Category: News

The Armenian jazz pianist’s brilliant performance with members of the Yerevan State Choir is a poignant contemporary tribute to their homeland’s history

By John Fordham

hose who remember Tigran Hamasyan’s bone-shaking, synth-squealing, pop-jazz gigs might have done a double-take as the young Armenian pianist gravely filed on to the Union Chapel’s stage accompanied only by a bowed, hooded, orange-robed choir. Some might wonder whether 2014’s swansong of ECM Records’s globally popular choral/jazz pairing of the Hilliard vocal ensemble with Jan Garbarek had anything to do with the young virtuoso’s arrival on the same label with a solemn programme of medieval and modern Armenian vocal music, embroidered only by his jazz-steeped piano playing. But Hamasyan is devoted to his homeland’s traditions, and this year’s 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide by the Ottoman authorities gives this venture a timely poignancy.

He embraced the challenge in this performance with a typical combination of diligent study and brilliant aplomb with eight singers from the Yerevan State Choir.

The single-set gig began with a hymn by 4th-century scholar/composer Mesrop Mashtots, in which a low vocal hum was shaded by briefly flicked treble-note elisions from Hamasyan. A second Mashtots piece brought spooky microtonal vocal drifts punctuated by plucked low-note strings.

The choir began a rhythmic, short-note pulse on the animated Ov Zarmanali, and whispered behind the leader’s now groove-like chord work. Hamasyan’s streaming ingenuity erupted in an outburst of sleek arpeggios and left-hand hooks that brought a roar from the crowd, but the shift never felt like a dislocation as the choir slithered back in around him. Hamasyan jangled a drone-like chord pattern as the lean, vibrato-free voices of his partners punched out exclamatory percussive motifs. A walking bassline underpinned the sound of the male members at their most guttural (while Hamasyan’s improv almost veered into My Favourite Things), and a stamping vocal dance preceded the solemn, carol-like rumination of the encore.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending EUR 8 million to finance the first phase of improvements to the solid waste disposal system in Yerevan and four surrounding regions.   

The project concerns the construction of a sanitary landfill, closure of the existing landfill and the implementation of waste diversion measures in the capital of Armenia and surrounding regions, serving a population of 1.9 million.

EIB Vice-President László Baranyay, responsible for the Bank’s financing operations in Armenia, stated: “This is the first EIB loan supporting solid waste management in the Eastern Partnership region. It concerns key social infrastructure, highly relevant for the quality of life and health conditions of almost two million people. This project is an example of excellent cooperation between the EIB, regional players, the European Commission and partner IFIs.”

The project is co-financed by a EUR 8 million European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) loan with a EUR 1.9 million technical assistance grant, and a EUR 8 million grant from the EU Neighbourhood Investment Facility (NIF). The EIB is expected to provide EUR 17 million in total to support the project, the EUR 8 million loan signed today representing only the support for the first phase of the project.

H.E. Mr Piotr Antoni Switalski, Ambassador, Head of the European Union Delegation to the Republic of Armenia, said: “The European Union is committed to supporting initiatives that ensure improved solid waste management in Armenia and in the region. This is our third financial grant to the Armenian Government in this field. I am delighted that following regional initiatives in Kotayk and Vanadzor, we are now providing financial assistance to ensure improved living conditions for the citizens of Yerevan.”

To date, the EIB has signed 11 loans in Armenia totalling EUR 220 million. The portfolio is well diversified across transport, energy and water and waste treatment infrastructure as well as SME support.

Armenia’s Ambassador to the US, ex-Prime minister Tigran Sargsyan will chair the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission, the executive body of the Eurasian Economic Union. He will succeed Victor Khristenko and will assume the post from February 1, 2016.

The issue was discussed at the sitting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council today. The leaders of EEU member countries met in Astana to discuss the urgent issues on EEU agenda and the development perspectives.

Samvel Karapetyan, President of Tashir Group issued a statement today, welcoming the purchase of Electric Networks of Armenia. The statement reads:

“As previously announced, on September 30, 2015, Tashir Group and Inter RAO signed the sale and purchase agreement for power assets in the Republic of Armenia.

The Parties have agreed that CJSC Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) will continue fulfilling its existing obligations in full. Tashir Group has also fully undertaken its obligations in ENA managing. The company management will be transparent and socially clear, based on corporate social responsibility as its key component.

