AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA SEEKING TO CONTINUE TALKS – US OFFICIAL

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
March 17 2006

Baku, March 16, AssA-Irada
The talks on settling the long-standing Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh conflict are not stagnant, Armenian media quoted the
US Department of State Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian
Affairs Daniel Fried as saying.

Fried told a news briefing in Yerevan that judging by the meetings
held between the two countries’ leaders so far, it could be concluded
with confidence that the peace process will continue.

“The two presidents are decisively defending their national interests,”
said Fried.

The discussions held by the two leaders in the French town of
Rambouillet in February turned out fruitless, as the parties failed
to iron out issues of principle, which was followed by mutual threats.

The US official went on to say that prior to his visit to the region,
he and the American co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group brokering the
conflict settlement, Steven Mann, met with the two other mediators
from Russia and France and obtained their full support. The Assistant
Secretary dismissed the assumptions that there are discrepancies
among the intermediaries.

Steven Mann speaking at the news briefing concurred that the Azeri
and Armenian heads of state are interested in moving the peace process
forward. “The United States is ready to support their efforts by all
means,” he added.

EU ENVOY CITES HIGH CHANCES FOR AZERI-ARMENIAN ACCORD IN 2006

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
March 17 2006

Baku, March 16, AssA-Irada
The newly-appointed European Union envoy on the South Caucasus has
cited high chances for an Armenia-Azerbaijan accord on Upper (Nagorno)
Garabagh, despite the latest unsuccessful round of presidential talks.

“If I did not believe in the conflict resolution, I would not have
taken up my new appointment,” Peter Semneby said during his visit
to the Armenian capital Yerevan. Semneby said he would be regularly
in touch with the mediating OSCE Minsk Group to make sure all the
initiatives aiming to the settle the long-standing dispute are
properly coordinated.

“Considering that the last meeting of the two presidents did not
justify expectations, it is difficult to say how real these hopes
are. To become closely familiar with the situation, I have to visit
Azerbaijan and Armenia and exchange views with the co-chairs.”

The discussions held by the two leaders in the French town of
Rambouillet in February turned out fruitless, as the parties failed
to iron out issues of principle, which was followed by mutual threats.

The Swedish diplomat noted that one of the priorities in his activity
would be to facilitate settlement of “frozen conflicts” persisting in
the region. Semneby added that the European Union will face daunting
tasks after these disputes are resolved.

TELL US THE TRUTH ABOUT ARMENIANS
Ratemo James Onsoti, Maseno University

Daily Nation , Kenya
March 19 2006

Publication Date: 3/20/2006
The unfolding events about the alleged Armenian mercenaries are truly
mind-boggling, fascinating and awesome.

As the saying goes, where there is smoke there is fire. I am simply
appalled by the accusations and counter-accusations between the
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leaders and the Government over this
sensitive issue.

Seemingly the ODM luminaries Kalonzo Musyoka and Raila Odinga have
a lot to divulge only that time doesn’t seem right. On the other
hand, the Government is obviously concealing the damning truth about
the saga, but like a pressure cooker, I am sure it will explode on
their face.

What we are seeing in the Press is nothing but injured beasts and
rattle snakes terribly struggling to cling onto life.

According to reports in the press last week, the Kenya Airports
Authority security officials were not informed of the presence
of the two Armenians at the centre of the mercenary claims when
the foreigners addressed a press conference at the Jomo Kenyatta
International Airport.

The fact that Commandant Moses Nyakwama and his CID counterpart Judy
Ndeda were not in the know over the presence of the foreigners and
even their press conference leaves a lot to be desired.

A seemingly powerful hand or an enraged rattle snake, able to bypass
formal procedures, must be behind the whole saga.

Why are the Armenians being handled like small gods by the police?

Why have they not been arrested yet they have made grave remarks about
a plot to overthrow the Government? Why and who is protecting them?

