Lark Pays Tribute to Agbabian with Brahms Concert

He thanked the Lark Musical Society and highlighted its accomplishments and advancements over the last three decades under the direction of its humble founder, Vatsche Barousmian, “a man who never wants to be recognized.”

Following the opening prayer delivered by Reverend Vatche Ekmekjian, pastor of the Immanuel Armenian Congregational Church, the audience was enlivened by the sacred pieces of Brahms’s “German Requiem,” as well as the German composer’s two other well-known pieces, “Song of Fate” and “Alto Rhapsody,” that also seek to capture the human spirit. A pre-concert lecture by Doris Melkonian, who holds a Master of Arts in Musicology from UCLA, shed light on the inner workings of the compositions as well as Brahms’s deep interest in Martin Luther’s German Bible, which translated the holy scriptures into the vernacular and its influence on the young pianist and composer.

Throughout the seven movements, which ranged from dramatic moments to softer ones, Brahms thread alternating verses from the Bible that touched upon death, life and life after death. The catalyst of the creation was the eternal rest of his mother and may have also been rooted in the passing of his mentor, composer Robert Schumann, nine years earlier.

“It is an incarnation of the promise of eternal life that is the anchor of our faith in the living Lord, Jesus Christ,” said Barsoumian, who is the founder and director of the Lark Musical Society. “As brass hits brass and fire engulfs fire in the Middle East and as man’s inhumanity to man once again unfolds in abundance, we are again reminded of how trivial is all earthly glory and how pitiful is man in his pursuit of withering earthly pleasures.”

The Lark Musical Society was established 30 years ago when Barsoumian invited a group of Armenian-American musicians, teachers and community leaders to connect their community with superior artistic programs and performances. The vision of its initial mission has flourished over the years and the organization now consists of educational opportunities, concert series, choirs, publications and a conservatory, in addition to its large-scale performances, which in the past have included Beethoven’s Choral Symphony, Anton Bruckner’s tripartite Te Deum, and Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem. The joint AMAA/Lark Musical Society concert has become an annual tradition.

Attracting talented musicians of all backgrounds, the Lark Musical Society, which has staged more than 300 concerts for the general public, maintains meaningful ties with its performers, in particular Dr. Garineh Avakian, Assistant Professor in Voice and Choral Music at Pierce College, who performed “Alto Rhapsody” as a soloist, hitting every emotional note.