Armenian Master Musician Gets Recognition in Rhode Island

The following excerpt is from ArmenianWeekly.com.

David Bakamjian, a New York City-based cellist, drove to Rhode Island to consult with master kamanchi player David Ayriyan.

Bakamjian, who was trained in the Western European tradition, was researching Armenian traditional scores for an upcoming concert at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

He came across a video of Ayriyan performing “Dele Yaman” in Washington, D.C. and, impressed by the master’s performance at the Kennedy Center, called Ayriyan and scheduled to meet.

The Baku-born master kamanchist has lived in the U.S. since 1991, having fled the massacres in his hometown and survived the earthquake in Armenia.

A performer, teacher, and concert master in Baku, he settled with his family, wife Julia and sons Gregory, Artur, Levon, and Daniel, in Yerevan for a few years, where Ayriyan taught at the Yerevan Conservatory and became concertmaster of the conservatory’s orchestra.

Originally from Karabagh, the Ayriyan family has been involved with music professionally for several generations: David’s father, Gregory, was a band leader who also played the tar. David’s eldest son, also named Gregory, is a violinist and concertmaster in Moscow who also composes and arranges music.

In April 2006, Ayriyan and his son, Levon, performed at the Kennedy Center’s Millenium Stage in Washington (www.kennedycenter.org) and in the Library of Congress’ Coolidge Auditorium (www.lcweb.loc.gov).

On Sun., Nov. 23, 2008, Bakamjian and actress Nora Armani will perform medieval Armenian music and poetry during a special “Sunday at the Met” afternoon of lectures on the importance of Armenian medieval culture. This program is sponsored by the Hagop Kevorkian Fund.

For more information, visit www.metmuseum.org.

source: ArmenianWeekly.com