PRESS RELEASE

Mr. Viken L.Attarian
Chairman
AGBU Montreal Inc.
805 Manoogian street
Ville St-Laurent, QC H4N 1Z5
Tel: 514-748-2428
Fax: 514-748-6307
E-mai;: agbumontreal@bellnet.ca
Website:

AGBU MONTREAL CENTENNIAL INAUGURAL EVENT AN OUTSTANDING SUCCESS

Montreal, April 10, 2006 – On Friday April 7, 2006 AGBU Montreal inaugurated
its centennial celebrations with a unique event in the presence of the great
Canadian opera diva, Ms. Isabel Bayrakdarian and her talented pianist
husband, Mr. Serouj Krajian. Ms. Bayrakdarian is an internationally renowned
opera superstar whose credits include the soundtrack of the Oscar winning
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Ms. Bayrakdarian and Mr. Krajian
jointly won the 2006 Juno Award for best Classical Album of the Year.

The event started with a special cocktail reception in the Demirdjian Hall,
for selected guests to meet the two great artists. Soon after, well over
300 attendees had filled the AGBU Jirair and Elise Dervishian hall to the
brim and there was standing room only all the way into the entrance hall.
The event was held under the auspices of the Primate of the Canadian
Diocese, His Eminence Bishop Bagrat Galstanian. Attendees included many
community leaders and dignitaries, as well as Mr. Francesco Miele,
representing the Hon. Stephane Dion, Member of Parliament and leadership
candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada, Mr. Yvan Bordeleau, Member of the
National Assembly of Quebec, Ms. Mary Deros and Ms. Nouchig Eloyan,
Counselors for the City of Montreal.

“This was certainly a top quality event and being a fan, I am extremely
thrilled to have met Ms. Bayrakdarian in person”, said Mr. John Mitchell,
who was representing Mountain Lake PBS of NY.

Mr. Viken L. Attarian, chairman of the chapter, thanked the attendees and
the organizers of the event. He outlined a brief history of how the AGBU
was founded and what its ongoing mission was, and he stressed the importance
of art and culture in the context of that mission. He then introduced the
guest artists and invited the audience to watch the Montreal premiere of the
unique documentary made about Ms. Bayrakdarian’s visit to Armenia in 2004 A
Long Journey Home.

After the screening, Ms. Bayrakdarian was presented with a special
centennial plaque in recognition of her showcasing of Armenian music and
culture. Isabel and Serouj then took the stage and graciously answered
several questions from the audience about their work and future projects.
The evening concluded with the word of His Eminence, Bishop Bagrat, who
focused on the pride created for Armenians by artists such as Isabel and
Serouj.

For further information, please contact the AGBU at 514-748-2428 or at
agbumontreal@bellnet.ca

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress