The Americana Arrives in Glendale!

TODAY IS THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE AMERICANA AT BRAND!

From the people who brought you The Grove, The Commons in Calabasas, The Marketplace in Encino, The Village in Moorpark, The Promenade in Westlake, The Lakes in Thousand Oaks & the Waterside in Marina Del Rey....comes the Americana at Brand!

Last night I accompanied a friend to the Gala Kick Off Event of the Americana. As someone who has been following the career of developer Rick Caruso I was excited to attend one of his events which I had heard are always top notch. It was a black tie event and people were decked out in tuxes and pageant gowns! There were three lanes of valet. The valet and all the servers were wearing white gloves. There was a full open bar and passed appetizers. 2000 people were in attendance including the who's who of Glendale public figures including mayors past (Zarian, Manoukian, Yousefian...etc) and mayor's present (don't know his name he's some random white guy).

After the cocktail hour guests were invited to the top of the parking structure for a 3 course dinner prepared by Wolfgang Puck. It didn’t feel like we were atop a parking structure the space had been transformed into an elegant ballroom. The entire floor was padded and carpeted. The periphery was draped with swagging and valances. There were swanky bungalows to chill in and the nicest trailer restroom with automatic faucets and private stalls. The tables were dressed with dark linens, tea lights and adorned with center piece arrangements of white hydrangeas and roses, we were surrounded by heat lamps, giant screens and chandeliers!

The guests and performers of the evening included Rick Caruso, Governor Schwarzenegger, Maria Schriver, Jay Leno, Natalie Cole, The Four Tops, The Temptations, and TONY BENNETT! It didn't stop there folks.... there were fireworks! I hope they thought to send a mailer to residents nearby to warn them since the fireworks came on so late and I'm sure children may have been startled, not to mention some adults who probably got flashbacks of the civil war in Lebanon!

Did I mention the gift bags full of swag? Kiehl's products, Calidora gift cards, movie passes, ya! The whole shebang!

The Americana includes a Tiffany & Co, H & M, Sur La Table, Frida, Pacific Theaters, Urban Outfitters, Coffee Bean, Kate Spade, Kiehl's, Armani Exchange, Guess, Anthropologie, Barney's Granville Cafe, Forever 21, Barnes & Noble, Lululemon, Michael Stars, Puma, Ed Hardy, Lucky, Free People, Juicy Couture, J. Crew, Lacoste, Marciano, Kitson etc etc... Seriously this place is The Grove on CRACK! No ones going to go into the rinky dink Glendale Galleria anymore so I totally don't blame them for attempting to sue Caruso to thwart his efforts.

I give Mr. Caruso credit for being so great at what he does. His developments are perfection with every detail having been tended to. I also applaud the fact that made the Americana a "mixed use" development by including apartments and condos. However as a kid who grew up galavanting in the very streets of Glendale which surround his development I took offense when during one of his speeches he referred to Glendale as “blighted. I was bussed to St. Mary’s Church on Central afterschool everyday, growing up I came to the Glendale Galleria and Glendale Public Library on Harvard on the weekends, I hung out in these very neighborhoods as a teenager before and after AYF meetings, I volunteered in the summers at the ANC and Asbarez offices, I visited my Grandparents who lived on Wilson for years and never not once did I consider Glendale “blighted”.

Caruso's next projects are at the Santa Anita Mall in Arcadia and in Playa Del Rey. I just wish this man would take his magic and spread it in REAL blighted areas in South LA! I respect him for he is a successful business man and real estate developer. However, I would respect him much more if he took his projects out of upper middle class communities like Playa Del Rey, Marina Del Rey, Westlake, Encino, Calabassas etc etc and invested in areas that could really benefit from his projects because right now the way I see it… he’s only building where the money is to make his own pockets fatter! Is this what Glendale needed? Another capitalistic venture pushing consumerism on a society that didn't need any more of it? Well, at least it created some jobs so I guess there's our silver lining? But, seriously… Glendale? Blighted? Come on buddy have you seen the hilltop mansions with views of downtown and all the luxury cars?

