WATERTOWN — The Tekeyan Cultural Association Boston Chapter (TCA) celebrated both St. Valentine’s and St. Sarkis’s holidays a few days early, on February 1, with a full house at the Baikar Center, which was transformed into a romantic venue, thanks to charming decorations accompanied by great music and Italian food.
Maral Der Torossian, recording secretary of the chapter, welcomed guests in English to a celebration of love, culture and community which also supports the cultural mission of TCA. One by one, at various points in the musical program, she introduced the three musicians performing that evening. Contralto Angelina Nazarian, only 19 years old, was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, but lived in six different countries. A student now at Berklee School of Music, she appeared on NBC’s show “The Voice” in 2023 on season 24. She is a composer as well as a singer who released her first EP at the age of 15. Last year, Der Torossian said, Nazarian had joined the TCA Boston committee, bringing fresh positive energy to the group.
Angelina sang three songs in the formal program, including Sareri Hoverin Mernem in Armenian, but acceded to two consecutive and insistent calls for encores to continue to entertain the audience with songs by Charles Aznavour and Edith Piaf.
Violinist Armenuhi Hovakimian, born in Armenia, played the violin since the age of 7, Der Torossian said, and has performed throughout the US, Russia, Canada, Armenia, Germany, France and England. In the US, she has worked with musicians from major orchestras such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She performs both classical and jazz music and was the cofounder of the Arlina Ensemble and the violinist of the Transatlantic Quintet, which has won numerous awards. She is the senior sales consultant at the Carriage House Violins in Newton, Mass.
Last, but certainly not least, Der Torossian introduced pianist Marina Margarian as an active member of the local community for the past 30 years. Born and raised in Yerevan with a doctorate in piano, music theory and music education, she has taught in the AGBU School, the Armenian Sisters’ Academy, St. Stephen’s Saturday School, St. James Saturday School, Belmont Nursery School and the Kendall School in Belmont. She has founded and directs the Do Re Mi School of Music in Waltham, where she teaches children and adults piano, solfege and music theory. She is the organist and director of the Holy Cross Armenian Catholic Church Choir and the founder and director of Meghedi Children’s Vocal Ensemble of Boston. She has created more than 30 compositions.
Chapter co-chair Rita Balyozian spoke in Armenian about the role of love in life, which gives us strength, inspires us and gives meaning to our lives. She pointed out that love must not only be expressed through words but through acts, and asked that we take advantage of the opportunity this evening to thank those individuals who are in our lives bringing happiness and warmth. She explained that for Armenians, St. Sarkis was not only a military leader but a defender of love. Armenian youth prayer every year for him to illuminate the path to finding true love. Traditionally, the youth eat salty cookies the prior night in the hope of seeing their future spouse in their dreams.