ENA development priorities include introducing a bailout plan; financial optimization; service quality improvement; and financial and economic activity control, i.e. via adaptation of advanced technology.

Our first steps will include modernization of distribution facilities infrastructure through efficient investments. We shall stand strong against any wrongdoings, corrupt employees and malevolent consumers. We shall save on the Company’s costs by concentrating internal resources, i.e. minimizing power losses, which will help to avoid higher electricity tariffs in part of ENA.

We see the interests of the three million Armenians as our top value. To serve those, we must stop corruption practices both in and out of the Company.

To support the people of the Republic of Armenia, a resolution was taken to reimburse the difference between the increased electricity tariffs and the ones previously applied before August 1, 2015 for citizens and small business, at the expense of myself and the Government of Armenia on parity basis.
We are all ready for new approaches, new quality of work, and honest and constructive partnership.

Thank you in advance for your strong cooperation.”

Syrian troops backed by Hezbollah and Iranian fighters launched an offensive south of Aleppo on Friday, expanding the army’s counter-attack against rebels across western Syria with support from Russian air strikes, Reuters reports.

The assault means the army is now pressing insurgents on several fronts near Syria’s main cities in the west.

Aleppo, a commercial and industrial hub near the border with Turkey, was Syria’s largest city before its four-year civil war, which grew out of protests against Assad’s rule.

Control of the city, still home to two million people, is divided between the government and rebels.

“This is the promised battle,” a senior military source in Syria said of the offensive backed by hundreds of Hezbollah and Iranian forces which he said had made some gains on the ground.

President Serzh Sargsyan took part on October 16 in the session of the CIS Council of Heads of State in Burabay. The session was presided over by the host country’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Prior to going on to the discussion of the agenda items, the CIS heads of state congratulated Alexander Lukashenko on taking a convincing victory in the presidential elections, and Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev on the successful end of the parliamentary elections.

During the narrow and broadened sessions of the council, the presidents discussed and adopted a wide range of issues pertaining to integration collaboration within the frames of the commonwealth, concluded around two dozen documents, including the Statement on the 70th Anniversary of the Foundation of the United Nations, the Statement on the Fight Against International Terrorism, and the Address on the 30th Anniversary of the Chernobyl Disaster.

During the session, the parties put special emphasis on security issues and attached importance to collaboration in the given sphere. The CIS heads of state signed a number of international agreements related to the areas of law-enforcement and elimination of consequences of natural and technogenic emergency situations. The council session also adopted the 2020 Concept Paper on Defense Cooperation, the 2016-2020 Cooperation Program on Strengthening the Security of External Borders, and approved the list of the CIS member states’ border and other agency formations aimed at dealing with crisis situations on the CIS member states’ external borders.

The CIS heads of state also dwelled on the issues aimed at deepening humanitarian collaboration. The parties decided to implement the program “Cultural Capitals for Cooperation” in Turkmenistan, proclaiming the country’s Daşoguz city as a 2016 CIS cultural capital.

It was decided to hold the next summit of the CIS heads of state on October 16 2016 in Kyrgyzstan. The 2016 CIS chairmanship was taken by the Republic of Kyrgyzstan.

Geoffrey Robertson QC and Amal Clooney of Doughty Street Chambers represented the Republic of Armenia intervening as a third party in the case Perincek v Switzerland before the European Court of Human Rights. In an interview with the Public TV of Armenia, Amal Clooney comments on the importance and scope of the Grand Chamber’s ruling in that case and explains why this constitutes a victory for Armenia.

“We are very happy for the judgment. This is a victory for Armenia. Armenia was neither a plaintiff, nor a defendant in this case. Armenia was  a third party that intervened in the case and did so for one reason – because the low court judgment had in three paragraphs cast doubt on the reality of the Armenian Genocide. It cast doubt on whether the massacres of 1915 constituted genocide, and used language insulting the Armenian community,” Amal Clooney said, adding that they went to the court to ensure that that Grand Chamber not repeat it.

“Those were the arguments and we won. The Court said that the findings of the lower court were inappropriate. Ten of the judges said they should never have discussed the point at all, as it was out of the Court’s jurisdiction. Another seven judges said that the ‘Armenian Genocide is a clearly established historical fact.’ That’s why the judgment is a victory for Armenia,” she added.

