A minstrel's journey - Armenian Reporter

Melineh Saroyan
Armenian Society of Los Angeles (ASLA) Choir. Theirs is a story of perseverance and steadfastness in the face of many challenges.
Photos: Hilma Shahinian.
An evening of folk bliss with
the Armenian Society of Los
Angeles Choir
by Melineh Saroyan
chorus
On March 2, when the curtains
went up at Glendale’s Alex Theatre,
the nearly sold-out hall was
greeted by the Armenian Society
of Los Angeles (ASLA) Choir, more
commonly known as the Iranahay
Miutyan Yerkchakhump.
Nestled between the equally divided
halves of the choir was the
Tavigh Armenian Folk Orchestra,
with Maestro Mikael Avetisyan
(now in his fourth year as artistic
director and conductor of the
choir) standing at the helm.
The program consisted of “Treasures
of Armenian Folk Music,” a
compilation of familiar folk songs
arranged by 20th-century Armenian
folk-music masters Ruben Altunian
and Khachatur Avetisyan.
To sweeten the deal, the program
was generously sprinkled with the
dance accompaniments of the Tavigh
Dance Ensemble as well as
Music director Mikael Avetisyan and guest soloists Margarit Shahinyan and Arthur
Tsaturyan backstage after the concert.
three guest soloists: Margarit Shahinyan,
Hovhannes Shahbazyan,
and Arthur Tsaturyan.
The choir, clad in colorful traditional
costumes, performed for
nearly two hours. The wonderful
performances were the culmination
of an arduous trek, a story of
perseverance and steadfastness in
the face of many challenges. Aida
Chamras, chair of the ASLA Board
of Directors, says, “It took more
than a year and $40,000 to bring
this production to stage.” On his
C6 Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 3/15/2008