Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Name Dropping

Ara Sevanian dropped many names throughout his interviews for the memoir, Kanon. These were people who recognized his abilities as an Armenian-American Composer. The links presented give insight into the caliber of his fellow artists:


The composer was proud of these associations with the famous men who shared his interests. 

Tolegian presented him with a sketch of “Peaches,” which Ara always pointed out to those who visited his apartment.

Avedik Isahakian (1875-1957) shared his friendship with the composer by writing a poem for him to set to music.
Avedik Isahakian (1875-1957 AD)
A native of Gumri, Avedik Isahakian carried on the poetic traditions of the Armenian troubadors, writing of love and sorrow in his poems - disillusioned love, love for his mother and his homeland, sorrow for those who fell heroically for their homeland. Isahakian's poems are simple, clear, sometimes mystical. They come from the heart of the poet directly to the heart of the reader. The long poem "Abu Lala Mahari" is considered his masterpiece.


Darvish, who was more difficult to find in the searches for friends had painted two Arabian Nights pictures. They hung on the entryway wall to the composer’s apartment in Van Nuys.

Edvard Mirzoyan was a fellow student along with Tatul Altounian at Yerevan Conservatory. These men decided to stay behind in Armenia during the revolution that took Ara’s father from him. Their success  caused him to admit that he should have returned to Armenia after his grand success in Moscow.

The following list of composers includes many of Ara Sevanian’s fellow students of the conservatory, friends, and mentors.

Aram Khachaturian became his most important mentor through much of his career. He often played in joint concerts with Sevanian and spoke highly of Ara as deserving a hearing.


Ara also encouraged fellow artists. In later years, Loris Tjeknavorian, his junior, asked Sevanian to write a Concerto for Kanon and orchestra. Ara did.

Although Dr. Walter Moek has passed away, he performed Sevanian’s Adagio Cantabile in Scottsdale, Arizona. Like Varktag Jordania, he more than appreciated Sevanian’s music. He played it for the American audience, as did Vakhtang. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vakhtang_Jordania
 



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