Their lawyer is another perfect source of information on who the men
really are. How come he staged a perfect press conference without
raising eyebrows? Surely there must be foul play here.

Now to my icon Musyoka: I know you are a Christian, but I feel you
have a lot more to tell Kenyans about the scandal.

The same applies to Mr Odinga. The Armenians are claiming to possess
video evidence of a meeting between them and the Langa’ta MP.

What Kenyans are demanding is the correct explanation of what is
happening. Whether it comes from the Government or ODM is not the
issue. We only want to know exactly what’s happening.

I WAS MISQUOTED, ARMENIAN NOW CLAIMS
By Cyrus Ombati

Standard, Kenya
March 20 2006

One of the two men at the centre of mercenary saga, has denied claims
that he told off Internal Security minister John Michuki.

The German Spitz that is among the six dogs that Artur Margaryan
shipped from Dubai. Pic by Robert Gicheru

Mr Artur Margaryan on Sunday clarified that all he said was that
the minister had asked Kenyans not to discuss the matter until
investigations are concluded

“Listen carefully, and you must run this, I said the Internal minister
had asked all not to talk on the issue they don’t know until the
matter is investigated conclusively,” he said on Thursday.

Michuki said the mercenary saga was under investigations and urged
leaders to stop politicising it. Margaryan maintained that he feared
no one apart from God.

“Christianity began in Armenia before spreading to Rome. It is God
who is protecting me,” he said.

He was referring to last Thursday’s incident where a mob threatened
to lynch him as he left the Standard Group offices. Margaryan said he
knows how to handle hostile crowds and had expected such a situation.

He said no one has threatened him since he set foot in the country and
that he loved Kenya. He refused to divulge details of his questioning
by police on Friday.

He referred us to his lawyers who he said had more information.

Margaryan was on Friday summoned by the team appointed to investigate
the saga. He later recorded a statement over the matter.

Businessman Raju Sangani was also questioned and asked to explain
his relationship with Margaryan. He reportedly said he was a friend.

Baktash had earlier been quizzed in connection with some of the cars
that Margaryan is using.

The investigating team is headed by Nairobi area deputy CID boss Isaiah
Osugo and has so far questioned MPs Kalonzo Musyoka and Raila Odinga.

On Sunday, Margaryan maintained he was in the country to invest for
the benefit of Kenyans. He said he would put up an investment that
will benefit at least 2,000 Kenyans.

Vicious dogs

Meanwhile, the six dogs he promised are finally in town. The dogs
arrived from Dubai in cages and are guarding Artur Margaryan’s Runda
compound.

Margaryan warned that the animals were dangerous to uninvited guests.

They are five black Dobermans and a white one, whose breed we could
not ascertain immediately, named Amigo.

Margaryan said they were capable of guarding his premises without
a guard.

“They will attack you if you jump into the compound. I don’t care
who you are, if you step here because they will maul you,” he warned.

He briefly played with the animals in the compound before stepping
out, warning journalists against taking their pictures. Only Amigo
barked. Last Thursday, Margaryan said he would import dogs to guard
the compound.

As he left, he ordered them back then locked the main gate. One of
the dogs started barking as Margaryan drove off in the company of
his girlfriend.

He termed the police officer, who was attacked by a dog last week,
a thief.

Said he: “I don’t know if he was a policeman because I was not here.

He is a thief and anyone who does so will be attacked by the dogs.”

Police investigating the incident were reluctant to comment on the
issue, saying they had been warned against doing so. Margaryan said
he was in the country to stay, adding that he would not run away as
widely anticipated.

He said he had business to do in the country, which he claimed would
benefit more than 2,000 Kenyans.

“I have no plan to leave. I am not going to run away because I am
here legally and I love Kenya,” he said.

He said his brother, Artur Sargarsyan, was in Dubai and had no plans
of coming back soon, unless he was provided with security

Unravelling the mystery

Trade minister, Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, wants the two foreigners deported.

