ARMENIAN REPORTER
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Paramus, New Jersey 07652
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Email: [email protected]
June 9, 2007 — From the community section
To see the printed version of the newspaper, complete with photographs
and additional content, visit and download the pdf
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1. Fundraiser at Geragos home benefits preservation of photographs,
history (by Arin Mikailian)
2. Jazz pianist Donelian is also a composer, teacher, and Fulbright
scholar (by Andrew Kevorkian)
3. Annual arts competition celebrates talented young Armenians (by
Arin Mikailian)
* Southern California tradition continues for the 67th year
4. N.Y. Hamazkayin theatrical group delivers a riotous, sharp-eyed
performance in "Three Chairs Fell from Heaven"
5. After fifteen years, Armenian festival in Alexandria remains a
community magnet
6. Weekends start on Thursdays at Club Nur (by Tamar Kevonian)
* Music, drinks, a hookah bar and lots of fun at a gay club
7. Remembering George Mgrdichian, through his own words (by John R. Bashian)
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1. Fundraiser at Geragos home benefits preservation of photographs, history
by Arin Mikailian
LA CANADA-FLINTRIDGE, Calif. – Community activist, criminal defense
attorney Mark Geragos hosted a fundraiser for Project SAVE at his
Southern California home on Sunday. Donations made to attend the event
will help preserve the photographic anod other archival records from
Armenian history.
Since 1975, Project SAVE has collected, documented and catalogued
more than 25 thousand photographs of Armenians from all over the
world.
The photographs, preserved as a testament to Armenian history and
the Armenian heritage, chronicle the lives of Armenians in the
Ottoman, Russian, Persian empires from the late 19th century to the
lives of those living in the Armenian Diaspora following the Armenian
Genocide.
Geragos said he supports the organization and believes is its
mission, because of the vital role photographs play in preserving
history.
"You can talk and talk all you want, but visuals are better," he
said. "[Photographs] were the closest thing to a MySpace or a YouTube
back then."
Among those who attended the fundraiser and browsed through a small
gallery of photographs was former Los Angeles Superior Court Judge
Quentin Kopp, who has donated to Project SAVE photographs of his
father’s diplomatic mission to Armenia in 1918.
"[Project SAVE] is quintessential to preserving culture and pride in
being an Armenian," said Kopp.
Speaking about the importance of the organization was former
California Supreme Court Justice and Project SAVE donor Armand
Arabian, whose father was a Genocide survivor.
After escaping to Paris, Arabian’s father, a master tailor, sewed a
replica of the uniforms Turk soldiers wore during the Genocide.
Arabian’s father commissioned a photograph of himself in the Turkish
uniform. A copy of that photograph is preserved to this day.
"This is evidence that we existed at a certain time," Arabian said.
"Those pictures are invaluable. They’re a record of who we were."
The main speaker of the evening was the founder of the Project SAVE
organization, Ruth Thomasian.
Thomasian said she decided to collected photographs of Armenians
when she was researching for a theater project and had a tough time
finding photo archives.
After a series of knocks on doors, phone calls and newspaper
announcements, Thomasian said she gradually built a collection of
Armenian photographs, most with complete documentation.
"It’s one thing to have the photographs," she said. "It’s also
important to share their stories."
Now, 30 years after her mission began, the pictures she’s gathered
over the years have a home in a museum in Watertown, Massachusetts.
After a brief autobiography and background story on the
organization, Thomasian explained how using old Armenian photographs
can shed light on its peoples’ lifestyles and culture.
Pointing to one photograph of Armenian female siblings living in the
Middle East, Thomasian said one of the children was actually a boy,
whose hair was kept long intentionally.
Thomasian revealed that this was an old tradition in which a young
child would grow hir or her hair until the age of seven, to be
protected from the eye of god. After the age of seven, it is believed
that a child can physically take care of himself or herself. She
further noted that the parents of the child were doing this in order
to prevent the loss of their only son.
Thomasian said pictures such as the one of the siblings give great
insight into what traditions had been practiced, had died and are
still practices today.
She also mentioned how some photographs, like one of Turks watching
Armenians being deported from Kharpert are being used to help
Armenians stop other genocides.
Before the program came to a close, Geragos shared his insights
about why photographs should continually be collected and preserved.
Geragos reminded those who had gathered about the New York Life
insurance case that forced the insurance giant to pay descendants and
heirs of thousands Armenian life insurance policy holders killed
between 1875 and 1915.
The attorney pointed to a map of Turkey and showed the locations
where the policies paid out were purchased and how those locations
were in the same path of the deportations and mass murders.
"You could just map out the entire genocide as it happened," said Geragos.
Geragos said people were able to prove their ties to their relatives
with the help of old photographs.
Because of the undeniable validity of photographs, he said, Project
SAVE is a cause worth continuously contributing to.
"Our greatest kinds of resources are these photos," he said.
