APIGIAN-KESSEL: TEKEYANS PRESENT MASTER VIOLINIST HENRIK KARAPETYAN
By Betty Apigian-Kessel
Armenian weekly
December 7, 2009
He is only 28, but if his Nov. 19 dissertation recital is any evidence,
master violinist Henrik Karapetyan’s star is destined to rise to
the heavens. Over 100 people attended the evening event held at the
Bloomfield Township Library and presented by the Metro Detroit area
Tekeyan Cultural Association. Introductions were given by Edmond
Azadian, with additional comments by Nora Azadian.
Karapetyan is a DMA (doctor of musical arts) candidate in violin
performance at the University of Michigan School of Music Theatre and
Dance, the equivalent of a performance Ph.D. which he will receive
next spring. He was accepted to do his doctoral studies in 2007 with
full tuition and a part-time teaching appointment as a grad student
instructor.
The Michigan School of Music is commonly rated as one of the best
schools in the country, accepting only two to three violinists annually
from scores of applicants. Being selected is an honor.
Karapetyan is a Yerevan native and comes from a family of musicians.
Locally, he is the nephew of Anahit Toomajan, the wife of Prof. Dicran
Toomajan, so he comes from an impressive pedigree. He speaks Armenian,
Russian, French, and excellent English.
He began his music lessons at the age of six at the Spendiarian
Special Music School of Yerevan. In 1997, he entered the Komitas
State Conservatory of Music in the class of the distinguished Prof. S.
Akhnazaryan.
He performed as the conservatory’s orchestra concertmaster during the
premiere performance of J.S. Bach’s "Matthew’s Passions" in Armenia.
He was a semifinalist in an international competition held in France
thereafter, traveling through Europe as a member of the "Serenade"
Chamber Orchestra.
Karapetyan moved to the U.S. in 2001 as a graduate student, during
which time he held the concertmaster’s position with the Plymouth and
International Symphony Orchestras. In 2005, he completed a recording
project featuring violin-piano miniatures performed by himself and
his wife, Yevgenya Lavrovskaya.
In 2004, Karapetyan joined the Michigan Opera Theatre as a section
violinist. He teaches lessons and master classes, and is a freelancer
in the Detroit area. As the violinist of the "Luminare" duo, he
performs close to 100 shows annually with his wife.
His concert, "Medieval Voices: Modern Reflections," consisted of
modern compositions inspired by the Armenian religious musical
tradition, including works by Sharafyan, Alan Hovaness, Aghajanyan,
and Baghdasaryan. Two world premieres were performed at the concert,
one featuring a piece by Karapetyan-the very exciting "The Birth
of Vahakn"-and a piano trio by Daniel Thomas Davis commissioned for
the occasion.
Karapetyan gives his good friend Mr. Davis, the composer of "Diary
of Scattering," high marks as an outstanding composer of our time.
Perhaps a first, Davis’ "Scattering" was inspired by the Armenian
religious tradition. His inspiration was the history of the Armenians,
including the genocide which created the diaspora, evoking great
emotion with his lovely composition. My conversation with Davis
revealed he had a friendship with a Watertown Armenian. That influence
resulted in composing a magnificent tribute to Armenians everywhere.
Credit must be give to Karapetyan. Among his ambitions is to bring
Armenian music to non-Armenian audiences, accomplishing that by
including non-Armenians in the process as performers and composers.
He is in exceptional company with the likes of Komitas, Tahmizyan,
Atayan, and Kooshnarian, all of whom consider Armenian religious
music the purest expression of true Armenian spirit and character.
Appropriately, Karapetyan has a photo of himself with the Komitas
Statue that stands in downtown Detroit on Jefferson Ave.
For a year, the master violinist was director of the choir at St.
Sarkis Armenian Apostolic church of Dearborn.
The future for Henrik Karapetyan? He sees himself comfortable in
an academic environment of a college or university where he can
simultaneously teach and perform. In his collaboration with Davis,
Karapetyan says, "I have been lucky to have him in my project. My
intention is to bring this to wider audiences and I hope to get other
Armenian communities nationwide interested in it."
Karapetyan and Lavrovskaya have a son and reside in Rochester. As if
his agenda was not ambitious enough, his other interests include chess,
reading, and writing. He was also a prize winner of the Armenian
National Competition of Young Writers in 1996. He is been blessed
with many talents.
Armenian communities alert: If you want to learn more about Henrik
Karapetyan’s project and enlighten others about beautiful Armenian
music, do yourselves a favor: email him at [email protected].