CSUF GETS A TASTE OF ARMENIAN CULTURE
Joshua Burton

The Daily Titan
Feb 13 2008
CA

Traditional songs as well as choreographed dances are the focus of
the show

PrintEmail Article Tools Page 1 of 2 next > A night of traditional
Armenian dance and music performances marked the first installment
of a series of annual world music concerts at the Meng Concert Hall
at Cal State Fullerton.

The evening featured the Chookasian Armenian Concert Ensemble,
a world-traveling group that plays classic Armenian songs with
traditional instruments.

Also on stage were the Glendale-based Zvartnos Armenian Folk Dancers.

Lavishly costumed, they opened the evening with five choreographed
Armenian dances.

The turnout for the evening was surprising, even to Laura Lohman, an
assistant professor of ethnomusicology and musicology at CSUF. She
has spearheaded the event since last fall and couldn’t have been
happier with its success.

The concert last Friday marked the first time they had combined the
traditional folk music with contemporary compositions by Armenian
artists.

Some of the songs performed had been in the Armenian culture for
around 2,000 years.

"The music is of an accessible style for everyone," Lohman said.

"Even for those who don’t have experience with traditional Armenian
music."

News of the concert spread with the support of Armenian churches and
organizations in the area.

What was originally supposed to be a concert held in front of under 200
at the CSUF Recital Hall sold out four weeks before the show, prompting
a change of plans that put the performance in the Meng Concert Hall,
which seated 485 people the night of the event, Lohman said.

"There’s a large, close-knit society of Armenians in the area,"
said Phyllis Pivar, an Anaheim resident. She showed up to enjoy the
Armenian dance styles on display.

John Chookasian, the director and clarinetist of the music ensemble,
darted through the crowd any chance he could to greet the people
in attendance.

Chookasian’s band has played before heads of state and numerous
colleges and toured the world several times.

They are a staple in the effort to preserve traditional Armenian
music and have even received the National Gold Medal Award after a
performance before Armenian President Robert Kocharian.

Chookasian, however, said he is always excited to play his music in
front of those who appreciated it.

"We’ve played in theaters with not a single Armenian in the seats,"
Chookasian said.

The evening was a celebration of the rich culture and music of Armenia.

The subjects of the songs varied. Some represented love and longing
while others were prayers.

Some had messages as simple as a mother insisting that her children
eat well so they grow up tall.

Many of the songs were written by Armenian immigrants in America
paying homage to their place of birth.

The need to preserve the Armenian culture was a strong sentiment
throughout the show.

Chookasian spoke between different songs and described the origin
of each one. He finished the night by urging the audience to rally
support for the Armenian traditions.

"Three hundred thousand of our people died in the Armenian genocide,
but we’re still here," Chookasian said at the end of the concert.

The performance and events like it are strongly supported by the
Armenian community, a support which could be felt in the words of
the audience afterward.

"It brings diversity," said Alex Der Alexanian, an Orange County
Armenian activist. "It teaches the community new cultures they might
not know from their usual experiences."

Lohman said she hopes the strong attendance and support of big names
like Chookasian will attest to the potential of CSUF’s music department
to be a leading destination for world music performances.