sets
out to rid his country of a plague only to find out that he, himself,
is the source of the plague. And so, ‘Red Dog Howls’ was born.

LT: The play centers on a secret concerning a family’s struggle in
the Armenian Genocide. Please tell us more about the plot.

AD: At the start of the play, Michael Kiriakos’s father has died. In
his father’s closet, he finds a box of letters. His father has left
a note asking him to bury the letters with him, but before he does,
Michael takes down the return address and eventually goes to that
place. When he arrives, he encounters a mysterious Armenian woman who
eventually sheds light on the dark history of his family. That history
winds its way back to Armenia in 1915. So, in order for Michael to
eradicate the ‘plague’ of depression, which has shrouded his family,
he must learn what the source of that ‘plague’ is. It is a harrowing
journey for him and he must tunnel through that darkness to come to
a place of light.

Kathleen Chalfant and Alfredo Narcisco 2 300×200 ‘Red Dog Howls’:
An Interview with Playwright Alexander Dinelaris

Kathleen Chalfant and Alfredo Narcisco in ‘Red Dog Howls’

LT: You have stated that the play is “in a way, autobiographical,
but not from the perspective of this particular genocide story.” Can
you elaborate on this?

AD: The basis of the story is born of my desire to make sense of
the dysfunction and depression of my own family. So, the story grows
from that very personal exploration. In addition, the characters are
modeled on my real family. The old woman, Vartouhi, is crafted after
my actual grandmother. They both share the same strength, will, and
tenacious love that I remember growing up with. When Michael talks
about his father, I am very much describing my own father who passed
away in 2005. In that way, this play is a tribute to two people I
loved very dearly.

LT: How are you conveying awareness about the Armenian Genocide,
after nearly a century of struggle in bringing it to the forefront
of American psyches?

AD: I think what affects people about this play is how real the family
is-that this family could be their family. Once the audience identifies
with this Armenian grandmother, Armenians are no longer ‘other
people.’ Then the pain of what these people lived through becomes
their pain. And that, if anything, is what brings about awareness.

I receive many emails from non-Armenians, who after seeing the play
tell me that they had never heard of the Armenian Genocide before,
and ask me to recommend books for them to read on the subject. All
of this occurs not because I stand on a soapbox and preach to them,
but because hopefully they feel for these people on the stage and
they want to make sense of what happens to them.

LT: What was it like working with the cast?

AD: This is an extremely skilled group of actors. Kathleen Chalfant
is one of the greatest stage actresses of our time. Watching them
embrace the material and execute it with such precision was a
humbling experience for me. And it cannot go without saying that my
director, Ken Rus Schmoll, is nothing short of a genius. He gently-but
confidently, steered this play and cast through some very perilous
waters. I will forever be in his debt.

LT: Will ‘Red Dog Howls’ be played in another venue in the future?

AD: I hope so. The response has been overwhelming and though it is
very difficult emotional subject matter, I pray that we will have
a chance to move to another venue here in New York and reach more
people. Outside of that, there are already talks about a production
in Armenia and Greece.

LT: What is the message you hope the audience will take away from
the play?

AD: At one point of the play, Michael says, ‘I choose to believe in
a God of Mercy. A God of Forgiveness. A God who would do anything for
his children.’ I hope the message that they will take away is that it
is possible to put the painful past to gentle rest, and still carry
forward the lessons, the love, and the pride of who we are and where
we came from.

AGBU TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO SYRIAN ARMENIANS LIVING OUTSIDE YEREVAN

“Radiolur”
18:51 27.09.2012

The Armenian communities of Aleppo, Damascus, Kamisli, Latakia
and Homs have found themselves in a hard situation because of the
ongoing military actions in Syria. Many were killed or injured in the
conflict. Many of our compatriots have lost their homes and property
as a result of the conflict. Syrian Armenians need our assistance
today. The Armenian General Benevolent Union was the first to initiate
a program of assistance to Syrian Armenians.

