CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The Erevan Choral Society and Orchestra of the Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Greater Boston will present their traditional Christmas Holiday Concert on Sunday, January 3, at 4 p.m., in the church sanctuary, 145 Brattle St.
Founded by the late Very Rev. Oshagan Minassian, the Erevan Choral Society held its first concert on June 4, 1967. Born in Aleppo, Syria, in 1930, he was ordained as a celibate priest in Jerusalem in 1951, and confined to a wheelchair from 1955 as the result of a diving accident. He was an indefatigable promoter of Armenian culture and music, shaping a small group of dedicated amateur singers into one of the cultural pillars of the Armenian community of Greater Boston. Throughout its history, the music of luminaries of Armenian music formed the backbone of a repertoire that united Armenian and Western, sacred and secular music.
Minassian’s passing in 2008 was an immense loss to the church, the Erevan Choral Society and the community at large. Nonetheless, thanks to the efforts of Fr. Vasken Kouzouian, pastor of Holy Trinity, the Erevan Choral Society, with the help of benefactors from the community, was able to mount a memorial concert in January 2009, under the musical direction of composer and conductor Konstantin Petrossian.
This year’s program will include a set of Christmas holiday favorites and a spectrum of songs from the Armenian tradition. In addition, this year’s concert will commemorate the 140th anniversary of the birth of the foremost figure of Armenian music of the 20th century, Komitas Vartabed, whose career was tragically cut short by the deportation horrors endured during the 1915 Ottoman Genocide of the Armenians. Tenor Yeghishe Manucharyan and mezzo-soprano Victoria Avetisyan, are the featured soloists. Petrossian will again lend his ample talents as musical director.
“Entertaining the Greater Boston community for the past 43 years, this popular choral and instrumental ensemble performs to a standing-room only crowd each year, and the Christmas Holiday Concert promises to be yet another memorable musical experience,” states Kouzouian. The public is invited to attend this complimentary concert. Inquiries should be directed to the Holy Trinity Armenian Church office, e-mail office@htaac.org.
