GRADUATE STUDENT PERFORMS SOUNDS OF HOME: ARMENIAN-BORN PIANIST HOPES RECITAL WILL HELP BRIDGE CULTURAL GAP
Matt Erler
Ball State Daily News, IN –
June 7 2007
When Anna Vanesyan came to Ball State from Armenia in 2002, she
was surprised to find that despite Muncie’s cultural and geographic
distance from her home country, students in the School of Music both
embraced her culture and the music that came from it. Vanesyan was
able to transition to the new country while resting in the comfort
of familiar sounds.
"In the music school they are not only tolerant of other cultures,
but want to go deep, and see other cultures and have more knowledge
about other cultures," Vanesyan said. "I think that’s very important
for musicians." Friday, the Armenian-born Ball State student will
present a series of compositions by Armenian composer Alexander
Arutunian at 8 p.m. in Sursa Hall.
James Helton, associate professor of Music Performance, said the
Armenian style of music required musicians who were adept at playing
music from different cultures.
"Any time you play music from a different culture – all music has
elements of its cultures – when you play music from other cultures
you want to find ways to bring out that flavor. You come away with an
idea of the flavor – like trying a different food, there’s a certain
kind of spice in it."
Despite the language barrier between the composer of the pieces
and some of the performers, Vanesyan believes the spirit of the
compositions won’t be lost.
"They feel the spirit of Armenian music so well," Vanesyan said. "It
doesn’t matter that the composer that wrote this music speaks Russian
or Armenian."
In addition to Helton’s performance with Vanesyan, retired professor
of music Mary Hagopian will sing a traditional Armenian lullaby.
Vanesyan hopes the performance will help illustrate that despite
language barriers and cultural differences, people can unite. In many
ways, Vanesyan said the recital is a way for Vanesyan to give back to
the Ball State and Muncie community, as well as represent her country.
But on a broader level, Vanesyan believes that music can change the
world. She repeatedly and steadfastly repeats this claim. She hopes
that the recital will help.
"With music we can build understanding because music is the universal
language," Vanesyan said. "Especially nowadays when we have wars and
conflicts and misunderstandings. Something is wrong in the world. But
music can change the world."
Vanesyan grew up in Yarevan, Armenia, located North of Iran, South
of Georgia and East of Turkey. Armenia was part of the Soviet Union
from the end of World War II to 1991.
In 2002, Vanesyan came to the United States aided by the Edward
Muskie Fellowship, and received her masters from Ball State. After
returning to Armenia for two years to teach at Yerevan Komitas State
Conservatory, where Vanesyan received her bachelors degree, she
returned to Ball State to pursue her doctorate in piano performance.
This is Vanesyan’s 24th solo performance. Arutunian’s pieces have
never been performed in Muncie.
Vanesyan said her performance will help Muncie citizens embrace her
culture like her fellow students did five years ago.
"We all are the same," she said. "Sometimes we speak the same language,
but we don’t understand each other. In any case music will unite
them all."