******************************************* ********************************
2. Jazz pianist Donelian is also a composer, teacher, and Fulbright scholar
by Andrew Kevorkian
MADISON, N.J. – When Armen Donelian is communing with his piano, the
members of his audience may think they are eavesdropping. With a calm
expression on his face that hides his inner thoughts, Donelian plays
as one who is alone in the room.
When he looks up and seems to realize that the other two members of
his trio are also there and doing their things, he stops playing and a
grand smile appears as if to say, "Hey, go ahead. I’m enjoying this!"
Then, each ember of the trio – bassist, drummer, and Donelian himself
– takes a turn with his own riff.
"I am always trying to do things," Donelian says, explaining his
demeanor, after the first set at his recent appearance at the Shanghai
Jazz restaurant, in this charming little New Jersey community. "But
sometimes I can’t seem to get it out." He had better not tell that to
his audience, because that’s not what his audience thinks.
What does come through is a master who is classically trained and,
though he has played with virtually every noted jazz performer in the
world, is still his own man. Sometimes the listener may hear some
Brubeck, sometimes it’s Shearing – but always it’s Donelian.
When someone commented to him that he thought he had heard a bit of
"Emily" in one of the songs, Donelian thinks for a moment and then
responds, "Really? I wasn’t aware of that." Obviously, when he was
talking to his piano, the piano answered, "…but I will throw in a
bit of ‘Emily’ for good measure."
The tall and lanky musician is one of four children of the late
Khatchik and Lillian Donelian, both musically-oriented, and the nephew
of the late Avedis (Don) Donelian. He picked up a love for music as a
child at the social functions that the family attended as well as from
the records that his father would play at home. He trained 12 years at
the Westchester Conservatory of Music, as a student of Michael Pollon,
and his aim was to be a concert pianist. His studies eventually
included solo recitals, as well as performances with orchestras, and
at 18 his solo graduation recital included Bach, Beethoven, Chopin,
Debussy, and Prokofiev.
Pretty good company for any student.
However, at 15 he had caught the jazz fever, and joined a jazz group
led by guitarist Arthur Ryerson, Sr. "Things were not quite the same
after that," Donelian recollects.
He went on to Columbia University and, after he graduated with a
B.A. in Music, he apprenticed for two years with Richie Beirach, where
he learned to combine his classical training with his obvious instinct
for jazz.
After that, it was the almost-nomadic life of the jazz artist:
travel, travel, travel, and meeting and playing with musicians who are
household names.
If, that is, your household is jazz-oriented.
He started with Mongo Santamaria and had gigs and recordings with
Sonny Rollins, Chet Baker, Billy Harper, Paquito D’Rivera, Anne-Marie
Moss.
At the same time, Donelian was beginning to compose some of his
now-100-plus songs, three of which were in a 1976 Grammy
Award-nominated Santamaria album. His first Donelian album came out in
Japan (of all places) in 1981. It was highly acclaimed, and his own
compositions were specially praised.
The travel continued, leading him to perform in 21 countries. The
training continued, too: now it was with Harold Seletsky, who falls in
the Arnold Schoenberg camp. And his recordings continued: that list is
almost endless.
The product of teachers – he unhesitatingly lists Pollon and Beirach
as the most influential, and Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, George
Shearing, and McCoy Tyner, as well as saxophonist David Liebman, as
the performers who have influenced him most – Donelian now also turned
to teaching as well. In 1986, he joined the faculty at the New School
University Jazz and Contemporary Music Program, in New York, and in
1993 also began teaching at William Paterson University in New Jersey.
He has received numerous music composition and jazz fellowships.
Actually, teaching was not new for Donelian. At 14, he earned
spending money by giving piano lessons to his young friends.
As if he has had absolutely nothing else to do with his time,
Donelian has written a book, Training the Ear, which has been
translated into Japanese, and is used as a text throughout the world.
He also finds time to contribute learned articles for other
publications.
* "In the new Armenia, jazz quickly caught on"
Has he ever performed with fellow Armenians? Not only has he, but he
has also recorded with Datavik Hovanesian, and with oudist Ara
Dinkjian’s band Night Ark (Ara is the son of Onnik Dinkjian). There
was the 1980 series titled "Positively Armenian," which resulted in
recordings, as well. And he has had a record, Listen to My Heart,
produced by the legendary George Avakian.
Having developed his love of music from his Armenian childhood, has
he ever used Armenian music in any of his compositions or in his
improvisations? "I don’t actually use any Armenian songs, as such; but
the influence is there." The astute ear will definitely hear Armenian
references in the scales, the chords, the rhythms, and, yes, in the
feeling. "But I have used some Sayat Nova," Donelian says.
Have his footsteps taken him to Armenia?
He has been there often, and has "found the jazz scene there is
vibrant." Donelian attributes it to the fact that music and the
teaching of music were highly regarded under the Soviets.
Not jazz, surely? I ask.
No, he concedes, "but the climate for learning and appreciating
music was there, and in the new Armenia, jazz quickly caught on."