Kituyi, who described them “funnily dressed”, said they were in the
country illegally. He said they should be investigated and action taken
against them. He wondered why there was sluggishness on the side of the
Government to respond to calls by Kenyans for action against the duo.

“I wonder why two funnily dressed foreigners can hold the country
at ransom. The Government is letting down Kenyans,” Kituyi told
journalists in Busia yesterday after attending a funds drive in aid
of Busia Friends Church.

He said the continued presence of the foreigners was portraying the
Government negatively. “These funny looking people should not be in
the country. Their deportation is long overdue,” he added.

And the Anglican Church of Kenya has demanded speedy investigations
into the mystery surrounding the two alleged Armenian mercenaries.

The Provost of the All Saints Cathedral, Peter Karanja, said Kenyans
should be patient and give the Government a chance to unravel the
mystery surrounding the two foreigners. He said the Government should
handle the matter with sobriety and come clear over the issue.

“It is only fair and reasonable to judge someone after he has been
proven guilty and this applies to both Kenyans and foreigners,” Karanja
said after conducting the Sunday Service. He said though the church
was not certain about anything, it would only be fair for everyone
to be taken as innocent until he is proven guilty in a court of law.

Judging from the display of arrogance and confidence, the provost said
there was so much to be investigated and brought to light. He regretted
the scenes that took place last week outside the I&M Bank Tower when
Margaryan strolled into the streets and was confronted by a mob.

“The issue of national security is a serious matter,” he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NEW RIDDLE AS AKASHAS NOW DISOWN ARMENIAN CONNECTION
Story By Nation Team

Standard, Kenya
March 20 2006

The man at the centre of mercenary allegations yesterday admitted to
having connections with the family of slain drug baron Ibrahim Akasha.

And for the first time Mr Artur Margaryan displayed what he said was
an Armenian passport to prove his nationality, but refused flip over
the cover, making it impossible to confirm his claims.

Separately, two members of the Akasha family disputed the claims that
they had connections with the two brothers who have been described
as mercenaries by some politicians.

“We don’t know the two,” said one family member who spoke on condition
that their names would not be published.

Last weekend, the Saturday Nation reported that a Mercedes Benz
used by Mr Artur Margaryan was registered in the name of a son the
notorious narcotics dealer Ibrahim Akasha who was shot dead in the
Netherlands five years ago.

On Friday, one of slain Akasha’s sons was among the people interviewed
by police investigating the mercenary allegations. Mr Margayan has
denied reports that a Mercedes Benz parked in his compound belonged
to a member of this family.

Also questioned on Friday was Mr Margaryan and prominent Nairobi
businessman and real estate dealer Raju Sanghani.

Mr Margaryan’s elder brother, Mr Artur Sargasyan, is believed to be
still in Dubai despite earlier indications that he would return to
Kenya before the weekend.

Mr Margaryan spoke of his nationality days after Immigration minister
Gideon Konchellah had said the two foreigners were from the Czech
Republic. Yesterday, Housing Minister Soita Shitanda called on his
Internal Security counterpart John Michuki to order the arrest of
the two brothers until their mission in Kenya was ascertained. The
gripping saga unfolded as Vice President Moody Awori and senior
Government officers avoided Press inquiries on the mystery that has
left Kenyans wondering just who the two Artur brothers were.

Mr Margaryan said he did not wish to comment on investigations by the
police and would abide by Mr Michuki’s statement that public debate
on the matter should cease until investigations were complete.

He told journalists outside his residence: “I will show you my passport
but I’m not giving any more information on this until I have cleared
my name. The men (Mr Michuki) I saw on TV the other night said
investigations were going on and we should not say anything about
this matter until they have concluded investigations. They have taken
statements from all of us.”

Authorities have given no indication about the progress on their
investigations. Sources say senior police officers are under
instructions not to give any information to the media on the
mercenaries saga.

Not even the Nairobi deputy CID boss Isaiah Osugo, the officer
appointed to lead investigations, would comment on the matter.