Another point that I don’t think the City Officials who were probably seeing Sales Tax Revenue $$$ overlooked is how bad traffic was in the vicinity prior to this development going in. Especially during the Holidays with people trying to get in and out of the Galleria. I can only imagine how much more utterly hellish it is going to be because of "The Americana". Where were the transportation planners on this one?

Either way, what's done is done! The Americana is here so let's welcome it and just completely avoid Colorado, Central, Brand and Broadway! Especially during weekends and definitely around Holidays.

A day like others

Bright sun illuminating Paris today… what about the rest ?
Everyone knows this world is an accumulation of sufferings inflicted to humanity, but it’s impossible to continuously apprehend all of it in every day’s life.
At least today, a lot of Armenians in the world will stop one moment in this life for remembering what has been undergone by some of ours, our great grand parents. Through this, it’s also necessary not to forget today’s horrors going on, at different places of the world. This, above justice considerations, is also justifying that the claim of recognition still has to be done.

On a more “local” side : today the demonstrations probably won’t be much covered by medias : our dismaying president Sarkozy will talk live tonight on all the political messes he’s in, and the world with him, so amusing isn’t it ?
The intw was originally programmed on 21th april but the date changed because the president wanted to attend Aimé Césaire's funerals.
Good to mention : this one was a real great man of french’s world, he died few days ago, and that event pushed under limelights his so valuable fights, and the fact that unfortunately those fights are still topicality : Aimé Césaire a great French martinican poet, politician, very involved in anti-racist fights, and who has made a goal in his life to speak for all the most suffered ones
His fights were those of the human being.

So ok, above all, let’s stay awake. In the meantime let’s receive what is offered to us today (last year the demonstration had been flooded by pouring rain) : a clear day to reunite, demonstrate, and claim, and still refuse firmly this kind of inhumanities!

Armenian Cinema in Buenos Aires and Siktirakia!!!

All turns harder, even to blog ofently!!!

But anyway, here we are from the far away lands of South America trying to keep the Armenian culture as great as we can.

Charles Aznavour is saying goodbye to the Argentinean audience next 3^rd May. I think is going to be great, it’s incredible how he still can sing and make his show. I wish I could do the same when I get old!

I know I am always doing a kind of criticism of my beloved Armenian community from Argentina. But I have to be honest about something, thanks this community I knew lots of really nice people who I worked with and I know that I am still be working for many years. One of this cases is the film programmer, international chef and actor (I know for sure I am forgetting some more stuff about him) Jack Boghossian. Jack is organizing a complete schedule with Armenian films from Armenia. It’s a Cinema Club and its aim is to show the Armenian Movies and how our nation developed this art through the years. The first movie is going to be “The Return of the Poet” (Boedi Veradartzë), a film of Harutyun Khachatryan about the Armenian troubadour Djivani. If there is any tourist around here that would like to attend this event, take a visit to the AGBU of Buenos Aires, next Friday 4^th april at 8 p.m.

On the other hand, let me give you another surprise. As you know I am always linked to music. There is a new band here…Really original…

Bass Guitars, Rhythm Guitars, Drums, Keyboards…and electric Bouzouki!!!

The name??? Siktirakia…kind of ottoman rock revenge against oppression.

Enjoy the video.

More songs?

Click here: Bulgur Rain/Kartoshka (floydish style) or the soulish Funky Anatolia

Much love to all of you

HovhanneSS

Baron Berberian Strikes Again with Another Winner!

After a somewhat disappointing experience at the Hamazkayin Mosaic-II concert I was looking forward to seeing Vahe Berberian's latest production Baron Garbis. I've always enjoyed Vahe's plays and stand up comedy routines so I knew I would probably love this play.