In his first visit, in 1998, Donelian performed in the first Yerevan
International Jazz Festival, and conducted the first-ever Master
Classes in Jazz at the Yerevan State Conservatory. He initiated the
Jazz in Armenia project, described as "an artistic, educational, and
inter-cultural initiative." He is a Visiting Professor of Jazz at the
conservatory.
He is full of praise for the performers, and cites, especially,
young Vahag Hairapetian, a pianist.
In 2002, Donelian was named a Fulbright Senior Scholar for his work
in Armenia, and was a resident professor at the conservatory for three
months; he also traveled to Russia, Georgia, Romania, and France to
present Master Classes. He has also been a participant in the American
State Department-sponsored Jazz Appreciation Month, in Armenia.
Though Donelian’s music tends to be near the "modern" end of the
jazz spectrum, there is enough of the traditional to keep the interest
of the listener, and this was made evident, at the Shanghai, in his
skillfully beautiful rendition of "Sunrise, Sunset," from Fiddler on
the Roof. It began, as always, with Donelian introducing the four
simple notes and then moving on – and suddenly, we were aware that the
great Donelian flights were accompanied by the bassist playing the
four notes as counterpoint. When Donelian was finished, and the
bassist took on his riff, after a few moments of silence, Donelian
softly played the four notes, now as chords. The drummer, meanwhile,
was providing the beat with the brushes.
Masterful – and the wish was that it go on forever.
With the first set over, and one audience dispersing to make room
for an audience eager for the second set, someone was heard to say,
"What a great concert."
Other than questioning the word "concert," what else could be added to that?
******************************************* ********************************
3. Annual arts competition celebrates talented young Armenians
* Southern California tradition continues for the 67th year
by Arin Mikailian
BALDWIN PARK, Calif. – The 67th annual Armenian Allied Arts
Association (AAAA) award presentation and arts exhibit attracted
hundreds to the Baldwin Hills Performing Arts Center on Sunday.
The ceremony and presentation of cash prizes and trophies were the
culmination of the annual arts competition, which always draws
talented young Armenians from communities all across Southern
California. An exhibition at the Center displayed the works of first
and second place winners as well as those whose works earned honorable
mentions.
"The purpose of the organization is to encourage and promote new
talent of Armenian descent," said Karen Kaysing, president of the
AAAA.
Submissions to this year’s festival were separated into three age
brackets and included oils, pastels and watercolors.
Thirteen-year-old Maghri Eleasiyan, who won first place in the
watercolor category for her age bracket, also won an honorable mention
for painting a portrait of Princess Jasmine from Disney’s "Aladdin."
Maghri says she painted Jasmine, because she "likes princesses."
More than 130 pieces of art were on display, but only one artist was
honored with the top award – the Siroon Mangurian and John Haviland
Award for Best in Show.
This year’s winner was 7-year-old Nareck Bagrian, whose painting
titled "Car" captured the image of a Ford Explorer.
"You give him a pencil and paper, and he goes crazy with it," said
Bagrian’s art teacher from Homenetmen’s Ararat Chapter, Taline
Olmessekian. "He’s a genius. He doesn’t limit himself to one pencil or
pen. He just goes overboard with everything."
Judges said Bagrian’s work was "highly creative and original" for
blending different types texture together.
"I think it’s highly original and stuff," said the 7-year-old
artist. "Because of all of the colors and designs I did, I thought I
should win."
Before the start of the talent portion of the program, Primate of
the Armenian Church’s Western Diocese, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan
Derderian, and Shahe Mankerian, principal of St. Gregory’s Hovsepian
School, addressed the audience.
Archbishop Derderian said he couldn’t help but feel inspired by the
presence of young Armenian talent.
"It was very refreshing to talk to them in Armenian and in English,
to see and understand how much love and respect they render and
dedicate to art," he said.
"What blew me away were the little kids," said AAAA’s Kaysing.
"They have an intensity beyond their years."
Ten-year-old Diana Djangeryan sang one of her favorite songs,
"Beauty and Beast," and was an instant hit. Djangeryan also explaining
why she wants to be a singer.
"I don’t want to be a singer for the money," she said. "I want to
be a role model for little kids."
As the performances came to an end, the winners were presented with
their awards and cash prizes.
"I was very impressed by these children," said Alice Mesrobian, a
3rd and 4th grade teacher at Franklin Elementary School in Glendale.
"Seeing the organization helping them out was a wonderful thing. I
want to encourage my students just as much, so they can try something
in the arts."
************************************* **************************************
4. N.Y. Hamazkayin theatrical group delivers a riotous, sharp-eyed
performance in "Three Chairs Fell from Heaven"
by Park Atorian
WOODSIDE, N.Y. – Holding a reputation as the oldest continuously
running Armenian theatrical troupe in the U.S. could be a burden. But
the Hamazkayin group of New York takes it in stride.
In 39 years of existence, the ensemble of under the direction of Dr.
Herand Markarian has moved from strength to strength, providing its
audiences with new productions and fresh takes on classic plays.
