Author: Vanyan Gary

Akron Beacon Journal , OH
April 22 2004
Yo-Yo Ma travels The Silk Road
Yo-Yo Ma now trades safety for unusual exotic sounds of Silk Road
By Elaine Guregian
Beacon Journal music writer
As one of classical music’s biggest names, the cellist Yo-Yo Ma could
easily have spent his career playing only the most mainstream of
classical pieces. Audiences would have been happy. But curiosity got
the best of this inquisitive player, who next month will receive the
Harvard Arts Medal from Harvard University, where he graduated in
1976.
Ma branched out. He played bluegrass with Mark O’Connor and Edgar
Meyer on Appalachia Waltz and Appalachian Journey. He stepped up to
tango music in Piazzolla: Soul of the Tango.
And in 1998, he began his most ambitious, wide-ranging project so
far: The Silk Road Project, a combination of performances,
commissions of new music and education, all with a global reach. The
concept for the project comes from the idea of looking at the ancient
Silk Road trading route used from the first millennium B.C. to the
middle of the second millennium A.D. The Silk Road stretched from
China and Japan across Central Asia to reach Persia (now Iran),
Turkey, Greece and Italy.
In these a vast number of cultures thrived, with their music
cross-pollinated by the travelers on the trade route. (For a map of
the route and other information on the Silk Road project, go to
)
Tonight, Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble are coming to E.J. Thomas Hall
under the auspices of Tuesday Musical to perform a program that
includes music from Turkey, China and Armenia. Some of the music is
traditional folk songs or instrumental pieces. Other are newer works,
like Kayhan Kalhor’s Gallop of a Thousand Horses, that build on the
past. In this piece, the Iranian composer took folk songs of his
country as the basis of a new string quartet.
Akron is part of a seven-city U.S. tour by the ensemble, a fluid
group that changes according to the repertoire scheduled for
different concerts. Before the tour began, Yo-Yo Ma spoke by phone
from Cambridge, Mass.
One thing he’s trying to do with this project, he said, is to show
different ways music gets passed on. “Your mother may have sung it
to you (or) you heard pieces and transferred (them). Some people
write them down. Some people collect things and then re-invigorate
(the music) in other ways,” Ma said.
One such historian was Vartabed Komitas (1869-1935), an Armenian
singer who collected more than 1,000 Armenian folk songs. The
Armenian people’s numbers were decimated by massacres in the late
19th and early 20th centuries, so it’s especially significant that
Komitas preserved an aspect of this small country’s cultural history.
Besides doing concerts like the one at E.J. Thomas nationally and
internationally, the Silk Road Ensemble has been involved in projects
like a two-week residency last January at the Peabody Essex Museum in
Massachusetts. Here the musicians had a chance to study the
collection with the curators and improvise in the galleries.
Storytellers and craftspeople were present, too, rounding out the
offerings.
“It was, I would say, one of the highlights of my entire life, being
able to interact with an audience in a very relaxed way, to work with
schoolchildren, at-risk kids, drum circles. It’s sort of like what
Bali is like, in that theater and art and entertainment are all mixed
and everybody participates,” Ma said.
The Essex is a large museum of Asian art and culture. What would Ma
think of doing a project at the Cleveland Museum of Art, whose
collection of Asian art is world-renowned?
The question was hardly out of a reporter’s mouth before Ma responded
appreciatively. “I know the Cleveland Museum, I love that museum. If
the opportunity ever came up, we would love to do that.”
Making plans seems to be as much fun for Ma as carrying them out.
He’s involved in plans with NHK, the Tokyo broadcast giant, which is
doing a documentary on the Silk Road Project. And he’s working hard
to generate excitement for another round of Silk Road commissions as
well as another recording. Commissioning new pieces that extend
centuries-old traditions is part of renewal, Ma said.
“And it’s fun to present it in a setting where it’s not like, this
is a new music concert. It all works together.”
Doing more commissioning and recording another Silk Road CD would
call for major financial backing, but it’s not out of the realm of
possibility for an organization that boasts as its supporters Ford
Motor Co., Siemens and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. “We’re
pushing for it!” Ma said enthusiastically. And as the saying goes,
when he speaks, people listen.
Elaine Guregian is the Beacon Journal’s classical music critic. She
can be reached by phone at 330-996-3574 or e-mail at
[email protected]

