By Jesse Kenas Collins
WATERTOWN — Over the past year, the Armenian Museum of America’s Sound Archive program has taken a giant step forward. Each month, the museum posts a handful of songs digitized and restored from its collection of 78 rpm records on its website along with a historical writeup about the artists.
Along with more conventional musical recordings, some of the recordings touch on Armenian cultural, political, and educational history, as well as the history of recording technologies. The program is sponsored by a grant from the SJS Charitable Trust.
The museum hosted musicologist Ian Nagoski to its galleries to weave the story of the influential but largely forgotten soprano Zabelle Panosian, who was born in Bardizag and emigrated to Boston in 1907. Ian’s talk drew from his recently published book, Zabelle Pansoian: I Am Servant of Your Voice, co-authored with Harout Arakelian and Harry Kezelian.
In November, the museum welcomed the world-renowned composer and musician Ara Dinkjian. Speaking to a packed house, Dinkjian discussed the early history of some of the first recordings of Armenian music through the 1940’s. The presentation built on his book and CD compilation, “Armenians in America on 78 rpm.”
“As we approach our fourth year presenting the Sound Archive at the Armenian Museum of America, we are proud to make this content available to people around the world,” says Executive Director Jason Sohigian. “For half a century now, the museum’s collection of 78 rpm records has grown thanks to generous donors who have been entrusting us with their personal collections.”