Dr. Markarian’s first outing with the theatrical troupe was one of
the most difficult plays in the Armenian repertoire: Levon Shant’s The
Ancient Gods. From that daring launch, the group has gone on to
present dramas, comedies, satire – the whole theatrical gamut. In the
process, it has presented 18 world premier Armenian plays, became the
first Armenian theater group to appear in an off- Broadway venue, and
was the sole Hamazkayin representative in Armenia’s 1991 "Diaspora
Theater Festival."
In the course of all those years and milestone, 383 actors and
actresses have appeared with the group. All in all, a substantial
accomplishment for any theater group – let alone an Armenian ensemble
in the U.S.
For its 39th annual production, the Hamazkayin group performed a
play written and directed by Markarian: And Three Chairs Fell From
Heaven. Written some 17 years ago, it had its premier in Armenia in
1991, directed by Nikolay Tsatootyan (currently artistic director of
the Gyumri Theater), which enjoyed a three-year run at Armenia’s Metro
Theater.
And Three Chairs Fell From Heaven is a satire about the pursuit of
power – or put more directly, about power-mongers. When two childhood
relatives, Parnag and Matig, become political adversaries, they each
decide to enroll in a new school dedicated to teaching the "art" of
grasping power.
Paros (a character who might be at home in an Aristophanes comedy)
is the school’s director who offers a nuts-and-bolts approach to the
subject: insensitivity to voters, total focus on personal success,
uncluttered with any other considerations. But even in this setting,
the animosity between Parnag and Matig takes a turn when they learn
that their children are in love and have rebelled against their
parents’ views. Will youthful idealism prove victorious? Will the
older generation yield?
Well, see the play and find out. It is well-structured, full of
surprises and comic situations, and a lot of laughs.
* Fine acting performances
The performances on May 18 and 20 at the Armenian Center in Queens
were both full-houses. It was a fun-filled evening with some sharp
criticism of our own society’s wrongs and attitudes.
The actors turned in some wonderful performances. Michael Nevruzian
as Parnag was superb, fully in command of the role. Karnig Nercessian
as Paros the "mentor" captured the audience’s attention with his sharp
intrigues. As Matig, the ultimately successful politician, Toros
Tervizian shined.
Anayis Tcholakian as Parnag’s wife Takoohi lived up to the
character’s vanity but also delivered soft and tough moments. Marriet
Gabrielian as Keghetsig gave a vibrant portrayal of an aggressive,
man-hungry woman. Aris Sevag as the composed Apig, who pretends to be
Parnag’s ally, offered a riveting characterization of a fluctuating
personality; and Asdghig Sevag convincingly brought to life Apig’s
outspoken, demanding wife Antarram.
Other notable players were Armine Minassian as a naïve, homely
maiden; Ani Nercessian as Paroohi, the only righteous person in the
crowd, and Nazaret Markarain as an actor hired to play a role in the
classroom.
Several players making their debut on the stage included Zaven
Vartanian as the drunken Yrechanig; Arusyag Markarian as Parnag’s
designing daughter; and Sossi Essajanian as a politically active,
sternly modern Armenian woman. Mher Janoian as Varoozh made a splendid
debut with the Hamazkayin group as Parnag’s son.
The success of a production certainly owed a great deal to the crew,
including Hovhanness Bezdikian (sets), Michael Nevruzian and Marriett
Gabrelian (props), Armine Minassian (makeup), and Rita Giragossian
(sound).
Rounding out the behind-the-scenes roster was Sonia Bezdikian
(coordinator), Goharig Davidian (publicity), Janet Markarian and Aris
Sevag (booklet).
Hrand Markarian’s minimalist approach to direction was unique, as
always, showing his mastery of knowing when and how to bring the words
out and touch the audience.
All in all, And Three Chairs Fell From Heaven is a very fine
production, and Armenian community organizations should seriously
consider contacting Dr. Markarian and the Hamazkayin theatre group to
mount the play elsewhere. In the meantime, we can all anxiously await
what the group has in store for next year’s 40th anniversary
production.
************************* **************************************************
5. After fifteen years, Armenian festival in Alexandria remains a
community magnet
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – It began as a fundraising benefit shortly after the
devastating 1988 earthquake. But a decade and a-half later. it has
grown into the largest annual Armenian community event in the
Washington, D.C. area, organized through the Alexandria-Gyumri Sister
City Committee.
Just eight miles south of downtown Washington, "Old Town" Alexandria
is one of the oldest colonial-era settlements in the area, and is an
attraction in of itself. On top of that, every first weekend of June,
the square in front of its City Hall fills with the sounds of Armenian
music and the smell of khorovats.
As in the past, this year’s Alexandria Armenian Festival on June 2
provided several thousand old friends and new acquaintances an
opportunity to enjoy each others’ company, along with Armenian music,
dances, and food. There were sales of books, CDs and DVDs; Armenian
organizations’ information booths; and an Armenian exhibit inside City
Hall.