Agence France Presse
April 21, 2004 Wednesday 8:06 AM Eastern Time
Latest anti-government rally draws more than 10,000 in Armenia
YEREVAN, April 21
More than 10,000 demonstrators poured onto the rainy streets of
Armenia’s capital Wednesday, in the latest of a wave of protests
demanding the resignation of President Robert Kocharian.
“Kocharian’s resignation is necessary in order to organize a new
presidential election, this one fair,” one of the leaders of the
opposition Justice party, Chavarch Kocharian, told between 10,000 and
12,000 protestors.
A new election, in turn, “will enable the organization of fundamental
changes and true development in the country,” said Kocharian, who is
no relation to the Armenian leader.
Wednesday’s demonstration in Yerevan’s central Freedom Square was the
latest in a string of protests organized this month by opposition
parties in Armenia, a nation of three million people in the Caucasus
mountains.
The Armenian opposition says that Kocharian rigged a run-off
presidential vote in March 2003 to secure a second term in office and
is demanding that he either organize a national referendum of
confidence in his rule or step down.
On April 13, the police broke up an anti-government demonstration in
the capital Yerevan using water cannon and reportedly injuring dozens
of protestors.
“After April 13 we are living in a new political situation, in a
police state where terror reigns,” Aram Sarkissian, the leader of the
Democratic Party, told Wednesday’s gathering.
The protests in Armenia, the world’s first state to adopt
Christianity, have drawn comparisons with last year’s “rose
revolution” that ousted the leadership in neighbouring Georgia.
But despite the widespread discontent in Armenia over low living
standards, analysts say Kocharian is too strong, and the opposition
too weak, for the Georgian scenario to be repeated in Armenia.

Mansfield News Journal, OH
April 21 2004
Books, flowers and yard care make it feel like spring
By Ron Simon
News Journal
Doesn’t it feel like summer is just around the corner?
Don’t you just want to start planting flowers?
Wasn’t that yard a tough mowing job first time out?
Didn’t it drive you nuts when the weed-wacker went out and you had to
dig out those old yard clippers again?
And don’t those daffodils and tulips look wonderful?
The grape hyacinth never looked healthier.
It’s just a supreme joy to sleep with the windows cracked open.
This is a true case of spring fever. I’ve already spent part of a
Sunday afternoon sitting atop Mount Jeez in my canvas chair with a
good book on my lap.
I’ve wal-ked a bit along the Mohican River and peered at emerging
flowers at Kingwood Center.
Mostly, I’ve just enjoyed the sun and sort of remembered the chill
horrors of January.
Supposedly, there are a few chilly bits of winter still lingering in
Canada and waiting their chance to come down and put the frost on the
flowers. But I doubt they will amount to much.
This truly feels like an early spring and a warm summer ahead. It’s a
make-up for last year’s cool, endless spring weather.
Of course, there is the dark side. While I was spending chill winter
nights in the recliner chair with soft music and good reading, winter
was kicking the slats out of my house.
Ice, wind and rain loosed some siding. Hail beat away at the paint
and opened cracks that turned into crevasses. All that damage sort of
took away from the beauty of the flowers. But the summer is long and
somewhere down the line I’ll get out the scraper and the paint and do
what’s needed up to a point.
I think I would rather weed a garden than try to fix things around
the house. Short of replacing burned out bulbs or dumping drain
cleaners into pipes, I’m not very good at that sort of thing.
But it will get done. Sort of. I’m not a fanatic about it. Were
Victoria still living there, I’d be a fanatic. She had higher home
standards. But my wife is gone, replaced by a lackadaisical bachelor
who would live in a condominium if he could afford it. One, of
course, surrounded by flower beds.
Somebody else could mow and do maintenance and I would fool around
with the flowers. Just as a hobby. My main hobby would be sitting out
on the porch reading. I’m good at that.
When Easter came, my Lenten book embargo ended and the books came
flowing in. Four on baseball, one on streetcars and two mysteries
wound up on the shelves. Then came the fun stuff. A study of the
American Army between 1898 and 1941 called “The Regulars” is ready
to go. So are the two latest books in Eric Flint’s 1630s alternate
history series. This guy is prolific.
A book called “High Steel,” about those ironworkers who built all
our big bridges and skyscrapers, is out as is a history of the
Armenian massacres “Caravans to Oblivion” and an odd little volume
about how an outbreak of the bubonic plague in San Francisco’s
Barbary Coast was contained back in the early 1900s.
I’ve added Thomas Merton and Andrew Greeley to my theology deck and
I’m waiting for the second volume of Deadball Era baseball stars to
come out.
So it’s a true spring. Lots of new books, lots of crab grass, lots of
maintenance projects and lots of optimism. Life always looks new and
good in April, in between rain storms.
[email protected]

