The Armenian Weekly about the Musical Dialogues in National Gallery of Art, Washington DC

National Gallery of Art’s “Musical Dialogues” Spotlights Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide-era humanitarian efforts of Norwegian diplomat Fridtjof Nansen and missionary Bodil Catharina Biorn took center stage at a special National Gallery of Art Easter Day concert, titled “Musical Dialogues,” highlighting the important role of music in conflict resolution and healing following political upheaval. Nansen and Biorn’s selfless actions during the Armenian Genocide saved over 300,000 orphans from death and starvation. Nansen’s efforts later inspired the Nansen Dialogue Center, a Norwegian cultural organization established in Bosnia and Herzegovina following the wars in the Western Balkans in the 1990s.

The National Gallery concert featured Armenian and Bosnian classics as well as contemporary Norwegian pieces dedicated to Nansen and Biorn. The concert included performances by: Mariam Kharatyan, piano; Adema Pljevljak-Krehic, soprano; Maja Ackar Zlatarevic, piano; Vincent Kok, flute Adam Gruchot, violin; and presentations by: Randi Margrethe Eidsaa and Jorn E. Schau.

“History is full of political and social triumphs, violent conflicts, and human tragedies,” explained Kharatyan, in her program note accompanying the concert.  “We have developed the concept of this concert to mirror historical turning points, to pay homage to those who dedicated their lives to helping people, and to standing strong together in demanding situation.”  Kharatyan and her musician colleagues chose Armenian folk melodies including “Shushiki” from Komitas’ “Folk Dances,” the instrumentals “It’s Spring” and “Crane” (Kroonk).  She dazzled audiences with her interpretation of Aram Khachaturian’s Adagio from the ballet “Spartacus,” and several other Khachaturian pieces.

Mariam Kharatyan performs (Photo: Armenian Genocide Commemorative Committee of Greater Washington)

 

Published in armenianweekly.com/2017/05/08/greater-d-c-community-commemorates-102/

 

 

Interview in Voice of America, Washington DC

Mariam Kharatyan’s interview (in Armenian) in Voice of America, Washington DC, where she talks about the Musical Dialogues concert project in National Gallery of Art, her Recital in Jed Leshowitz Hall in New Jersey, as well as about the Armenian Genocide and Armenian Music.

TV host: Stella Grigoryan

21 April 2017

Washington DC, US

Music of Khachaturian and Komitas in Montclair, NJ, Leshowitz Recital Hall

The program of this concert is selected compositions from the Piano art of Armenian composer’s Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978) and Komitas (1869-1935). Being educated as a classical pianist, with the traditional classical repertoire, for me, since early childhood has always been a special interest the Armenian music. I grew up by listening Armenian folk music, and I used to play on piano many of the melodies that I have heard. Later on, as developing my professional pianistic skills, I used to perform many of the solo and chamber compositions of Armenian classics.
In 2015, I started my Artistic research project, focusing on the interpretation of the piano compositions of Khachaturian and Komitas. I have been deeply fascinated and moved by the fact that rich traditions of Armenian folk music exist in their piano music, expressed in so many various layers and forms. Two significant aspects firmly connect the music of Khachaturian and Komitas. These include the imitation of the sound and sonority of Armenian folk instruments, such as Kamancha,Tar, Kanon, (Dap)Dhol, Duduk,
Blul and the Folk Dance elements.
As Komitas believed – “Dance is perhaps one of the most significant manifestations of human existence. It expresses the particular traits of a nation, especially its customs and the level of its civilization. For through its manifold movements dance unconsciously exposes the workings of the spirit”.
During the centuries the Armenian nation has created numerous examples of folk songs. Thanks to Komitas, who has collected thousands of Armenian folk melodies, sacred songs and instrumental melodies created by the people over centuries, have been saved from the loss.
The unique character of the Armenian peasant folklore will be represented through Six dances from Komitas’s Yot Par (Seven Dances for piano). Each of the Dances was popular in a particular region of Armenia.
Komitas himself indicates in the scores in which Armenian folk instrument’s style should be
performed the melody, the motives and the character of the music.
“Manushaki” of Wagharshapat, in style of Dap (Dhol)
“Yerangi” of Yerevan, in style of Duduk and Tar
“Unabi” of Shushi, in style of Tar and Dap (Dhol)
“Marali” of Shushi, in style of Dap (Dhol)
“Shushiki” of Wagharshapat in style of Tar and Dap (Dhol)
“Et u Araj” of Erzrum (Karno), in style of Pogh (Blul) and Tmbuk
In program are also presented Komitas’ four original Songs, in arrangements for piano, published in Yerevan in 2015, by Villi Sargsyan:
“The Sky was Cloudy”
“It’s Spring”
“Go, Walk”
“Apricot Tree”
Aram Khachaturian(1903-1978), has been considered as one of the greatest composers in Soviet era. His compositions, such as piano and violin concertos, “Adagio” from “Spartacus” Ballet, “Sabre Dance” from “Gayaneh” Ballet, made his name world famous. Khachaturian continued to fulfill the mission to represent the Armenian musical rich traditions out in the world through his Art. He has founded in Armenian music several European genres by creating the first Armenian instrumental concertos, first Armenian
Symphony, Ballet, Trio, etc.
The compositions presented in today’s program, are vivid examples of the organic synthesis of the classical genres and free improvisational style, dancing rhythms, freely developed melodic lines inspired by the Armenian folk music. In his letters, Khachaturian referred to Komitas as ”one of his great teachers,” as well as many times highlighted his deep inspiration from Armenian Folk Culture.
Even though Khachaturian has not indicated in the scores the particular imitation of folk instrument’s style in his compositions, (as Komitas did in his “Yot Par”), I find in many aspects the connection with the style of Armenian folk instruments sonority obvious in Khachaturian’s compositions. The inspiration of Khachaturian’s piano music from the art of Armenian folk bards- Ashughs, the freedom of compositional manner, imitation of folk instruments as well as the virtuosic and improvisational expression of his music has a significant impact on my approach to the interpretation of it. It also highlighted my choices regarding the articulation, phrasing and the touch on the keyboard, thus shaping my personal interpretation of Khachaturian’s following compositions:
“Poem” for piano, “Dance”, “Valse-Caprice”,
“Toccata” for piano, as well as three concert
arrangements for piano, published in Yerevan
in 2005, by Villi Sargsyan:
“Lullaby,” “The Girls’ Dance with Tambourine” from ballet “Gayaneh” and “Adagio” from
“Spartacus” Ballet.