The entertainment included "The Band Wisteria" (guitars, bass, drums
and vocals), violinist Arec Jamgochian, the Washington Armenian
Ensemble (violin, kanoon and vocals), the Birky Family (theatrical,
dance, and vocal performances), and the Carolyn Repkievian-directed
Arax Armenian Dance Ensemble.
Volunteers from the local Knights of Vartan chapter handled the
khorovats, with proceeds going to programs supporting children in
Armenia.
The event included welcoming remarks from Alexandria Mayor Bill
Euille (who issued an annual proclamation on "Armenia Day"),
Alexandria Congressman Jim Moran (D-Va.), Armenian Embassy Counselor
Arman Israelian, and Artsakh’s Representative in the U.S. Vardan
Barseghian.
The recently retired pastor of the St. Mary’s Armenian Church, Fr.
Vertanes Kalayjian, received yet another proclamation from the
Alexandria City Council in appreciation of his 17 years of leadership
and support of the festival and the Sister City Committee.
The Sister City Committee is chaired by Alexandria’s Ken Hill,
former chief of staff of the Peace Corps and chair of its National
Association. Some of the key organizers of this year’s Armenian
Festival included former committee chair Sam Gyulnazaran, Judy
Markarian (food), Jane Coughran (booths) and Dean Shahinian
(entertainment, see the interview with him in Section A).
– E.S.
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6. Weekends start on Thursdays at Club Nur
* Music, drinks, a hookah bar and lots of fun at a gay club
by Tamar Kevonian
STUDIO CITY, Calif. – Walking down the sidewalk on a stretch of
Ventura Boulevard late on a Thursday evening, you can hear a pounding
rhythm, the strains of the melody sounding more and more familiar as
you approach the door. You look around, not quite sure where you are.
This feeling may be familiar in the streets of Glendale, but out here
on the edges of the San Fernando Valley, it seems oddly out of place.
The brainchild of Hrair Sarkissian and Gevorg Khudyan, Club Nur is a
labor of love they started because of the lack of Middle Eastern or
Armenian gay nights in a city that boasts the largest population of
their compatriots outside of their mother country. "The few others
[similar themed clubs] were sporadic and not well organized," says
Sarkissian. The desire to create an environment where they felt they
belonged was a strong motivator and the feeling of belonging and not
belonging is a reoccurring theme among new immigrants.
Nur, which means "light" in Arabic and in Armenian is the name of
the glowing red iconic fruit, was a deliberately chosen by the two
partners. "Also, as child, I thought Jordan’s Queen Noor was awesome,"
explains Sarkissian. On all fronts it is an appropriate name that
reflects the essence of the club. Club Nur bills itself as "the only
gay Middle Eastern club in Los Angeles." In a city that has
everything and a country where anything is possible, the fact that
such a venue did not exist is shocking in itself.
The club has a large potential client base. With an estimated
500,000 Armenians, 300,000 Iranians and 100,000 Arabs living in the
Los Angeles area, there are tens of thousands of gay and lesbian
Middle Easterners here even by the most conservative estimates. Then
there are all the non-Middle Eastern gay men who like to experience
Middle Eastern culture. "It’s turned out to be more different than we
expected. I thought it would be our people but it’s everyone,"
explains Sarkissian.
Club Nur’s instant popularity surprised both Hrair and Gevorg.
Expecting a mere hundred people for opening night, they were
overwhelmed when three times that number showed up. Within an hour of
opening their doors the line to gain access snaked down the street, an
unseen phenomena at this particular location which has an occupancy
capacity of only 175 people. In this age of Internet connectedness,
through sites such as MySpace.com, word of the club spread fast and
drew patrons from as far away as San Diego, Sacramento, Long Beach,
and other parts outside of California. It has become a "must see" club
for the gay community.
The bar where the club congregates is called Fuel; it is located in
the heart of what was before World War II known as the gay mecca of
the San Fernando Valley. Today Studio City is an affluent area that is
home to many in the entertainment industry. Mario Pescatore owns Fuel
and organizes several other themed evenings there, but Club Nur is the
most popular by far. Although he is a longtime friend of Hrair
Sarkissian’s, he did not know what to expect at all. "I get
propositioned by a lot of people," Pescatore says. On opening night he
instantly found the people were friendly, beautiful, and liked to have
a good time. "They are energetic and fun loving. We’ve had no
problems." Problems were a concern initially. "It crossed my mind
because of the stigma attached in the Armenian and Persian
communities," he says, "I worried about people disrupting it but it’s
never happened."
In fact, the variety of patrons who attend the club is a small
microcosm of the city. "Everyone is welcome," stresses Khudyan and in
fact they are. As promised there are Latinos, Blacks, Israelis,
Caucasians, Armenians, Arabs, Turks, Philippinos, and others. "We
leave politics outside the door," says Sarkissian. The experience of
watching an Israeli talking to an Arab or an Armenian to a Turk is
jarring but a hopeful sign causing one clubgoer to proclaim that maybe
peace can start from the gay community. Knowing about the Armenian
Genocide and Turkey’s ongoing animosity toward Armenia, "made it
really impossible to imagine Armenians and Turks being in the same
room together," says Peter, one club goer. "It was very exciting to
see all these men hanging out together and having fun."
