WESTWOOD, Calif. — The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Armenian Music Program and its Founding Director Professor Movses Pogossian showcase the treasures of Armenian classical, contemporary, and folk music with a concert featuring World Premieres by Kinan Azmeh and Bryn Kirsch, UCLA VEM Ensemble, Apple Hill String Quartet, and UCLA Armenian Music Ensemble.
Following the concert, two simultaneously held breakout sessions will be offered, starting at 12:45 PM. One of them will feature Dr. Melissa Bilal of UCLA Ethnomusicology lecturing on the legacy of song collector, music scholar, and conductor Mihran Toumajan. The second one will be a workshop run by Armen Adamian of the Armenian Music Ensemble. During this song/dance workshop, Adamian and Kinan Azmeh will be teaching the song “Es KisherHampartsum E (Hele Hele)”. All ages are welcome and a background in music is not required.
The event will conclude with a joint session featuring musical improvisations by Armen Adamian (duduk) and Kinan Azmeh (clarinet), internationally renowned performer/composer and Armenian Music Program’s Guest Artist in Residence. The Armenian Music Program at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music provides an in-depth exploration of Armenia’s rich musical heritage. Established in 2013, the Program has presented dozens of outreach performances as well as high-profile public concerts and critically acclaimed recordings, provided over 30 student scholarships, commissioned several new works, and built a devoted community of supporters and fans. The Program engages communities of musicians, scholars, and audience members across the UCLA campus, Los Angeles, nationally, and internationally.
Free registration is required to attend the complete 90-minute event. Alternately, the 45-minute-long opening concert will be streamed live on UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music’s YouTube channel.
About the key participants:
Kinan Azmeh