The concert is part of KIK(Arts in Context) in UiA.
The Concert is dedicated to the memory of Armenian Genocide.

Musical Dialogues in National Gallery of Art, Washington DC

On April 16 Easter Sunday at 3:00 the concert Musical Dialogues: An Exploration of Hope is presented at the Gallery of Art in Washington DC. The concert is included in a performance and research project organized by associate professor Randi Margrethe Eidsaa, anthropologist Arve Konnestad and pianist Mariam Kharatyan from the University of Agder in Kristiansand, Norway. The singer Adema Pljevljak-Krehic and pianist Maja Ackar from Academy of Music Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina participate in the concert and play an important role in the project. The name Musical Dialogues is inspired from the Nansen Dialogue Center in Sarajevo. The Nansen centers in Bosnia-Herzegovina support intercultural and interethnic dialogue processes at local, national and international levels with the aim of contributing to peaceful conflict transformation.

The ensemble also includes Vincent Kok, a master student in flute performance, the first concertmaster of KSO, violinist Adam Grüchot and flute professor Jørn Schau.

The concert is organized in cooperation with the Norwegian Embassy in Washington DC. The ensemble will present music from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Armenia and Norway, and the Four Prayers by Ned Rorem, an American composer whose ancestors came from the western region of Norway.

The names of Norwegian humanitarians Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930) and Bodil Bjørn (1871-1960) are deeply engraved in Armenians hearts for their effort to save thousands of Armenian lives during and post-Genocide period. After World War I, Fridtjof Nansen (Nobel Peace Laureate) proposed to the League of Nations Nansen Passport, giving the possibility for about 320 000 Armenians to move freely to their preferred country. Norwegian composer Konrad M. Øhrn (1950) dedicated his Suite to Nansen, as a token of gratitude to his enormous efforts for the greater good of the humanity. Øhrn’s musical work wish to express the idea that regardless of the powers of destruction, there will always be hope thanks to people like Nansen. The performance of Øhrn’s work is a world premiere, and it will be performed by Kharatyan, Grüchot and Kok.

Pljevljac-Krehic and Ackar will perform a world premiere of the song On Another’s Sorrow, composed by Stig Nordhagen, based on a poem by William Blake and dedicated to Biørn. Bodil Biørn has saved thousands of lives of orphans and women during the Armenian Genocide in Western Armenia, as well as she documented the Genocide through her historical Photos and personal diary.

Furthermore presents Mariam Kharatyan compositions by Armenian composers Komitas (1869-1935) and Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978), both piano works and chamber music compositions featuring violinist Adam Grüchot. From 2015 Kharatyan’s project is admitted to the Norwegian Artistic Research Program, and it is highlighting inspirational sources, the different aspects and contexts of the interpretation of A. Khachaturian’s and Komitas’ several significant compositions written for piano.

Pljevljak-Krehic and Ackar perform classical music from Bosnia, solo pieces for piano by Bajac and Major, and songs by Prebanda. Their presentation takes its point of departure in Ackar’s research project on Bosnian classical music.

The concert mirrors an exploration of hope. Selected pieces of the repertoire were created during challenging political and social historical periods. New music has been composed in remembrance of Nansen and Biorn. Music as hope during the siege of Sarajevo will be highlighted.

The concert is part of a larger research project that is associated with the research group Art and conflict at the Faculty of Fine Arts http://www.uia.no/forskning/kunstfag/kunst-og-konflikt

 

 

http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/calendar/concerts/seventy-fifth/musical-dialogues.html

Musical Dialogues – An Exploration of Hope

Kobler armensk folkemusikk og klassisk

Universitetslektor og stipendiat Mariam Kharatyan tolker den armenske nasjonalkomponisten Aram Khachaturian i sitt doktorgradsarbeid – og i september spiller hun i Grieg-konkurransen på Troldhaugen.

http://www.uia.no/forskning/forskningsnyheter/kobler-armensk-folkemusikk-og-klassisk

Photo Credit: Olav Breen

Første eksternfinansierte stipendiat på klassisk

Universitetslektor og pianist Mariam Kharatyan er utvalgt av «Stipendiatprogrammet for kunstnerisk utviklingsarbeid». Hun er den første eksternfinansierte stipendiaten i klassisk musikk.

http://www.uia.no/om-uia/fakultet/fakultet-for-kunstfag/flere-nyheter-fra-kunstfag/foerste-eksternfinansierte-stipendiat-paa-klassisk

Photo credit: Olav Breen