Walking into the club, seeing a flickering candle on the podium next
to the register and a red velvet curtain backdrop immediately gives
the sense of having entered another realm. You’re immediately greeted
by Eliza, the fabulous hostess who collects your paltry $5 cover
charge. "Have fun," she says as she waves you through the curtain. You
duck under the overhang and enter the dimly lit enclosed patio.
Lanterns flicker against the walls; the soft glow of candlelight
illuminates clusters of people gathered around the pub tables. The hum
of the various conversations sound like the base beat to the music
filtering in from the dance floor. You see the smoke rising from the
hookahs as you approach the back wall. The scent of the apple-,
pomegranate-, and rose-flavored tobacco wafts toward you through the
crowd. The water pipes sit on a long banquet table covered in dark,
rich fabric and behind it stands Nina, the beautiful young woman who
shows the uninitiated how to drag on the pipe and makes sure the coals
are lit throughout the night. Along the way you may greet several
friends who have arrived before you and are already onto their second
cocktail. The overhead television screens are showing an old
black-and-white movie from either Egypt or Turkey. The sound is off
and you watch with amusement as the melodramatic action plays itself
out.
Curious, you go through the door that separates the patio from the
bar and dance floor. The music hits you like a solid wall with the
familiar strains of an Andy song in Persian or Aram Asatryan in
Armenian. If you’ve arrived late enough, say around 11 p.m., the dance
floor will be full and the air thick with the heat of gyrating bodies.
You make your way toward the bar and you notice that it’s not the
usual selection of brands. There is Kotayk and Kilikia beer from
Armenia, Almaza beer from Lebanon, pomegranate martinis and oghi or
arak, the anise flavored drink popular throughout the Levant. You’re
surprised that the bartender heard your drink order over the music,
but Carl, 41, an Irish transplant via Boston, is an expert. "It’s my
favorite night," he says, "I love the different cultures and I love
the music."
The club provides a safe haven for many who do not feel comfortable
in any other environment especially if they are not out in their
ethnic communities. These are tightly knit communities where almost
everyone has a connection to someone there and any strangers are
quickly identified. Reza, 32, Iranian, and gay, says, "It’s more
complicated than just not being out. It’s the feelings and emotions
and upbringing I’ve had throughout my childhood. I feel totally safe
here."
It’s not just the gay males who make their way to Club Nur. The club
is open to everyone that wants to have a good time and attracts a wide
audience including lesbians and straight men and women. Both deejays
have a fan base outside of this setting and many of the men have
female friends who feel safe attending a gay bar versus a night out in
a straight venue. Carolyne, 28, is Armenian, straight, and engaged to
be married. She says, "In a straight club you get hit on. Here it’s
nice and comfortable and I can have fun." It’s a sentiment echoed by
Meline, 41, Armenian, straight, and married: "It’s the place I can be
myself and have a lot of fun. Here it’s more free. No one’s going to
judge." Although Carolyne’s fiancé won’t come with her to the club,
there are many straight men who do. Usually it’s to hang out with a
gay friend or listen to a particular deejay. They are curious and
usually can be identified by the way they cling to their girlfriend’s
arm as a talisman.
Kevin, 30, African-American, and gay says, "It seems like the Middle
Eastern community is homophobic. I’m happy that there’s a place where
they can come outside of the straight Middle Eastern community."
"I think L.A. is such a racist town," says Carl, the bartender. "I
hear it out peoples’ mouths everywhere I go: the "N" word, against
Jews, against Armenians." He appreciates what Club Nur is attempting
to do, although a small drop in a large bucket, the effect is palpable
when surrounded by all the different faces. Everyone here is open to
the opportunity to meet and get to know another’s culture. In such a
small community there is no room for hate.
In the end it’s about having fun, meeting new people, seeing old
friends and being safe. Hrair and Gevorg have created an atmosphere
that fosters all of these elements where people can let go, dance,
laugh, and live.
connect:
myspace.com/clubnur
* * *
* You need a good sense of humor to survive
In a tightly knit community, where everyone is only one degree of
separation away, it was inevitable that Hrair Sarkissian and Gevorg
Khudyan would meet.
The convergent paths of these two men were more circuitous than most
Armenians’. Sarkissian, born in Beirut, Lebanon, has spent his
adulthood in the United States and was living in Yerevan, Armenia,
during his tenure as editor of Armenian International Magazine (AIM).
Khudyan, born in Yerevan, grew up in Los Angles and was back in
Yerevan on vacation. "He was wearing white, top to bottom, with
designer glasses. Very flashy," says Hrair, describing Gevorg. "He’s
one of my really good friends," replies Gevorg, "we’ve traveled
together and we get along and we haven’t killed each other."
Frustrated by the amount of tension they felt in straight Middle
Eastern hookah bars and the lack of venues for them to enjoy their
culture in a comfortable environment, each had considered the idea of
founding a club for the gay community. Although slightly varied, they
managed to combine their different ideas into one concept and launched
Club Nur in November 2006.
