Three AGBU-supported Concerts Celebrate the Armenian Musical Heritage in Bulgaria

During the month of April, the Bulgarian-Armenian community hosted a trio of concerts that celebrated the vitality of the Armenian musical heritage across Bulgaria. From the AGBU Sofia Chamber Orchestra to the AGBU Erebouni band of Plovdiv, the wealth and spectrum of Bulgarian-Armenian talent impressed audiences across the country.

On April 6, a fundraising concert was held in the southeastern city of Sliven to aid in the building of the St. Hagop Armenian Church complex in neighboring Yambol, Bulgaria. Jointly organized by Sliven's Armenian Church Parish Council, AGBU Sliven and AGBU Plovdiv, the event showcased musicians and speakers from Plovdiv, including Diana Manukyan, Tateos Sandjakyan, the duo Anna and Suren Hanamiryan and the AGBU Erebouni band, and Sliven, including the "Pretty Towngirls" from Drujba library, Naiden Arsenyan and Hripsi Garabedyan.

Despite the poor weather conditions, the concert was sold out, demonstrating the resiliency of Armenian music lovers. Official guests at the event were Sonia Arshavir, Chairman of AGBU Yambol and the city's Armenian Parish Council; Edouard Arsenyan, Chairman of the Coordinating Committee for Armenian organizations in Plovdiv and AGBU Plovdiv board member; Georgi Zafirov, regional coordinator of PP Ataka and chairman of the Yambol Regional Youth Committee for culture, religion and politics; Chrastanka Shakliyan, deputy of the Bulgarian Democratic Party; and Ivan Petrov, a local town councillor.

The concert concluded with a medley of popular Armenian tunes by the AGBU Erebouni band, which performed under its artistic director Sona Feschiyan.

On April 20, the AGBU Sofia Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of conductor Bedros Papazyan, performed at the National Academy of Music. The event was dedicated to both the 93rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and the centennial of Bulgarian composer Marin Goleminov. Papazian was a student of the esteemed Goleminov, and included in the concert's program was one of Goleminov's most beloved works, "Five Sketches," for string orchestra.

Concertmaster Desislava Popova performed a solo piece, while harpist Kohar Adonyan presented "Frescoes." The concert also featured guest violinist Vache Hoveyan, an alumnus of the Yerevan State Conservatory and New York City's Mannes College of Music. A winner of many international prizes, Hoveyan has performed around the world and is currently a professor at the Yerevan State Conservatory and founder of the Aram Khachaturyan String Quartet. Accompanied by the AGBU Sofia Chamber Orchestra, Hoveyan performed Hindemith's "Mourning Music."

Two young cellists, Dimitar Tenchev and Nikola Damyanov, also took to the stage to deliver a riveting performance of Antonio Vivaldi's "Concerto for Two Cellos."

The orchestra also played "Shushanik" by E. Mirzoyan, while the encore performance of Komitas' "Krunk" emotionally resonated with the capacity crowd.

The same day, AGBU Silistra organized a concert, entitled "Sunny Smiles from Armenia," at Silistra's Dramatic Theatre Hall under the auspices of the city's mayor, Ivo Andonov. A longtime supporter of the local Bulgarian-Armenian community, Mayor Andonov extended official invitations for the event to various Armenian diplomats, including His Excellency Sergey Manasaryan, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia in Bulgaria, and the Honorary Consul Ehiazar Uzunyan of the Republic of Armenia in Plovdiv.

Other official guests at the April 20 performance were District Governor Svetlana Velikova; Roupen Chavoushian, AGBU Plovdiv Chairman; Edouard Arsenian, Plovdiv Coordinating Committee of Armenian Organizations Chairman and AGBU Plovdiv committee member; and Arakel Kaprielyan, AGBU Plovdiv committee member.

The event which was covered extensively by the local media, included performances by a number of Plovdiv musicians, including the AGBU Erebouni band and the duo of Anna and Suren Hanamiryan.

Roupen Chavoushian presented Mayor Andonov with a special award in recognition of the mayor's outstanding contribution in promoting and preserving the Armenian culture in his municipality.

With reporting by Prof. Boyanka Arnaoudova in Sofia, Bulgaria.