On August 3 the AGBU Central Board made the decision to set aside a
$1 million emergency fund for humanitarian assistance to the Armenian
community in Syria. Later the Board urged the Diaspora Armenians to
lend a helping hand to our compatriots.

Many Armenians have responded to the call, Member of the AGBU Central
Board Vazgen Yakubyan told reporters in Yerevan today. The AGBU charity
centers organize the provision of humanitarian aid, providing food,
medicines, water and other necessary things to thousands of families.

The Armenian community of Syria established even before the Armenian
Genocide is one of our most powerful and organized communities.

According to Vazgen Yakubyan, psychologically it’s very hard for our
compatriots to leave everything earned in the course of many years
and leave. Therefore, they leave only in case of extreme necessity.

According to Vazgen Yakubyan’s information, there are about 80-90
thousand Armenians in Syria. About 3,500 have moved to Armenia in the
recent period. Taking into consideration that many Syrian Armenians
are unable to pay for their shelter because of lack of jobs, the
AGBU has expressed willingness to help those Syrian Armenians who
live outside Yerevan.

The Union will also provide assistance to those Syrian Armenians who
specialize in Armenian studies and face difficulties paying their
tuition fee.

COURT TRIAL OF ARMENIAN ACTRESS ANZHELA SARGSYAN’S ‘MAN’ POSTPONED

Panorama.am
18:45 27/09/2012

The closed-door court hearing in the case of Karen Arayan, the “man”
of Armenian actress Anzhela Sargsyan, caught in a porn scandal, in
the Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan’s Kentron and Nork-Marash
administrative districts was postponed today. Karen Arayan’s lawyer,
Kima Saryan, has confirmed this information to Panorama.am, adding
that the next court hearing is due on October 1.

Earlier, Panorama.am reported that the deadlock had been broken in
Karen Arayan’s trial. All witnesses had been interrogated and the
legal evidence was being studied. Arayan’s lawyer was satisfied with
the legal process.

Karen Arayan, Armenian actress Anzhela Sargsyan’s ex-boyfriend, faces
charges of posting the actress’ scandalous photos on the Internet and
uncovering her family secret. He is pleading not guilty to the charges.

ANCA PASADENA CHAPTER LAUNCHES ITS VOTER REGISTRATION CAMPAIGN

asbarez
Tuesday, September 25th, 2012

Pasadena voter registration event PASADENA-The Armenian National
Committee of America Pasadena Chapter is launching a voter registration
campaign for the citizens of the Armenian American Community in
Pasadena, California, in the month of September to register those
who’ve been waiting for the chance to become first-time voters at
this year’s Presidential Elections come November. Voting, a staple
in American life and politics is a revered civil right, whereby,
the ultimate expression of democracy is expressed by voting for who
or what you believe in.

Voter Registration will take place on the following dates:

Saturday, September 29 Foothill Armenian Center 2242 E. Foothill
Boulevard Pasadena, CA 91107

Sunday, September 30 Saint Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church 58
S. Sierra Madre Boulevard Pasadena, CA 91107

For your convenience, a voter registration booth will be set up on
the above days to facilitate the registration process.

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‘DOG’GONE SHAME
by ELISABETH VINCENTELLI

The New York Post
September 25, 2012 Tuesday

OFF-BROADWAY’S “Red Dog Howls” begins with the line: “There are sins
from which we can never be absolved.”

So, not a comedy then.

And that’s an understatement: Alexander Dinelaris’ new play, which
opened last night at New York Theatre Workshop, is a full-on drama –
also contrived, manipulative and borderline exploitative.

The sole reason this show gets two stars instead of one is the intense,
exacting Kathleen Chalfant who shone in “Wit” and “Angels in America,”
and is one of New York’s finest stage actors.

Here, she throws herself into the part of Rose Afratian, an elderly
New Yorker of Armenian descent. With her customary skill, Chalfant
speaks in a strong accent, drops the occasional Armenian expression,
and walks around as if she were carrying the weight of the world on
her shoulders.