The play is very well written. The plot was easy to follow, the message the story was conveying came in loud and clear but in a fairly subtle way. The dialogue between the characters was rich and full of clever and witty discourse. There were only 3 characters but I didn't even realize it until intermission because it was so engaging and entertaining. The characters were so very well developed that I didn't feel the play needed any more characters. The main character, Baron Garbis, was the epitome of the typical Lebanese-Armenian from Bourjhammoud and his manner of speech and disposition on life were a dead on representation of the demographic he symbolized. The humor was very ethnocentric to the Lebanese-Armenian community which I didn't have a problem with since in fact, I found myself laughing almost constantly. However, at intermission I overheard some Persian-Armenians a few rows ahead who were discussing the fact that they didn't get some of the jokes and slang. I guess if it were the other way around and the play had been about a man from Tehran or Isvahan Arevmdahyes wouldn't have been able to relate to everything either. Regardless I could tell at the end of the play that they had enjoyed it.

This play was long overdue...I commend and thank Vahe Berberian for all his hard work. I can't even imagine what a complicated feat it was to not only write this play but to produce it, direct it and execute it night after night. It seems like a lot of hard work and it was nice to see that people were responding and coming out night after night to support his efforts.

A few weeks ago my cousins and I went to see Armen Movisisyan perform at the Barnsdall Theatre and although the place wasn't packed it was nice to see members of our community out on a Sunday evening doing something cultural. Sometimes it's nice to know that there are similar options in the form of plays and concerts that give Armenian families the opportunity to get out of the house on random nights of the week and partake in an Armenian cultural event.

The play Baron Garbis has been such a success that Vahe Berberian recently announced that he will be extending its run. Since there are two different casts performing the play my assumption is that everyone wants to see it a second time with the alternate cast. I know I am!

Serge has a blog!

I just found out about this through the Armenian Observer blog -

serzhsargsyan.livejournal.com

That's right, the president-elect has a trilingual forum of sorts. Let him know what you think. The page warns, however, that "questions with insult and rhetoric speech will not be accepted". So, if you feel like it, try to get more than one insult in there, and don't put it rhetorically.

Or, seriously, just ask a question. Some of them up already are worth going through.

A Vahe Berberian Production

After a somewhat disappointing experience at the Hamazkayin Mosaic-II concert I was looking forward to seeing Vahe Berberian's latest production Baron Garbis. I've always enjoyed Vahe's plays and stand up comedy routines so I knew I would probably love this play.

The play is very well written. The plot was easy to follow, the message the story was conveying came in loud and clear but in a fairly subtle way. The dialogue between the characters was rich and full of clever and witty discourse. There were only 3 characters but I didn't even realize it until intermission because it was so engaging and entertaining. The characters were so very well developed that I didn't feel the play needed any more characters. The main character, Baron Garbis, was the epitome of the typical Lebanese-Armenian from Bourjhammoud and his manner of speech and disposition on life were a dead on representation of the demographic he symbolized. The humor was very ethnocentric to the Lebanese-Armenian community which I didn't have a problem with since in fact, I found myself laughing almost constantly. However, at intermission I overheard some Persian-Armenians a few rows ahead who were discussing the fact that they didn't get some of the jokes and slang. I guess if it were the other way around and the play had been about a man from Tehran or Isvahan Arevmdahyes wouldn't have been able to relate to everything either. Regardless I could tell at the end of the play that they had enjoyed it.

This play was long overdue...I commend and thank Vahe Berberian for all his hard work. I can't even imagine what a complicated feat it was to not only write this play but to produce it, direct it and execute it night after night. It seems like a lot of hard work and it was nice to see that people were responding and coming out night after night to support his efforts.

A few weeks ago my cousins and I went to see Armen Movisisyan perform at the Barnsdall Theatre and although the place wasn't packed it was nice to see members of our community out on a Sunday evening doing something cultural. Sometimes it's nice to know that there are similar options in the form of plays and concerts that give Armenian families the opportunity to get out of the house on random nights of the week and partake in an Armenian cultural event.