Reached for comment, Government spokesman Alfred Mutua said: “I can’t
talk to you now, I’m going for a meeting.”

Mr Shitanda, however, said: “The unclear circumstances about their
business needs thorough investigations.”

These sentiments were shared by Assistant minister Bonny Khalwale
who said of the two foreigners should shed light on their business
in Kenya.

Kabete MP Paul Muite, who chairs the Legal Affairs and Administration
of Justice Committee in Parliament, said: “The committee is
investigating this matter and these people very seriously.”

And Kanu Secretary General William Ruto said their access to the VIP
lounge at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport last week was an
indication that the two foreigners had State protection.

Tinderet MP Henry Kosgey challenged government and the Orange
Democratic Movement leaders mentioned in connection with the foreigners
to come clean and tell Kenyans who the foreigners were.

In Busia, Vice President Moody Awori yesterday declined to comment
on the issue.

Mr Awori, who attended a church function in Busia town, was approached
by reporters to explain the government position on the saga, told them:
“Please leave me alone!”

Mr Sargasyan declared at a press conference last week that they were
related to the Armenian Prime Minister and that he was also running
for President.

But sources within the Armenia government said the two did not have
permanent residence in that country and thus did not qualify to run
for office.

The office of the Armenian Prime Minister denied that the duo is
related to the leader, Mr Andranik Markaryan. The Armenian Prime
Minister’s Press secretary, Mery Haroutyan, said the Prime Minister
did not have any relatives by the names Artur Margaryan and Artur
Sargasyan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WITH A SOLID VICTORY AT LINARES, ARONIAN JOINS THE GAME’S ELITE
By Robert Byrne

The New York Times
March 19, 2006 Sunday
Late Edition – Final

In the final two rounds of the Linares tournament, which was held
in Morelia, Mexico, and Linares, Spain, Peter Leko of Hungary, the
leading player throughout, lost twice and dropped back to fourth
place with 7 1/2 points. Levon Aronian of Armenia kept up the most
hectic pace of all, finishing the last round with a sizzling victory
over Leko and a total of 8 1/2 for first place.

Tied for second, with 8 points, were Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan
and Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria, who is in negotiations for a world
championship match in the fall with Vladimir Kramnik of Russia. After
Topalov lost three of the first six games, he buckled down. Quite a
heroic performance under such adverse circumstances.

In Aronian’s final-round victory against Leko, he looked as though he
was going to play passively for a draw, but then produced an attack
with a spirited counter to the Anti-Marshall Ruy Lopez.

Aronian turned the Ruy Lopez upside down. It is Black who is supposed
to endure the Spanish Torture, but this time it was White whose trees
were felled by lightning. It was a great moment for him, as he took
on the role of pathfinder in an old opening.

Somehow Leko staggered into an endgame. It was hopeless, and Aronian
made it even more so by precision play that brooked no resistance. He
was not going to let this tournament victory get away from him.

In his other games, Aronian also played spiritedly, forcing his
opponents to defend against breathtaking gambits. This was his greatest
success so far, and he must now be welcomed into the inner circle of
players who have a right to eye the world championship.

After 7 Bb3 0-0, since 8 c3 can run into the tempestuous Marshall
Attack with 8 d5!?, Leko chose an Anti-Marshall Attack with 8 a4.

Supposedly this avoids risks.

After 13 Kh8, playing 14 d4 Nd4 15 Nd4 ed 16 Qd4 Rd8 17 Ne3 c5 18 Qd3
d5 would have given Aronian the initiative, but it was the best Leko
could have done.

Leko’s 17 Ba4 was inaccurate. He should have played 17 ef Rf5 18 Bd2.

With 20 Ng6, the black pieces were bearing down on the kingside,
but the white pieces had no targets.

Leko’s 22 Ra2 was a purely defensive move, but he had to guard his
king position.

With 22 Qb7, Aronian attacked the kingside and the queenside
simultaneously, in the best Alekhine style.