“What the European Court actually decided is that “Perincek’s speeches should not be criminalized, because they didn’t rise to the level of speech, inciting racial hatred and violence in the county they were made, which is Switzerland. This is an encouraging decision from the perspective of the freedom of expression, because the court should be concerned with any country’s laws that make speech a crime. It’s understandable that the Court wants to be very careful about ensuring that states only criminalize a speech in the most extreme circumstances. This is not a finding Armenia needs to be concerned with. People who talks about the Armenian Genocide are not being prosecuted in the courts of Yerevan. They are, however, being prosecuted by courts in Turkey. And it is interesting that in the aftermath of the judgment Turkey’s former Foreign Minister said to Al Jazeera that “Oh, Turkey celebrates the judgment, because it respects freedom of expression.” The reality is that in all the cases that have come before the European Court up to 2014 there have been 591 findings of violation of expression and almost half of them are violations by Turkey.  What we hope for is that Turkey is paying close attention to the judgment. We hope Turkey embraces this high standard for freedom of expression that has been set so that journalists like Hrant Dink are no longer prosecuted by the Turkish court for insulting Turkishness or insulting the Turkish state,” the lawyer said.

In conclusion, Amal Clooney said it was a true honor to represent Armenia in this case. “Looking back I’m sure Armenians don’t really care much about what Perincek has to say. If we look at the issue as a whole, we can say that Armenians care about what the Pope will say, and we know that the Pope has come out to say this was genocide. We know that President Obama, before he became President, said it was genocide. So, you may have Turkey continue to deny that reality, but they can no longer after today’s judgment point to the decision of the European Court of Human Rights to support that view,” Mrs. Clooney concluded.

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An Armenian-Iranian Business Forum kicked off in Yerevan today with Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan and Iran’s First Vice president Eshaq Jahangiri attending the event.

“We highly appreciate the Armenian-Iranian cooperation based on centuries-old friendship and mutual respect,” PM Hovik Abrahamyan said in his opening remarks. He voiced confidence that the new political situation established in the region would further contribute to the development of a new phase of Armenian-Iranian relations.

“Today’s business forum is one of the best means to boost the economic cooperation, and will provide the Armenian and Iranian entrepreneurs with an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the economies of both countries, the investment opportunities and establish ties in most different fields of economy,” he added.

Mr. Abrahamyan noted the Armenian Government has adopted an “open door” policy, and does not restrinct the investment activity in any way.”

“The Republic of Armenia is conducting a multi-vector foreign policy and enjoying privileged trade regimes with a number of countries. Armenia is a member of the Eurasian Economic union, which means Armenian goods can freely enter the 170 million consumption market of the EEU member states without any customs duties and administrative obstacles. We have free trade agreements with most of CIS member states with a total population of 250 million,” the Prime Minister said, adding that Armenia benefits from the Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP) regime of the US, Canada, Switzerland, Japan and Norway. Besides, he noted that the GSP+ trade regime provided by the European Union ensures access to 28 EU member states.

Returning to the Armenian-Iranian economic relations, Hovik Abrahamyan said “the intensification of bilateral cargo shipments is of strategic importance.” In this context he attached particular importance to the North-South Road Corridor and the Armenia-Iran rail project.

The Prime Minister voiced confidence that the construction of the Armenia-Iran third high-voltage power line and the Meghri HPP would give new quality to Armenia’s integration into regional energy systems.

Another Armenian-Iranian business forum is expected to be convened in Tehran in a month, Mr. Abrahamyan informed.

Addressing the participants, Iran’s First Vice-President Ashaq Jahangiri said to be happy for the opportunity to attend a meeting of Armenian and Iranian entrepreneurs. “The two neighboring countries – Iran and Armenia – have a common historic past and exemplary relations, a wide framework of cultural and political relations, which have reinforced over time.”

“Iranian Armenians greatly contribute to the progress of the country and we have no restriction with regard to our relations with Armenia,” the Iranian official said.

Mr. Jahangiri said Armenia’s membership in EEU could serve a good platform for the establishment of EEU-Iran dialogue and development of cooperation. “Armenia is the only country that can provide Iran with an access to EEU market,” he said.

The Armenian-Iranian Business Forum has brought together more than 300 entrepreneurs from both countries.