The play Baron Garbis has been such a success that Vahe Berberian recently announced that he will be extending its run. Since there are two different casts performing the play my assumption is that everyone wants to see it a second time with the alternate cast. I know I am!

On what's going on in Armenia...

I wrote this as a Facebook note after the protests at the Opera were dispersed, but before the events of that same evening. I got a few responses, so I thought I'd share it with the world at large.

I have to let off some thoughts and feelings on the latest goings-on in the Homeland.

Of course the presidential elections were rigged. Who is surprised? When was the last time we had a truly free and fair election in Armenia? Even the most advanced representative democracies in the world have flaws - technical or otherwise - in their electoral processes, but in our case, to be sure, it was rigged outright, plain and simple, in Serge's favour.

Levon is in the picture, and his support base is apparently strong. What is the matter here? Sure, he was the leader, the forefront of independence from the Soviet Union, but surely everyone remembers his time in office, especially his very rigged re-election in 1996. Tanks came out on the streets then. This morning's occurrence in Yerevan was khaydarag all right, but there weren't any tanks... Not that it matters. The question remains: don't people remember what sort of president Levon was?

Okay, let's say they don't. That's one option. Let's say they do, and he knows they do, and, since September 21st last year, he's convinced the populace that he's reformed, changed for the better, and people are willing to believe him, and/or give him another chance. That's the second option.

On the third hand, maybe people simply wish to use him as a tool to get rid of Serge and Robert, and maybe Levon would like to be that tool. But to what end? There is absolutely no guarantee of a better replacement. Quite the contrary, in fact.

Of course, no-one can determine what "the people" think or want; it's probably a mixture of all that I listed above, both among different individuals, and probably within individuals as well.

Regardless of what happens, however, and as a friend of mine indicated to me, this is setting an example, a precedent. The people of Armenia don't want to be messed with or fooled anymore. The next time somebody wants to try something like this, he will think twice, whether he is Levon or Serge.

But Serge will probably win, so that will sort of null that point. If he does become president, though, his legitimacy will be very low indeed, especially after what happened this morning, which was to be expected. His legitimacy will be even lower than the usual sceptical approach people have to those in power in Yerevan.

Miracles have been known to happen. How about a few at a time? Get rid of the corrupt regime, put in place a more sincere regime, lawfully and legitimately change that administration for a new one, just as sincere, in five years... Three miracles in one go? Why not, why not...?

Armenians everywhere :o)

Hello Cilicians !
Paris’ still alive, and don’t worry : even if blogger’s betraying me, I won’t have tons to write ! I wanted to illustrate but blogger never want. TANT PIS ! I prefer to show pics (even if with links) and maybe when I have patience and time enough I’ll write more

January & February have been full, as foreseen, and Armenian subjects have also abounded for me, noticeably thanks to my France-Arménie missions.
France-Arménie is the magazine I sometimes work for, and “sometimes” can be more often than usual. The web-site is really cheap, but at least you'll see what it looks like http://www.france-armenie.fr/

In chronological order here’s the titles :

Commemorations for Hrant Dink in January, and amongst them, a rather surprising one, but all for the best, hosted by Paris’ Town Hall the 26th of January : conference of the new chief redactor of Agos Aris Nalçi, Pr Baskin Oran, and the great Fethiye Cetin advocate of H. Dink's family, organised by Armenians and Turkish associations, reunited to honor Hrant Dink’s murder anniversary. Beyond it, reunited with his fight for truth and human rights in Turkey.
Was rather strange to go there at the beginning, but in fact all went so respectfully and clearly that I really get more encouraged about future, with still a long path to do, and big difficulties to solve.
More pics here : http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562594232ZvqGmC