With 24 Nd3, 25 Qd3 Qc4, Aronian won a decisive pawn, and the endgame
was his.

Finally, after 40 Reh3, Leko gave up.

White Black Leko Aronian 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0
Be7 6 Re1 b5 7 Bb3 0-0 8 a4 b4 9 d3 d6 10 a5 Be6 11 Nbd2 Qc8 12 Nc4
Rb8 13 Bg5 Kh8 14 h3 Ng8 15 c3 bc 16 bc f5 17 Ba4 fe 18 Bc6 ef 19 Be7
Ne7 20 Bf3 Ng6 21 Bg4 Nf4 22 Ra2 Qb7 23 Bf3 Qb3 24 Rc2 Nd3 25 Qd3 Qc4
26 Qc4 Bc4 27 Bc6 Rb3 28 g3 g5 29 Re3 Ra3 30 Be4 Ra5 31 g4 Bd5 32 f3
Be4 33 fe Ra1 34 Kg2 Rff1 35 Ree2 Rg1 36 Kh2 Rh1 37 Kg3 Rag1 38 Rg2
Re1 39 Rgf2 Re3 40 Kg2 Reh3 41 Resigns.

AZERBAIJAN CLAIMS IT FOILED ARMENIAN TERRORIST SCHEME

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS General Newswire
March 18, 2006 Saturday 8:50 PM MSK

Azerbaijan’s National Security Ministry said on Saturday that it
had prevented terrorist attacks in Azerbaijan plotted by Armenian
“special services” and that the Azerbaijani president had been one
of the targets for the alleged planned attacks.

“Three servicemen of one of the Azerbaijani military units, while being
in Armenian captivity, were recruited by Armenian special services
for terrorist activities on Azerbaijani territory,” including attacks
on the Azerbaijani president.

The targets of the alleged scheme were President Ilham Aliyev, the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, natural gas pipelines, and the
Heydar Aliyev International Airport, the ministry said in a release.

Interfax has been unable so far to obtain comments from any Armenian
official.

OUT OF ARMENIA
By Boris Gulko And Gabriel Schoenfeld

The New York Sun
March 17, 2006 Friday

The first intercontinental chess tournament in history concluded this
week. The first half was played in Morelia, Mexico, and the second,
across the Atlantic Ocean, in Linares, Spain. This superclass event
was won by the young grandmaster Levon Aronian, who lives in Germany
but plays under the flag of his native Armenia. After his outstanding
victory at the close of 2005 in the World Cup, and on the heels of this
new and equally stellar achievement, Aronian has propelled himself
to the very summit of the chess elite. Together with Veselin Topalov
and Viswanathan Anand, he forms a triumvirate of the best players in
the world. In his encounter with Peter Svidler in the Morelia-Linares
tournament, he won in classical positional style, gathering minuscule
advantages step by step and not giving his opponent an opportunity to
fight back in open struggle. Indeed, Svidler was forced to surrender
without having a chance to fire a single shot.

