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May 13, 2011
Hye Geen Young Circle Holds 6th Annual Interdisciplinary Conference
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AGBU Hye Geen Young Circle members, along with other attendees of the annual interdisciplinary conference, entitled, "Music as a Mirror: How Music Reflects the Changing Social Realities of Diasporan Communities."
AGBU's Hye Geen Young Circle held its annual interdisciplinary conference, entitled "Music as a Mirror: How Music Reflects the Changing Social Realities of Diasporan Communities," on March 12, 2011 at California State University, Northridge. The event marked the sixth year a conference of this kind has been held.
Opening remarks were delivered by Talin Yacoubian, who acknowledged the persistent efforts of Nellie Yeretsian-Yacoubian, AGBU Hye Geen Young Circle's chairperson, and introduced the conference moderator, Greg Hosharian, composer, conductor, pianist, orchestrator, and member of the Armenian Space Station.
A group of distinguished guest speakers participated in this unique conference, including renowned composer and conductor Loris Tjeknavorian, who served for years as the chief conductor of the AGBU-funded Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra; Andrew Kzirian, composer and oud player for the popular band Viza, as well as one of the founders and oud player of the Philadelphia-based Aravod Band; Eric Hachikian, stage, film and television composer, known for the critically acclaimed HBO series "Entourage"; and Lena Tufenkjian, composer and music educator, specializing in choral and world music.
After a short break, Sona Yacoubian, founder and chairperson of AGBU Hye Geen, addressed the audience and paid tribute to the visionary founders of AGBU who empowered the Armenian nation and ensured its survival. Topics covered included the survival of traditional Armenian folk music in the diaspora; the influence of the diasporan communities on the development of music; and the origins of all Armenian-themed music, including ecclesiastic, from the popular songs of their day. Lena Tufenkjian spoke of the "pull" factor, or what leads Armenian composers back to ancestral sounds even when writing "non-Armenian" music. Also highlighted was the work of contemporary Armenian musicians who are at the forefront of today's mainstream pop culture. Eric Hachikian spoke about his upcoming project, an original documentary titled "Voyage to Amasya," representing his quest to demystify his own family history in eastern Turkey. The film features an original score composed by Hachikian himself.
The Armenian Public Radio band, consisting of Mher Ajemian, Saro Koujakian, and Ryan Demirjian, graced the audience with a few acoustic renditions of some of their favorite Armenian folk songs and demonstrated how today's young Armenian musicians are able to express themselves creatively while still paying homage to their roots. The on-campus event's co-sponsors were CSUN's Armenian Student Association (ASA), Alpha Epsilon Omega (AEO), and Alpha Gamma Alpha (AGA).
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