Meeting Robert Guédiguian, French, MARSEILLAIS, film maker, for 2 reasons :
*his new film that we’ll be launch in april “Lady Jane” a human and good thriller,
*and the book that a cinema journalist wrote about him (the first one) “Conversations avec Robert Guédiguian”
Prolific speaker, with the Marseille accent, very simple and sympathic person, even if desillusioned he's looking for hope to keep ! He isn’t able to smile for portrait-photos, so you have to capture him naturally.
One of the photo I like best, is with the big poster of an ancient film of him “A l’attaque!” in a little library near Odeon where he presented the book with its author Isabelle Danel, a cinema journalist (meaning : let’s go, encouraging “cri de guerre” as we say, of “war word cried” to sheer up the troups).
Pics are here : http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562594997nsyLHE


Good food in jazzy mood with the Stared Chief Alain Alexanian, missionned by the oldest jazz club of Paris “Duc des Lombards”; http://www.ducdeslombards.com/
This mythic jazz club has been recently renewed by a jazz-fan President of a big French society of tourism (Pierre et Vacances, Gérard Brémond), who save the club that would have, if not, been bought for becoming a brasserie…
Turned around music, and the scene, it is now also a place where you can taste and enjoy fine food http://www.ducdeslombards.com/scripts/restaurant.php
Refinement of pleasures…
I met the chief Alexanian, the best speaker of food and of how to make food in this place firstly devoted to music. Undone thing in the world until now, this combination is a real challenge due to the power of sincere and beautiful dreams. Alexanian is a militant of the fine but healthy and “bio” food, and Brémond has been able to decide in 2 days to buy the jazz club he adored, when he learnt his miserable fate.
One of my favourite photos is Alexanian speaking on scene during the inauguration of the club, he talks with his hands... and you'd nearly think he's singing !
Photos here http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562594736rbMlEt

All this makes me feel all the most happy with my Armenian origins, this is what fit me the most with those roots : it's making meet with such a variety of life’s little worlds, not quite sure that I’d have experienced all this if not Armenian rooted… ;o)
It's like adoring one music, and discovering after that, that its author is armenian (classic example with the valse from Masquerade of A. Khatchadurian).

Guetsé Tornado-Life & ARMENIA !

New Mexico. New Armenia?

I thought I'd have difficulty writing regularly for this blog, and my fears are confirmed. I've been at university in New Mexico for over a month now, and there isn't much going on of an Armenian nature to report. I did a little presentation here on Armenian history and culture the other day. Turnout wasn't too bad... I've managed to talk to some Armenians in the area, but, as I said, no major activity, nothing big to report...

At least, not on this continent. Back in the Hayrenik, however, a LOT has been going on over the past few days, and I'd love to hear about it on the "Life in Armenia" blog. Meanwhile, I've been relying on the rest of the internet, and I haven't been disappointed actually. There's plenty of reporting, blogging, photos, videos... A lot of it is from the opposition, but the official news that one also gets is from the authorities in power, so I guess I'm getting a pretty balanced perspective. Suffice to say, this was not an option even a couple of years ago, so, I'm glad that technology and savvy Armenians have gotten around to making this possible.

As to how this political situation will end, well... Asdvadz medz e, God is great. Technology can't quite let us see that far. Yet.

Anmar munah mer kulkheen Zulaleen Arevuh!

Hamazkayin, a cultural organization dedicated to promoting, enriching and preserving Armenian culture. At least, that is what I think Hamazkayin is, does and stands for. One of the many reasons I pride myself in my Armenian heritage is our "mushagouyt". As diasporans it's what we cling to, it's our identity.

Attending Armenian school as a child I loved "Mushagooyti Amees" when the entire month would be dedicated to celebrating our culture, the "Keereroo Kyood" and the "Voske Tar" seemed so lavish and exciting to me. It was the most exciting time of the year Armenian singers would come sing to us and our art projects would entail making "makaghat" and writing the Armenian Alphabet on it like Mesrob Mashtos. Outside of school Hamazkayin would serve to provide events like "kinetson"'s or Barakhoump performances, comedy nights, plays etc etc. In recent years I haven't been as active in the Armenian community as I used to be, however every once in a while an event catches my attention and I do my best to be there rain or shine.