ARONIAN VS. SVIDLER (white) (black) Grunfeld Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 Ne4 5.Bh4 c5 Not happy with results of
the opening in this game, playing against Ivanchuk on the following
day, Svidler steered to the same position but deviated here to
play 5…Nxc3 6.bxc3 dxc4 7.e3 Be6 8.Qb1 c5?! but after 9.Qxb7 Bd5
10.Qb5+ Nd7 11.Nf3 Rb8 12.Qa4 cxd4 13.cxd4 Qc8 14.Rc1 e6 15.Bxc4 Rb4
16.Qa6 Bb7 17.Qa5! but he could not capture the c4 bishop because
of mate on d8 and fell into an inferior position. 6.cxd5 Nxc3
7.bxc3 Qxd5 8.e3 cxd4 9.Qxd4 Qxd4 10.cxd4 e6! Discussion of this
move dates back to 1970. In the game of origin, Taimanov-Uhlmann,
black received a terrible position after 10…Nc6 11.Bb5 Bd7 12.Nf3
Bg7 13.Rb1. The move played in this game was introduced in the same
year in Donner-Hort and for a long time was considered sufficient to
produce equality. Now, however, the old estimate has been called into
question. 11.Rb1 Black’s idea is that after 11.Bf6 he has 11…Bb4+
12.Kd1 0-0. 11… Be7! 12.Bxe7 Kxe7 13.Bd3 Nc6 Black has to blockade
the c- file. In case of 13…Nd7 14.Nf3 b6 15.Be4 Rb8 16.Kd2 Nf6 17.Bc6
Bb7 18.Bxb7 Rxb7 19.Rhc1 white would obtain control over the only open
file on the board. 14.Nf3 b6 15.Ke2 Bb7 16.Rhc1 Rhc8 Only this move
is a novelty, and an insignificant one. The game Sarkissian-Bobras,
2005, continued from this position with 16…Rac8 17.g4 h5?! 18.g5
and led to a clear advantage for white. The attempt not to enable
white to fix the black center with a pawn on g5 via 16…h6 17.h4 h5
18.Rc3 Rac8 19.Rbc1 Na5 20.Rc7+ Kd6 21.Rxc8 Rxc8 22.Rxc8 Bxc8 23.Ne5
Ke7 24.f3 would leave white with a comfortable advantage because of
the dangerous g2-g4 thrust, creating either a weak black pawn on h5
or giving white a passed-pawn on the h-file.

17.g4! h6! 18.h4 Na5 19.g5! hxg5 20.hxg5 Here black has fewer
problems than in the previously mentioned Sarkissian-Bobras game
because he is rid of the h-pawns. But white’s position is still more
comfortable. 20… Rxc1 21.Rxc1 Rc8 22.Rxc8 Bxc8 23.Ne5 Bb7

(See diagram)

24.a3! A characteristic subtle touch, depriving black of counterplay
in the variation 24.Kd2 Nc6 25.Ng4 Nb4. 24… Nc6 25.Ng4 Nb8 26.Kd2
Bc6 27.Kc3 Nd7 28.f4 a5 29.e4 b5 30.Bc2 f5? Black collapses under
pressure. Svidler had hoped to create a fortress, but its structure
is completely insecure. The problems are obvious in the variation
30…Bb7 31.Kd3 Ba6 32.Ke3 Bb7 (the best chance for black to draw
is in the line 32…b4 33.axb4 axb4 34.Bd3) 33.Bb3 Bc6 34.Ne5 Nxe5
35.fxe5 where white plays d4-d5, heads to c5 with his king, and wins.

31.exf5 exf5 32.Ne5 Nxe5 33.dxe5 b4+ 34.axb4 axb4+ 35.Kxb4 Bd7 36.Bb3
Bc6 37.Kc5 Be8 This loses immediately, but other moves didn’t save
the day. For example 37…Bf3 38.Bg8 Bd1 39.Bh7 Kf7 (Or 39…Bh5
40.Kc6 Bf3+ 41.Kb6! Bh5 42.Kc7 and black is in zugzwang.) 40.e6+! Kg7
(40…Kxe6 41.Bxg6 Bc2 42.Kd4 Bb1! 43.Bh7 Bc2 44.Bg8+ Kd6 45.Bc4
with two decisive threats 46.g6 or 46.Bd3) 41.Kb5! Bc2 42.e7 Kf7
43.Bxg6+ Kxe7 44.Kc5 Ke6 45.Kd4 and the white bishop goes to c4 or d3,
transposing the game into the same winning position. After 37…Bd7
38.Bg8 Ba4 39.e6 Bd1 (39…Bb3 40.Bf7 Bxe6 41.Bxg6 the game also
transposes into the same winning position.) 40.Kd5 Bf3+ 41.Ke5 Bd1
42.Bf7 Bh5 43.Kd5 Bf3+ 44.Kd4 Bh5 45.Ke5 black is in zugzwang again.
38.e6 1-0.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MAN JAILED IN CREDIT CARD FRAUD
T.J. Wilham Journal Staff Writer

Albuquerque Journal (New Mexico)
March 14, 2006 Tuesday

A California man has been accused of criminal spelling.

