PARAMUS, N.J. — Pegasus: The Orchestra will partner with Armenia Fund USA in presenting its debut concert, which combines an exhilarating one-hour music experience with unique artwork placed throughout the venue followed by a champagne reception. The featured artwork includes Michael Aram’s Pegasus Sculpture and various paintings by Hakob Hakobyan. The proceeds from the concert will benefit the Artsakh Housing Project, an initiative that builds new homes for large families living in difficult social conditions in Artsakh.
“This is a very exciting collaboration for Armenia Fund USA, being able to use music to bring awareness to one of our important projects. Since the launch of Artsakh Housing Project, 16 families have been provided with brand-new homes, and currently 16 more homes are under construction. For centuries, the Armenian culture survived though music. Music is the key to the soul, and hopefully this concert will touch everyone’s soul,” said Lisa Stepanian, Armenia Fund USA executive director.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Armenia Fund USA on our opening concert. It’s an honor to contribute through our music towards such a meaningful cause benefiting the Artsakh Housing Project. As Cultural Program Advisor of Armenia Fund, I have been fortunate to implement a number of cultural and community initiatives and could not be more pleased for this wonderful partnership,” added Karén Hakobyan, Pegasus: The Orchestra founder and artistic director.
The concert features the principal string players of Pegasus: The Orchestra along with Karén Hakobyan at the piano with a program that takes the listener from the traditional to the innovative, displaying their dexterity and enthusiasm. The program begins with the world premiere of Hakobyan’s spiritually uplifting, complex piano sextet Cras Es Noster (Tomorrow, Be Ours) followed by two special arrangements of five songs by Komitas Vardapet and the Scherzo of Debussy’s String Quartet Op. 10. The climax of the evening comes in the form of Mendelssohn’s thrilling Piano Sextet in D-major, Op. 110.
From Mendelssohn’s 1824 piece to Hakobyan’s new composition written this year, the music of the ages fits together with the contemporary artwork creating an enhanced concert experience and memorable social gathering.
Members of the group include Eiko Kano on violin, Stani Dimitrova on violin, Angela Pickett on viola, Eddie Pogossian on cello and Pawel Knapik on double bass.
