By Aram Arkun
Mirror-Spectator Staff
BELMONT, Mass. — Amaras Art Alliance presented a concert called “Our Young Stars” in the afternoon of November 22 at Holy Cross Armenian Catholic Church. Amaras began organizing annual concerts for young talented children in 2008 to help promote and recognize talent from within the community. This year’s concert was dedicated to the Armenian Genocide, and all pieces performed were by Armenian composers, including Aram Khachaturian, Aleksandr Spandiarian, Arno Babajanian, Robert Amirkhanian and Marina Margarian. Armenian poetry by authors like Hamo Sahian was also recited.
The young performers, from 8 to 18, were Rebecca Lai, Chloe Santilli, Sonia Ourfalian, Mark Antranig Arkun, Meghri Der Vartanian, Maggie Xu, Emily Sun, Zander Semerjian, Elize Ohanian, Simone Semerjian, Zachary Semerjian, Cameron Pomer, Mary Galstyan and Shant Der Torossian. They played the piano, clarinet, or violin, and several sang. They included a number of non-Armenians.
There were two guest performers from Greece: Jasmin Atabekyan, on the piano, and her 13-year-old daughter Emily Gasparyan, on the violin. Atabekyan is the winner of France’s prestigious Pierre Lantier-Ober Piano Competition in Paris, Aram Khachaturian Competition in Yerevan, Armenia and several other international competitions.
The planning committee for the concert included Arax Badalian, Marina Margarian, Maral Der Torossian and Tatoul Badalian. The music teachers of the children performing are Anahit Truzyan, Marina Margarian, Nana Gazaryan and Tania Schwartzman. The sound system was provided by Pavillion Sound Works.