A demon lurking in the corner of a precious 17th-century Armenian gospel has reappeared centuries after he was deliberately scraped from the page by pious readers, reports.

The creature is no longer visible to the naked eye, but once vied with the angel opposite him for the souls being weighed in the balance on judgment day, captured in the superbly illustrated gospel made by the renowned Armenian manuscript scribe, illuminator and theologian, Mesrop of Xizan, almost 400 years ago.

The demon will be revealed again by David Howell, head of conservation research at the Bodleian library in Oxford, using hyperspectral imaging as part of an exhibition of Armenian treasures. Opening on 23 October, it will mark the centenary of the genocide of the Christian minority under the Ottoman empire, which scattered surviving Armenian families and their possessions across the world.

The Bodleian, one of the largest and oldest university libraries in the world, began collecting Armenian manuscripts in the 17th century, but many of the pieces are far older, including an 11th-century manuscript copy of John Chrysostom’s commentaries, and the only known copy of the first book printed in Iran, a book of psalms dating from 1638.

Another item on display, a matchbox-sized prayer book printed in Venice in 1831, has lengthy notes in frequently incorrect Mandarin, written in minute script by a former owner, the orientalist Solomon Caesar Malan who left his collection to the university. On one page he wrote “this is the wrong prayer”.

The exhibition will span more than 2,000 years of Armenian culture. Richard Ovenden, the director of the library, said the exhibition would have many objects of exceptional beauty.

“The Bodleian Libraries is honoured to take part in the commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide by helping to share the history and culture of the Armenian people,” Ovenden said.

A crimson silk altar curtain, embroidered in silver thread, was given in 1788 to the monastery of Surb Karapet in Taron, in present-day south-east Turkey. The monastery, founded in the fourth century, was destroyed after 1915.

As well as the spectacular manuscripts, the exhibition will include more humble objects precious to the Armenian families who have loaned them, including photographs and textiles. There is a lace collar that was made in 1890 for a donor’s grandmother, and a tattered copy of a book of mystical poems by Saint Gregory of Narek passed down through generations of the same family and believed to protect the household.

A samovar and a set of coffee cups and saucers – which traditionally were used for telling fortunes from the dregs after the coffee was finished – has been loaned by the Chalvardjian family. The history of the objects illustrates the wandering lives of many Armenians after 1915. They were first used in Cilicia – now southern Turkey – and then brought with the family to Milan, Cairo and then the UK. The samovar was made in Russia, but the cups and saucers completed a circuit, originally made for export in Staffordshire.

A number of artists, colleagues, and officials came together at the Imam Ali (AS) Religious Arts Museum on Sunday evening to celebrate the 78th birthday of Armenian composer and conductor Loris Tjeknavorian, reports.

Addressing participants, Art and Cultural Organization of Tehran Municipality Director Mahmud Salahi praised Tjeknavorian for his lifetime achievements.

“As far as I know, the indefatigable maestro still feels like a 30-year-old for broadening his experiences in music,” Salahi added.

Photographer Fakhreddin Fakhreddini, famous for his black-and-white portrait photos of Iranian celebrities, also spoke at the celebration.

“Tjeknavorian’s compositions can be considered as a fusion of music and paintings, since he is a notable painter as well,” he said.

Tjeknavorian also spoke briefly, saying that he has always been interested in genuine Iranian and Islamic culture, traditions and arts.

The musician who is of Armenian origin expressed pleasure over his Iranian nationality as he hoped for further peace and friendship for his countrymen.

Tjeknavorian said that he draws inspiration from people and added, “I have always been delighted to be living among the Iranian people.”

The celebration came to an end with the presentation to Tjeknavorian of a painting by Morteza Asadi and other awards.

Tjeknavorian was born in 1937 in Borujerd in the southwestern Iranian province of Lorestan and was educated in Tehran.

After he studied violin and piano at the Tehran Conservatory of Music, he studied composition at the Vienna Music Academy, where he graduated with honors in 1961.

Tjeknavorian has performed throughout the world, having conducted international orchestras in Austria, Britain, the United States, Canada, Hungary, Iran, Finland, the former Soviet Union, Armenia, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Africa and Denmark.

His own compositions have been performed by major orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the American Symphony Orchestra in New York and the Tehran Symphony Orchestra.