Last year I heard about, but was unable to attend, Hamazkayin's Mosaic concert. I kept hearing great things about that event, so I wasn't about to miss the opportunity to attend Mosaic II in 2008. I had heard that last year Element, Gor, and Zulal had been featured performers. I've seen Gor and Element perform and enjoy their music, but I hadn't yet seen Zulal live and their music is simply amazing so I decided that I would battle the rain and get myself to Mosaic this year!

So on a rainy chilly night we set our for Alex theater in Glendale. I wasn't expecting the MC's to be comedians Lory Tatoulian and Ara Basil. It wasn't the type of comedy I had come to expect from Hamazkayin events in the past. These comedians were nothing like Vahe Berberian and his cronies. I looked around, as crude jokes were flying about, at the families who had brought their young children to a Hamazkayin event to experience Armenian culture and wondered what those parents were thinking about the jokes that were not appropriate for kids. When I was a kid we got Ani Barakhoump and long poems by Mari Rose Abousefian or whatever her name was and here are these kids getting jokes delivered in English about Kim Kardashian and sheep testicles.

The opening act was a rock band called Cantus Capella. Their music was 99% English and extremely loud. I didn't think they were bad and I wouldn't mind seeing them perform at the Troubador or Roxy but I couldn't help but wonder how this band's music reflected Armenian culture. Their songs and lyrics had no Armenian influence or content. Does the fact that band members are Armenian cut it? They did do the song Cilicia which I learned as a child when the Catholicos was coming to visit our school. I consider it a precious song for our community and yet here it was being performed by a rock band. I was perplexed, was this a good thing for the kids in the audience to be seeing? Is it going to make them think the song is cool? Are they going to understand why that song means so much to our community?

The next band was Visa. Once again some members of the band were Armenian, some of the instruments were Armenian and there were definite Armenian influences in the melodies but once again all the songs were sung in English and the lyrics had nothing to do with anything Armenian. It was nice to see this band because Djivan Gasparyan's grandson was playing the duduk and like I said the instruments and melodies did reflect Armenian influences but I couldn't help but wish they were just an instrumental band.

I must say at intermission I found myself wishing Element and Gor would have been in the show. I was relieved that Zulal was up after the intermission. Hearing the a capella Armenian lyrics and melodies had the audience captivated. Before each song they would briefly explain what the song was about. After each song the audience would clap and cheer and whistle bustling with excitement. They did songs from their old album and new album. One of the songs from their new album that I hadn't heard yet was so beautiful it made me cry. I'll admit it! I felt pretty silly but then I looked over at my cousin and she was tearing as well. Music had only moved me to tears like that once before and that was also after hearing a beautiful Armenian song after hours of hearing 'odar' music. I know I'm biased but Armenian is so much more beautiful to the ear! If you couldn't guess Zulal received an encore ovation and they came out and did a medley. They saved the day and made my trip out to Glendale worthwhile!



The next performer was a pianist/vocalist named Areni and her partner was an "odar" on the sax. They did a semi Armenian piece which had me thinking she should drop the sax and pair up with a duduk player. I know it's artistic and creative to pair Armenian pieces with instruments other than the usual Armenian ones, but at the risk of sounding super old fashioned, I like how our music and instruments sound and I don't think our culture or music is broken so I don't think it needs to be tweaked or changed up to these extreme extents. I think Zulal has managed to find a fresh new way to present classic songs like Ghapama, Sari Siroun Yar, Hars em Gnoum etc etc.

The performances I was seeing were somewhat upsetting to me. I couldn't help but see the parallel of what was happening in our community, reflecting itself in the musical realm. Our traditional instruments, songs and melodies were being mixed in with 'odar' ones and being assimilated. The marriage of Armenian musical elements with those of 'odar' ones was making me want to yell "voooch" I found it disturbing that instead of preserving our cultural elements Hamazkayin was embracing the changes. I guess I'm having trouble accepting this reality in both the societal realm and musical one.