"People are frustrated when they go to events and can’t dance with
their partner or really let go and have fun," explains Sarkissian. And
it’s not only gay men and lesbians. "The same thing is happening with
straight Armenian girls because their mothers say amot e [it’s
shameful] when they dance." Sarkissian and Khudyan have created an
atmosphere where no one will hear the amot e mantra.
Plans to expand the club to other cities are under consideration,
but for now they organize excursions. Recently it was a weekend cruise
to Mexico. Also, following the success of Club Nur, the have launched
Girls Night Out, a weekly event for transgendered people. "I felt that
there is a segment of the community who do not have many options as to
where to go," says Sarkissian. "Unfortunately, the transgenedered are
often rejected even by the gay and lesbian community as something we
don’t understand and identify with as a community in large," he goes
on to explain. "And you don’t have to be living as a transgendered
person in order to come and enjoy this night. It’s for everyone,
really," says Khudyan. This attempt to diversify is also a business
decision. But both men have full-time jobs, Hrair as marketing manager
for a television trade association and Gevorg as mortgage broker, but
neither can retire on the income from the club. "It’s nice extra money
every week," stresses Hrair. "I would not do this for money," says
Gevorg, "I’m doing it because I love everybody there [at Club Nur]
together."
"To be gay and Middle Eastern you have to have a good sense of humor
to survive," says Sarkissian. Sure enough, humor and fun are what
these two well-matched partners seem to have plenty of.
– T.K.
***
Mix, baby, mix
The music is the underlying glue to all the different elements that
make up Club Nur. Without the music it would simply be a bar with
kitschy décor where you occasionally go to meet friends. The two men
that give the club the beat to which it moves are Haig Der Vartanian
and Hrach Martirosian. They alternate every Thursday night.
Each has his own distinct style and approach to music. "Haig is more
loungey, European Buddha Bar style," says Hrair Sarkissian, a
co-founding partner in the club. "Hrach is more dance," expands Gevorg
Khudyan. "You feel the music and you want to go dance." One thing is
clear: they both have a love for music and it shows. "I love the
music" is a common refrain from the club goers.
Although Der Vartanian used to spin music in and around Boston in
the past, he is now a family man and pursues this activity as a hobby;
Martirosian is very active and can be found deejaying at various
events and weddings every weekend under the moniker "DJ International"
and is hard at work launching his company, ImpressLA.com, to offer
full-service event planning. Because of the wide age range of those
present, each appeals to a different segment of patrons in attendance:
Haig’s selections tend to skew toward the older classics while Hrach
appeals to the younger clientele.
Playing in the club environment is different from the much more
regimented weddings in which Martirosian usually finds himself. "Club
Nur gives me a chance to experiment and have fun," he says. He
describes himself as a "fusion DJ" and finds new mixes to incorporate
into the selections he plays at weddings. It is an unexpected venue
for DJ International to find himself. "Some people were shocked, some
are surprised, some are very cool [about it]. But at the end of the
conversation they’re all okay with it," he explains. He definitely
feels changed by the Club Nur experience and believes he has become
less judgmental of people. "Armenians are great people and always find
each other," he says proudly, "I’ve enjoyed meeting new people and now
have many friends there."
Both men incorporate all genres of music but predominantly focus on
Arabic. "Both Persians and Armenians react to Arabic," Martirosian
says, "Arabic music is more universal in the Middle Eastern world."
The gyrating bodies of every shape and color are a testament to the
truth behind this statement.
– T.K.
DJ Hrach Selections
Armenian
Levon Abrahamian – Taran Taran
Harout Pamboukjian – Yerker
Andy – Maral
Aram Asatryan – 7:40
Armenchik – Havata
Arabic
D.J. Nader – Bersha Bersha
Hisham Abbas – Ala Yababa
Greek
Pantazis – Kiss Kiss
Latin/Arab
Shakira – Hips Don’t Lie
Persian
Sandy – Yalla Yalla
Omed – Hit The Door
conect:
************ ************************************************** *************
7. Remembering George Mgrdichian, through his own words
by John R. Bashian
Editor’s note: An April 29 memorial service at St. Illuminator’s
Armenian Cathedral marked the anniversary of the passing of oud
virtuoso George Mgrdichian, who died a year ago at age 71. The service
was conducted by Fr. Mesrob Lakissian.
The article below, originally published in the Armenian Reporter in
Oct. 1976, is presented here as a remembrance of one of the great
musical figures of the Armenian-American community, who greatly helped
to popularize Armenian and Middle-Eastern music in the wider culture.
John Bashian’s interview with Mr. Mgrdichian was conducted in
conjunction with a concert in New York’s Alice Tully Hall under the
sponsorship of the Eastern Armenian Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic
Church.
"Harmony in the universe is based on struggle, conflict."