Indeed, Rose is hiding a devastating “Sophie’s Choice”-like secret.

But the play lays it on so thick that the eventual revelation is like
a meteor hitting a shantytown – it comes out of the blue and blows
the shoddy plot to smithereens.

Most of the action centers on the relationship between Rose and
her grandson, a 34-year-old writer named Michael Kiriakos (Alfredo
Narciso).

Taking a back seat is Michael’s pregnant wife, Gabriella (Florencia
Lozano), who’s more symbolic than anything else, and spends a lot of
her stage time passed out in a hospital bed.

Narrating the show, Michael takes us through his discovery of his
Armenian roots and his cursed family via his conversations with Rose.

Problem is, their scenes together are never engaging. She’s a laconic
presence who often evades questions with “Eat!” – or “Shut up and
eat!” when she’s feeling chatty.

As for Michael, he’s a characterless character with an unfortunate
tendency to address the audience. Ponderously.

The text loudly advertises its importance, sounding variously
melodramatic or pasted from Wikipedia: “The first nation to accept
Christianity as its national religion,” Michael informs us, “Armenia
was a sprawling nation that sat on the portal between Asia and the
West.” Zzzzzz.

Finally, Rose decides that Michael is ready to hear the truth and
help her execute her last plan. She utters the fateful line: “I want
to tell you something,” and the show goes into its final nose dive.

Let’s just say that only an actor of Chalfant’s caliber could give
any kind of dignity to that ending.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT: ABUSES AT THE EXPENSE OF SOLDIERS ARE IMPERMISSIBLE

Mediamax
Sept 26 2012
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan called the
abuses at the expense of tight state funds and soldiers during the
process of purchases aimed at fulfilling the needs of the Armenian
Defense Ministry impermissible and strongly criticized the people
conducting this way.

The Head of the President’s Control Service made a report during a
meeting with participation of the General Headquarters of the Armenian
Defense Ministry, Central Staff, military units and colonels.

The first item presented in the reported concerned the transparency of
contests and ensuring of competitive environment. After presenting a
number of factual parameters, the head of the Control Service noted
in the conclusion that there are numerous cases in the mentioned
competitive packages where almost all the people take part in the
contest. Meanwhile, there are cases of “universal” organizations which
are engaged in supplying food, vehicle spares and fuel materials
and construction works at the same time. According to the report,
the analysis of the past 2 years shows that the composition of the
organizations hardly changes. The research of the service found
out a number of circumstances which also affected the formation of
competitive environment and transparency of contests.

The second problem reported concerns the comparison of the prices
of the goods purchased for the Armenian Defense Ministry and market
prices of analogous ones. It was noted that the task force has studied
the purchase contracts of some goods obtained for the needs of the
Armenian Defense Ministry in 2012 and the agreements concluded on their
basis. It was stressed that the situation has considerable improved
now and the price for the supplied items mostly coincides the price
for similar goods on the wholesale market. However, the conclusion
reads that some goods could have been purchased at lower prices.

At the same time, the task force concluded that not only high prices
for the items can be risky but their factual quantities and quality.

The next issue presented during the meeting concerned the companies
which won the contests and concluded agreements with the Armenian
Defense Ministry and are interrelated to some persons.

“It’s bad that the Ministry itself doesn’t see the strong combat
against such people. Both the Defense Minister and Chief of General
Headquarters should be attentive so as people who fight against such
phenomena don’t have any issues in future”, said Serzh Sargsyan
stressing that if the commander of a battalion, military unit or
regiment sees that more highly-ranked military servicemen protect
honest people the situation will be different and will influence the
whole morel and psychological atmosphere”.

“We are going to try to pay attention to each detail and we’ll do our
best so as the Armenian Defense Ministry be diligent in the process
of purchases”, said Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan.

After the meeting, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan discussed issues
related to fight capacity and armament with the Defense Minister,
Chief of General Headquarters and their deputies in private.