We left during Areni's set and didn't stick around to see Sonya Varoujan. The first two band's sets had been so long that by this point we had been there for over 2 hours. In addition, I was done, I saw Zulal and didn't care to see more. I wasn't getting to experience the "Mushagouyt" I had come to absorb. I felt like the first half of the event should have been called "Hye-Rock". However, who knows.... maybe things like this draw people in, maybe people like it and the kids today need the 'rock' aspect to draw them in? Maybe I need to be grateful that the kids there that night got to see Zulal? I'm not sure but you can bet your "makaghat" that I'm going to be asking every kid I come across what they think!

I do commend the bands, they were all talented and I enjoyed their music. I just had trouble seeing how it all fit with "Hamazkayin".

Music Plans 2008

Well, 2007 came and went with 2008 greeting us all. I haven't blogged in a while, but, have kept busy otherwise. Lot's to share, hope some of it is interesting to you. So, here is the run-down.

YerazArt- I am just coming up on my 2 year tenure with YerazArt, an organization that is dedicated to resolving the challenges of prodigious Armenian musicians in Armenia. We are in our infant stages right now, but, have mapped out a plan to assist deserving youth with new instruments, concert performances, master classes, and private lessons. This will be my third tour here in 2008 as some of the best and brightest will be chosen to showcase their talents in North America. Our collection of Armenian teachers, musicians, and pedagogues in Armenia have spoken, and the YerazArt Young Musicians from Armenia for 2008 are the following:

Aleksanyan Hovhannes (15, folk singer)
Vardan Gasparyan (18, cello)
Vahan Davtyan(19, flamenco/classical guitar)
Hovhannisyan Angela (14, violin)
Petrosyan Arsen (15, duduk)
Anahit Dilbaryan (17,piano, kanon)

Our returning musician from Armenia is the show-stopper people saw in concert last year in Anahid Dilbaryan on kanoon and piano. Every year we will bring back the person who made the biggest impact and label them an official "YerazArtist". Last year our returning "YerazArtist" was 16 year old duduk sensation Harutyun Chkolyan. A student of Shoghaken member Gevorg Dabaghyan, I will be producing Harutyun's solo album for Pomegranate this year for his exciting recording debut.

Communities/organizations interested in hosting a YerazArt concert this season may contact me directly at yerazart at gmail dot com. We are going to be in the States September 16 through 26, 2008. For those who did not get a chance to see last years 10 city tour, a DVD of the concert in Albuquerque will be available shortly entitled "YerazArt Young Musicians from Armenia Live From New Mexico". The new CD, "Seeds 2" is currently starting recording the first week of February and will continue our series of recording works that will be performed in concert. All proceeds from both the DVD and CD go directly toward our YerazArt activities in Armenia.

Pomegranate Music News: In addition to Wunderkind Harutyun Chkolyan's debut duduk CD, there are a few great classical guitar titles that are going to be released in 2008. In fact, I have hired my friend and colleague Arsineh Khachikian to fly to Milan, Italy and Athens, Greece to do photo shoots and eventually CD design work on our Italian classical guitar duo, SOLODUO. We have two CD's from them under production including the "Goldberg Variations for Two Guitars" by J.S. Bach as well as the "Complete Mario Castelnuovo- Tedesco for Two Guitars". Over in Athens, Greece, it's time for Iakovos Kolanian's third Pomegranate CD. This one will feature the works of Greek composer/politician Mikis Theodorakis with his "Epitafios" and "Romancero Gitano". It is our hope that Mr. Theodorakis will allow Arsineh for a photo shoot, with our appointment having been set up well in advance.

Finally, for those interested in seeing what the buzz is on SoloDuo (Lorenzo Micheli and Matteo Mela, guitars), they are performing at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall through my newest company World Music Management. If interested, tickets are available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office for a date of March 4, 2008, 8pm show. HERE is the link with tickets at only $20. Hope to see you all there...