– Avedik Isahakian
NEW YORK – Imagine yourself a child, coming home from an afternoon of
play — running up the rickety stairs of a tenement building, sliding
a baseball bat along the bannister ("Hey you, I’m trying to get some
sleep!" comes a voice from behind a wall). The slammed door quickens
your pace, until two tired-looking shoes wipe their "faces" on a mat
and the door unlocks.
Entering, everything seems unusually quiet, as if your secure, tidy
home decided to take a vacation from a world of homework, baseball,
and a biting autumn wind.
Ah, but you suddenly remember, Mama went shopping with your brother and…
"George, is that you?"
In front of a living room window a man sits by an easel, dabs a thin
brush into a soft mound of blue, then carefully covers a small white
space on the canvas sky. Words are unimportant for the young boy; only
a moving hand matters…
Today, in an elegant home nestled on a hill outside New York City,
George Mgrdichian, renowned concert oudist, continues to reflect on
his father’s landscape scenes.
"I felt he had a deep-rooted understanding of beauty; a gentle
personality who could appreciate the aesthetic qualities of life and
visualize them in the form of landscape paintings."
Like Zorba, longing for the earth — for a place to plant his seed
and reap the rewards.
"Yes, he always spoke and continues to talk about the basics of
life; know who you are and what you want. And always within the
Armenian mode."
And for many children growing up in Philadelphia, it wasn’t easy
maintaining a distinct language and tradition, recalls Mgrdichian. "I
played with all types of people — Italians, Irish, Jews. But
unfortunately, nobody knew what an Armenian was!"
At times neither did he. What to do about that? Ask questions!
Indeed, young George filled his mind with the stories his parents
related of how they came to America, of their dreams, and of the
tragedies of a people.
"I used to have as a baby-sitter an old, retired, gentleman. I was
constantly asking him about the old days in Armenia; I wanted to
re-live those experiences; to be part of the whole adjustment to a new
country."
It was this kind of exposure which created a void within Mgrdichian,
a need to not only absorb their trials and compassions, but to send
them right back — in this case, as the oud.
"What better way to express the sadness and joys of life," says
George Mgrdichian. "The oud, on one level, is my father’s paintbrush;
the song is the landscape — open, arid free, reaching put to touch
the world."
Music was ever-present in the Mgrdichian home. First, it was present
in the form of sung Armenian folk songs, and the magic of radio and
classical music. Later, it flowed from Mgrdichian himself, when he
played the clarinet. Encouragement played an important role: his
brother and mother thought young George would become a symphonic
clarinetist.
"But all along, my father knew it would be the oud."
And why did he concertize it?
"Well, in the early years, I was very much involved in the Armenian
dance band scene. And today they still perform a vital function by
bringing the Armenian community together," he muses. "However, I had
to go in the other direction — to reveal the oud as an ‘individual,’
alone, performing all types of music, from the Renaissance ballad to
Dave Brubeck."
Asked about in early review in the New York Daily News, wherein
columnist Sidney Fields called George Mgrdichian "a young man who
seldom smiles," it was the musician’s charming wife Sonia who gave
part of the answer.
"I want to show you something," she said, entering a small den and
pointing to a wall covered with various photos of her husband. "Not
one with even a hint of a smile!"
"No, not quite," George added. "During the interview with Sidney
Fields, I had played an Armenian folk song and there was no reaction
on my face. It’s not in my make-up to compete with the oud. If I did,
I would lose my audience."
Talking of the 60s in New York brought back memories of his
education at the Juilliard School of Music, of Aram Arakelian. and of
the interesting friends he had made — many now scattered in the
suburbs. And of course, a small, inconspicuous club in the Village
called Harout’s.
"I played for four hours every day, to Armenians, to many artists,
writers, and educators. It was great advertising and helped build a
reputation. The club is gone and the environment there has changed.
I’ve played with a small band at the Cafe Feenjon, but very
irregularly. My time is devoted to concerts, recordings, composing
background music for television and movies, and, always experimenting
with different sounds, arranging it for the oud."
For those wondering who "Aram Arakelian" is, envision an album cover
of a shadowy figure, wrapped in a robe, hunched over an oud, above it
the title: "The Oud."
"I was under contract for Roulette," explains George. "But Carleton
asked me to do an album. I had to make it seem that someone else was
playing while I just did the arrangement."
"And even now, I hear a lot in that record," he reflects. "As an
Armenian, I hear the basics — the soul of the player meeting the soul
of the oud. I relate everything to my Armenianism."
This feeling has been shared with and understood by Sonia. "It’s
amazing how much I’ve come to appreciate not only music but many
artistically inclined people," she says. "As far as my own career —
well, I enjoy doing the behind-the-scenes business for George."
"There must be an exchange of convictions in any marriage," George
says. "A good relationship is based on love and the stimulation of
each other’s intelligence."
And if, suddenly, he had to give up the oud?
"Ever since I was a child, I knew I would be in the arts," says
George Mgrdichian. Then, gazing out the window, to a sun sinking far
below the horizon, he adds: "A painter… Maybe a painter…"
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