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PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.cathcil.org/
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version: http://www.cathcil.org/v04/doc/Armenian.htm
THE CATHOLICOSATE'S "SHENORHALI" CHOIR PERFORMS IN THE AUB ASSEMBLY HALL
The Catholicosate of Cilicia's "Shenorhali" Choir and its artistic
director and conductor, well-known Lebanese-Armenian musicologist Zakar
Keshishian, dazzled a mixed audience of Armenian and foreign music lovers in
its annual concert at the Assembly Hall of the American University of Beirut
(AUB) on April 15.
Held under the auspices of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, the
concert breathe new life and liveliness into the cultural life of the
Lebanese Armenian community. Following the catastrophic consequences of the
destructive war in Lebanon last summer, the concert became a cultural breeze
with its high artistic performance.
The Armenian Catholicos presided over the event, surrounded by members of
the Cilician Brotherhood. Among the attendants were foreign diplomats,
ambassadors of several European countries, the president and faculty of AUB,
ministers and deputies, representatives from political, cultural, charity
organizations as well as a large crowd of art-lovers.
The concert, the result of several months' hard work, presented to the
audience a series of song from a rich selection of Armenian music ranging
from ancient to modern times. Performing pieces by Yervant Yerganian, Roupen
Altounian, Nerses Shenorhali, Gomidas, Parsegh Ganatchian, Tatoul Altounian
and others, the choir demonstrated the undying value of Armenian art.
Sirvart Boyadjian accompanied the choir on the piano.
The foreign attendants were particularly impressed by the performance of
Arabic national songs, delivered confidently and accurately.
At the end of the concert, His Holiness addressed the foreign attendants,
guests and diplomats in English, speaking about the qualities of music that
can harmonize international life. "Music educated people, reducing violence
in the world and making it a habitable place. Music reassesses
spiritual-intellectual values in a world where materialism dominates. Music
teaches us to live together, when violence rules everywhere. Music is a
dialogue between God and man. Through music, we transcend the differences in
our race and color and we are transformed with its strength," he said.
The Catholicos then spoke in Armenian praising the Choir and its artistic
director, "who during the last few months worked hard to deliver this
artistic experience to us with such warmth, freshness and sincerity. Today
you not only proved your own worth to us, you also demonstrated the value of
Armenian music. Armenian music was reborn from your souls, your minds and
hearts. You succeeded in renewing our life through Armenian music, improving
our taste, clearing our ears from noise and brightening our collective life
with such high and harmonious performance," he said.
The attendants acknowledged that the choir, which had been continuously on
the rise during the past few years, had reached its peak in artistic
performance with very well prepared singers, solo-artists and the driving
force behind it all- artistic director and conductor Zakar Keshishian.
##
View the photos here: http://www.cathcil.org/v04/doc/Photos/Photos83.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, http://www.cathcil.org/ The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.cathcil.org/
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version: http://www.cathcil.org/v04/doc/Armenian.htm
THE CATHOLICOSATE'S "SHENORHALI" CHOIR PERFORMS IN THE AUB ASSEMBLY HALL
The Catholicosate of Cilicia's "Shenorhali" Choir and its artistic
director and conductor, well-known Lebanese-Armenian musicologist Zakar
Keshishian, dazzled a mixed audience of Armenian and foreign music lovers in
its annual concert at the Assembly Hall of the American University of Beirut
(AUB) on April 15.
Held under the auspices of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, the
concert breathe new life and liveliness into the cultural life of the
Lebanese Armenian community. Following the catastrophic consequences of the
destructive war in Lebanon last summer, the concert became a cultural breeze
with its high artistic performance.
The Armenian Catholicos presided over the event, surrounded by members of
the Cilician Brotherhood. Among the attendants were foreign diplomats,
ambassadors of several European countries, the president and faculty of AUB,
ministers and deputies, representatives from political, cultural, charity
organizations as well as a large crowd of art-lovers.
The concert, the result of several months' hard work, presented to the
audience a series of song from a rich selection of Armenian music ranging
from ancient to modern times. Performing pieces by Yervant Yerganian, Roupen
Altounian, Nerses Shenorhali, Gomidas, Parsegh Ganatchian, Tatoul Altounian
and others, the choir demonstrated the undying value of Armenian art.
Sirvart Boyadjian accompanied the choir on the piano.
The foreign attendants were particularly impressed by the performance of
Arabic national songs, delivered confidently and accurately.
At the end of the concert, His Holiness addressed the foreign attendants,
guests and diplomats in English, speaking about the qualities of music that
can harmonize international life. "Music educated people, reducing violence
in the world and making it a habitable place. Music reassesses
spiritual-intellectual values in a world where materialism dominates. Music
teaches us to live together, when violence rules everywhere. Music is a
dialogue between God and man. Through music, we transcend the differences in
our race and color and we are transformed with its strength," he said.
The Catholicos then spoke in Armenian praising the Choir and its artistic
director, "who during the last few months worked hard to deliver this
artistic experience to us with such warmth, freshness and sincerity. Today
you not only proved your own worth to us, you also demonstrated the value of
Armenian music. Armenian music was reborn from your souls, your minds and
hearts. You succeeded in renewing our life through Armenian music, improving
our taste, clearing our ears from noise and brightening our collective life
with such high and harmonious performance," he said.
The attendants acknowledged that the choir, which had been continuously on
the rise during the past few years, had reached its peak in artistic
performance with very well prepared singers, solo-artists and the driving
force behind it all- artistic director and conductor Zakar Keshishian.
##
View the photos here: http://www.cathcil.org/v04/doc/Photos/Photos83.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, http://www.cathcil.org/ The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.