A Blüthner Grand Piano for Gumri

Last year my husband and I started a small private foundation to help Armenian youth and deliberately formulated the statute to allow flexibility: its purpose is to provide “support and promotion of children, youth and adults through ideal and financial backing; especially individuals in and from Armenia as well as individuals of Armenian descent who have lost their parents or who have been abandoned by their parents (orphans, street children) should be supported.” This includes sponsoring material aid, such as equipment for kindergartens, orphanages and schools; educational opportunities, through scholarships, or providing living expenses for students; enhancing educational facilities, for example, by contributing instruments to music schools, and the like.

In late 2012 we learned that a group of rock musicians, among others Ian Gillan (Deep Purple), David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) and the former Australian tennis champion Pat Cash had launched a Rock Aid Armenia campaign to raise funds for a new school in Gumri, through benefit concerts and special CD’s. Mediamax, the Australian organization “Do Something” and the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) contributed significantly to the effort. The Mardigian family, which has sponsored music education programs in Armenia, tripled the sum raised, and work began on the new construction. The Gumri optimism was well-founded. What was missing were instruments. Provided with a list by Asatryan, we began collecting both donations and instruments.

Shortly before leaving for Armenia last May, I learned from the FAR office in New York that they were just organizing the shipment of a large gift of new instruments from Canada; in short, Gumri did not need our violins and flutes. On arrival in Yerevan we contacted FAR’s Deputy Country Director Margarit Piliposyan, who arranged for us to take our gift to the new music school in Oshagan, which FAR had helped finance. Naturally, we were treated to a concert by the students, featuring piano music and a kanon ensemble.

We arrived in Gumri empty-handed but shared the excitement of Asatryan and his staff with the progress on the building. Not yet completed, the structure appeared very sturdy with thick, earthquake-proof walls, numerous single rooms for private instruction and small ensembles, as well as a large hall for recitals and concerts. Here too we enjoyed a wonderful concert, performed in very tight quarters — a container being used for classes during the construction phase. Then, seated around a table with chocolates, coffee and Armenian cognac, we began to discuss future plans. Asatryan was delighted with the large contribution coming from Canada, but added that the school also needed a grand piano, suitable for concerts. He put it this way: Gumri, though not the political capital of Armenia, is its cultural capital. Then he and his colleagues began to tick off the names of famous poets, composers, musicians, artists and so forth from Gumri. “We want to educate world-class musicians,” he said, “and we would like the best instruments.” The piano he hoped for was a German brand, Blüthner.

In Yerevan, at the Aram Khatchaturian museum, there is a concert grand with the Blüthner-Leipzig logo on it — Khatchaturian was one of many great modern musicians who composed on this piano.

Back in Germany, my husband contacted the firm and Dr. Christian Blüthner, the descendant of founder Julius Blüthner, who runs the firm, immediately grasped the importance of the initiative and proceeded swiftly to cooperate. Part of the costs were covered by donations, including a contribution from the John Mirak Foundation, and many small and large gifts; the rest has been financed through a loan to be repaid through donations over two years.