Armenian, Russian premiers discuss economic issues in Kyrgyzstan
Mediamax news agency
16 Apr 04
YEREVAN
The Armenian and Russian prime ministers, Andranik Markaryan and
Mikhail Fradkov, held a meeting today within the framework of the
session of the council of CIS heads of government in Kyrgyzstan.
Mediamax news agency learned from the Armenian government’s press
service today that Andranik Markaryan and Mikhail Fradkov highly rated
the activities of the Armenian-Russian intergovernment commission on
economic cooperation, stating at the same time that it is necessary to
step up relations between individual ministries.
The heads of the Armenian and Russian governments expressed their
satisfaction with the completion of the process of handing over five
Armenian enterprises to Russia under the property-for-debt
agreement. Andranik Markaryan expressed his confidence that all these
enterprises will be working at full stretch.
Andranik Markaryan and Mikhail Fradkov also discussed Armenia’s
integration into the North-South international transport corridor and
prospects for restoring railway communications via Abkhaz territory.
In this connection, the head of the Armenian government stated
“official Yerevan’s readiness to assist the swift and positive
completion of the Georgian-Russian talks on this problem, as its
settlement is of vital importance to Armenia”.
Andranik Markaryan invited his Russian counterpart to visit Armenia at
any convenient time.

Azeri president thanks Turkey for support on Karabakh
Anatolia news agency, Ankara
13 Apr 04
[Passage omitted: Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev gave a joint news conference after talks in
Ankara]
Sezer said that he and Aliyev discussed all dimensions of bilateral
relations in their meeting. Sezer noted that he and Aliyev searched
opportunities to further improve political and economic relations and
cooperation. He and Aliyev discussed regional issues closely
concerning two countries, Sezer stated. [Passage omitted]
Aliyev, in turn, said that the support extended by Ankara to Baku was
once more confirmed in their today’s meetings. Bilateral relations
with Turkey were improving in every field, Aliyev noted. Aliyev
recalled that Turkey was the first country which recognized Azerbaijan
and said that relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey had further
improved throughout years. Positive relations between Turkey and
Azerbaijan were important for not only two countries but also regional
peace and stability, Aliyev stated. Aliyev said that Turkey had always
been beside Azerbaijan in its dispute with Armenia. A gradual solution
to Nagorno-Karabakh dispute was adopted, Aliyev noted.
Stressing the importance of improvement of economic relations, Aliyev
said that economic cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan would
increase once Azerbaijan’s trade potential increased. Aliyev
emphasized importance of implementation of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil
pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline projects for
regional stability.
The Turkish and Azerbaijani officials signed a cooperation protocol on
civil aviation, cultural cooperation protocol, agreement on protection
of industrial ownership, agreement on cooperation in customs,
agreement on long-term economic cooperation.

Armenian defence chief, envoy inaugurate US-funded hospital
Mediamax news agency
14 Apr 04

YEREVAN
Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan and US ambassador John
Ordway attended the opening ceremony of a hospital in the town of
Talin today. The hospital was refurbished at the expense of the
European command of the US armed forces.
“This programme has become yet another symbol of the successful
US-Armenian cooperation,” the US ambassador said.
Serzh Sarkisyan said the refurbishment of the hospital in Talin was a
“result of military cooperation with the USA which allows us to
address not only military but also social issues”.
The defence minister expressed his confidence that “military
cooperation between the USA and Armenia will successfully develop in
the future”.
The refurbishment of the Talin hospital cost 236,900 dollars. It will
be the only hospital in Aragatsotn Region and will also serve the
rural communities of Shirak and Armavir regions.

A1 Plus | 15:07:13 | 13-04-2004 | Politics |
INVESTIGATING JOURNALISTS’ STATEMENT
On Tuesday, Investigating Journalists organization came up with a statement
condemning violence committed by the police past night against Haykakan
Zhamanak newspaper reporter Hayk Gevorgyan and Russian ORT TV channel’s
cameraman Levon Grigoryan.
Deputy Police Chief Hovhannes Varyan personally snatched a camera from Hayk
Gevorgyan’s hands, Levon Grigoryan was brutally beaten and his camera broken
by the police, the statement says.
“We demand Armenian authorities to stop violence against journalists and
bring to justice those hindering their work as well as to pay compensation
for the damage inflicted”, the statement says.