Edvin Keshishyan, 29, originally from Armenia, landed in jail Sunday
after a Home Depot employee looked at the back of the Discover Card
he was using for a $1,600 purchase and noticed a dropped ‘e’ in
“authorized” under the signature.

“When you turn the card over, any person that can spell is going to
notice that authorized is spelled wrong,” said Albuquerque police
officer A.J. Fangio.

Late Monday, Keshishyan was in custody at the West Side jail on credit
card fraud charges. He was being held without bond.

Police say that when officers arrived at the store in the 200 block
of Eubank SE, they searched Keshishyan and found four more fake
credit cards. Although everything was spelled right, Fangio said,
the cards didn’t look real.

Still, he said, they all had valid magnetic strips, meaning that if
swiped in a reader, the cards might have been approved.

SUBSTITUTE CONDUCTOR FILLS MONDAVI CENTER WITH ENERGY
Edward Ortiz Bee Arts Critic

Sacramento Bee (California)
March 13, 2006 Monday
Metro Final Edition

It’s hard to imagine a more shimmering and sonically expansive
performance of Mahler’s First Symphony than what was given by the
London Philharmonic at the Mondavi Center on the UC Davis campus
Saturday evening.

The appearance of Finnish-born conductor Osmo Vanska, who was filling
in for the ill Kurt Masur, was as memorable a conducting debut as
will be seen on the Mondavi stage for quite some time.

In Vanska’s hands, Mahler’s work blossomed into a captivating sonic
experience that filled Jackson Hall with delicate but brooding,
soft passages and explosive, life-affirming crescendos.

The evening began with brash young Armenian violinist Sergey
Khachatryan delivering a brilliant and emotional reading of fellow
Armenian Aram Khachaturian’s “Violin Concerto.” Taking the stage in
an untucked black shirt and black pants, Khachatryan wasted no time
in injecting his cadenzas with enough musical grit and no- nonsense
punch to avoid any sentimentality. Khachatryan attacked the deeply
moving passages of the second movement as if he owned the concerto –
and Saturday night he proved he did with dazzling technique.

But the highlight of the evening was clearly Mahler’s “Symphony No.

1,” which began with the strings low and slow, giving way to its
cuckoolike two-note motif, whose energy later morphed into orchestral
wildfire.

Vanska, a rising star on the conducting scene who is well-known for
his interpretations of Jean Sibelius’ work, conducted with a unique
visual flair – one that flirted with bombast but never quite stepped
over the line. Watching him conduct was like a visual primer on how
a conductor uses body language to express and coax tonal color out
of an orchestra. A knee bend here, an exultation of arm waving there
characterized his conducting. The result was stellar playing.

The London Philharmonic proved Vanska’s equal in every way. The
rich intonation of the orchestra’s string section lived up to its
reputation. That was most evident during the funeral march in the
third movement, which incorporates the “Frere Jacques” theme. Here
the strings bowed with feeling and crisp clarity.

But it was the titanlike shimmer of the brass section that proved
most memorable. From their powerful playing in the first movement to
the thunderous moments of the finale, the horns thrilled and provoked
listeners into a state of musical exultation. Their playing was warm,
almost youthful, but also capable of capturing a mature, somber glow,
especially in the second and third movements.

It remains to be seen whether what was heard Saturday night had as
much to do with Vanska as it did with the work that Masur has done
with this orchestra.

You get the feeling that much is owed to Vanska’s energizing influence,
which owes its origin to the fact that he hails from a country where
classical music is as much a national pastime as baseball is here.

The Bee’s Edward Ortiz can be reached at (916) 321-1071 or
[email protected].