From: Catholicosate of Cilicia <[email protected]>
Subject: Antelias: A musical evening on the occasion of Armenian School year
PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
A MUSICAL EVENING ON THE OCCASION OF
“THE YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN SCHOOL”
On the occasion of “The Year of the Armenian School”, the Seminary of the
Catholicosate of Cilicia organized a musical evening in the “Siran
Manoukian” hall of Yeghishé Manoukian College on June 4. The event was
sponsored by His Holiness Aram I.
The choir of the Seminary, the “Shenorhali” Choir of the Catholicosate of
Cilicia and the “Gargatch” Choir of Hamazkayin participated in the
conference. The conductor of the last two choirs, Zakar Keshishian also
participated in the event, in addition to Sirvart Boyadjian on the piano.
The Seminary Choir kicked off the evening with performance of “Ov Der
Asdvadz” and “Aravod Lousaper”. “Orhnerk Yergrabahi” (lyrics by Souren
Mouradian, music by Robert Bedrossian) followed.
With the “Gargatch” Senior Choir Karig Pantourian’s “Nazank” and the
Lebanese song “Rousana” echoed in the hall. The choir’s senior group then
delivered “Alleluia” and “Ave Maria” by Mozart, as well as the
African-American “Koumdaya”.
The two groups of the choir then sang Jirayr Avedissian’s “Tebrotsin Zanke”
and Nansen Michaelian’s “Im Ousoutsitch”.
The last choir to perform during the evening was “Shnorhali”. The choir
performed Hratchya Hovhannisian’s “Hobina”, “Shorora yar” a collection of
folk songs, among which “Alakiaz yev kezi mernim” and “Katsek Desek”.
The three choirs joined voices at the end of the evening to sing Barouyr
Sevag’s “Yerevan, Erepouni” and Nahabed Rousinian’s “Cilicia”.
“How is it possible not to be filled with joy, how is it possible not to
become proud, how is it possible not to be touched in sight of this
beautiful scene that enchants our lives?” asked His Holiness after taking
the stage at the end of the recital.
Praising the organizers of the event and the members of the choirs, the
Pontiff said: “without our spiritual values and without our cultural
richness our life would become impoverished and it would wilt.” He added
that Zakar Keshishian is one of the best conductors of the Armenian
Diaspora.
Referring to the foreign minister of the Republic of Nagorno Karapagh,
Kevorki Bedrossian, who was present at the recital, the Catholicos said: “It
is true that we were not born in Karapagh, but Karapagh was born in us, has
remained in us and has been strengthened in us and the Diaspora today lives
and struggles with the spirit of Karapagh.”
The Pontiff then spoke about the Armenian community of Lebanon, pointing out
that “despite difficulties, the community has been able to remain active,
healthy and standing.”
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View photos here: tm
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The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Theological
Seminary of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of the
Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.