PRESS RELEASE
Haigazian University
Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
Rue Mexique – Kantari
P.O. Box 11-1748
Riad El-Solh 1107 2090
Beirut – Lebanon

Haigazian University celebrates the second event of its 50th Anniversary:
A Christmas concert featuring Mezzo-Soprano Anna Mayilian and the “Armiss”
choir.
The latest event of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Haigazian
University, was a Christmas Concert on the 20th and 21st of December 2004,
in the sanctuary of the First Armenian Evangelical Church of Beirut.
The concert featured the 60-voice “Armiss” Choir, conducted by Rev. Nerses
Balabanian, pianists Sevan Balabanian and Mathilde-Sandra Cholakian, and
the renowed artist, mezzo-soprano Anna Mayilian from Armenia.
The president of the university, Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian, noted that this
concert carried a special message: “It is Armenia and Lebanon coming
together. It is talent and discipline joined. It is joy and awe put to
music, and music turned into a sign of life. It is a Christmas story told.
It is an act of hope in an anxious world. It is Haigazian and its
supportive community singing peace, love, and joy together.”
The capacity audience, which included the US Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey
Feltman, the Armenian Ambassador Areg Hovannissian, and other religious and
political officials and representatives, enjoyed classical and contemporary
musical masterpieces dedicated to Christmas. The varied program included
choral and solo music from various periods, including Baroque, Medieval,
ancient and modern Armenian chants and American spirituals. Featured
composers included Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Gelalian, Amirkhanian and others.
Among the pieces impressively performed by Mayilian, the audience enjoyed
little-heard settings of Armenian songs.
In the past decade Anna Mayilian has succeeded to establish herself not
only in the Armenian milieu, but on the international stage as well,
capturing numerous European and American prizes. Founder of the “Saghmos”
Cultural Center, and the artistic director of “Music Masters of Armenia”,
last year Mayilian released the recording, ” Anna Mayilian: Armenian Sacred
Songs”, and currently is preparing a new recording of the sacred music of
Krikor Naregatsi. Haigazian University’s 50th Anniversary Christmas
Concert, is Mayilian’s premiere performance in Lebanon.
The Armenian Evangelical Armiss Choir is called by the pen-name of the
pastor, poet, composer and painter, the Rev. Armenag Missirian. Established
in 1981, with its founding conductor Mr. Vatsche Barsoumian, it was
reconstituted after the Lebanese war by the Rev. Nerses Balabanian, and
began its new life with a sacred music concert to commemorate the 1700th
anniversary of Christian Armenia. All the members of the Armiss Choir are
amateur singers from all walks of life, and as they showed in their latest
concert, offer their audiences a high level of musicianship.
Community development and celebration have always been a part of Haigazian
University culture, and so this Christmas concert, with a dedicated and
disciplined Armiss Choir and an exceptional Armenian singer, Anna Mayilian,
moved the audience to an even higher level of celebration.
This second event of Haigazian University 50th Anniversary celebrations was
a great success, and left a positive resonance throughout Beirut.
The University promises to maintain and surpass this quality in its
upcoming jubilee events.