A1 Plus | 15:41:29 | 13-04-2004 | Official |
MEDIA ORGANISATIONS’ JOINT STATEMENT
On early morning of April 13, journalists were also among the victims of the
rally dispersed by police forces on Baghramian Avenue in Yerevan.
Yerevan Press Club, Journalists Union of Armenia, Committee to Protect
Freedom of Expression state that law and order bodies have not yet revealed
and punished the perpetrators of April 5 violence against the journalists.
Moreover, this time the police themselves used force towards journalists on
their duty: several media representatives were exposed to beating, their
equipment was snatched away or crashed.
We once again stress that impeding journalist activity by any person even
the police is criminal offence.
We condemn this display of violence and declare that we will be consistent
in our demands, namely to track and punish, on Article 164 of RA Criminal
Code, the persons using violence against the journalists on both April 5 and
April 13 early morning, as well as to compensate the damage caused to the
media.
Yerevan Press Club
Journalists Union of Armenia
Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression
April 13, 2004

POLICE ARREST TWO MEN ON CHARGES OF PLANNING TO STIR UP DISTURBANCES
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS: Armenian authorities announced today
that two Armenians, detained for illegal arms possessions at an April
9 anti-government rally, organized by the Ardarutyun alliance and the
National Unity, were hired by an opposition parliament member to shoot
off their guns in order to cause a panic among demonstrators, but they
did not disclose the lawmaker’s name.
The police said they have found that the two men, Gevork
Mesropianand Arthur Mangasarov, reportedly from Moscow, (both were
said to serve a prison term), agreed to instigate disturbances by
shooting off their guns in return for hefty sums of money. Prosecutors
have opened criminal cases against the two men. The police also said
they have arrested on April 11 evening a senior member of the
Hanrapetutyun party, Aramazd Zakarian, for public announcements
calling for the violent overthrow of the current regime.
The Armenian opposition rallied its supporters for a second
consecutive anti-government demonstration in Yerevan on Saturday
announcing its intention to siege president Kocharian’s official
residence on Monday. Albert Bazeyan, a former Yerevan mayor and one of
opposition leaders, said Monday will be the decisive day of the
struggle to force the incumbent president into resignation.
The opposition plans to start its march towards the presidential
palace after the expiry of an ultimatum to the authorities to hold a
referendum of confidence in Kocharian Meantime parliamentary majority
declared on Monday that it would not attend plenary sittings of the
National Assembly on April12-14.
Parliament leader Artur Bagdasaryan said the decision was made in
order to avoid an artificial exacerbation of the political situation.

Haaretz
Sun., April 11, 2004 Nisan 20, 5764 Israel Time: 01:45 (GMT+3)
Christian pilgrims celebrate Good Friday in Jerusalem
By Amiram Barkat
A roar of joy burst from the throats of some 11,000 Christians crowding the
Church of the Holy Sepulcher on Friday afternoon, as out of the darkness the
light of two candles suddenly flickered. They were held by the Greek
Orthodox patriarch and the Armenian bishop.
This was the culmination of the Good Friday procession, in which pilgrims
from every strain of Christianity crowded the streets of Jerusalem’s Old
City, retracing Jesus’ path to crucifixion.
Groups from Russia, Poland, Greece, the Philippines and Ethiopia followed
the stations of the cross along the cobblestoned Via Dolorosa, or Way of
Sorrows, the route Christ took from his trial to his burial, according to
tradition.
Faith has it that the fire erupting once a year from the sepulcher lights
the candles. But this year another mystery was added. Was it the Greek
patriarch who brought the fire, as the Greeks said, or did the Armenian
bishop accompany him, as the Armenians assert.
The fire-lighting ceremony has been held annually for more than 1,000 years.
For the Orthodox, Armenians, Copts and Assyrians, the ceremony symbolizes
the beginning of Christ’s resurrection. Only a representative of the Greek
Orthodox community and a representative of the Armenian community are
allowed into the holy chapel at the sepulcher’s entrance. A few minutes
later they appear at the windows with candles in their hand. Within seconds
the fire lights thousands of candles held by worshipers in the church.
For the past two years, the Greek Orthodox and Armenian leaders have been
fighting about the access right to the source of fire. This year they asked
the Israeli government to settle the issue. But both previous and present
interior ministers kept putting off their decision.
This year, the Jerusalem police told both sides the ceremony would be held
in the same format as last year. “We told them we would not allow any
riots,” police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby said. “If they don’t reach an
agreement, there will be no ceremony, or only a very small one.”
Finally, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Irineos entered the sepulcher, with
Armenian Bishop Vicken close on his heels. An armed police force kept watch
inside the church to prevent disturbances.
Outside the church, local shopkeepers – some of whom were selling bootlegged
DVDs of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” – and police said this
year’s Good Friday turnout was larger than any since the outbreak of the
intifada in September 2000.
Worshipers sang and carried icons, candles, flowers and crosses as they
walked along the alleys to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
One group of about a dozen people, each wearing a crown of thorns, carried a
large cross. Another group reenacted the Passion with actors playing the
parts of Jesus, Roman soldiers and the disciples.
The procession often ground to a halt as the throng tried to turn sharp
corners or pass through narrow passages. Some pilgrims tearfully kissed the
pillars of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher as they waited to get in. Once
inside, many wiped prayer cloths across the Stone of Unction, where Christ
was anointed for burial.