ACCLAIMED OPERA SINGER WILL PERFORM AT CENTER
Dearborn Press and Guide – MI
Dec 1 2009
On Friday, acclaimed Soprano singer Isabel Bayrakdarian will perform
at the Dearborn Ford Center for the Performing Arts. The performance
is hosted by the St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church located at
19300 Ford Rd.
"It’s a benefit recital for the church," Bayrakdarian said. "I
feel very loyal to all the Armenian Churches because of what they
indirectly do to my own spiritual life. I am very happy to be able
to do my share to help the church."
Born in Lebanon and now a citizen of Canada, Bayrakdarian has
traveled many places performing alone and with her pianist husband,
Serouj Kradjian.
"Wherever I am in the world I go to the Armenian Church. It’s all
the same at every church – the service. I can always fit in and have
a sense of community and belonging in a foreign place." Bayrakdarian
said.
Bayrakdarian and Kradjian have a two year old boy, Ari Kradjian,
whom travels with Bayrakdarian.
"I don’t think many kids his age have had to have two passports. He’s
literally been around the world," Bayrakdarian said. "You find home
is where your family is."
Bayrakdarian is the youngest child in a family with six children.
Bayrakdarian’s mother was the choir director at their local church.
"Music literally began filling my ears before I was born. My mom
made us all sing in the choir and if all the older ones are singing,
the littlest one has to sing because there’s no one to babysit,"
Bayrakdarian said. "Armenian Church music has been with me since
the beginning."
Not only is Bayrakdarian a world-traveling Soprano, she also holds an
honors degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Toronto.
"I have a very analytical mind. In school I was always good in math
and science. It made sense that I would go into a field that would
maximize those assets," Bayrakdarian said.
Bayrakdarian did not plan on becoming a professional singer. She began
taking singing lessons so she could sing better in her church choir.
It was not until her last year of college when she won a Metropolitan
competition in New York that she began to find a career in singing.
"I’ve never looked back," Bayrakdarian said. "But my mind hasn’t
changed. In the beginning it was an incredible source of confidence to
have the knowledge that I am more than the sound I’m producing. To know
that I’m not just a voice, but a mind as well was very comforting. The
artistic expression gives me such inner joy though."
"We’re looking forward to the show because some of it will showcase
the Armenian culture which is spoken to the hearts of people,"
Chairman of the PR Committee for St. Sarkis, Robert Kachadourian said.
"The songs will be familiar to the audience and in the native
language."
"It should be a wonderful program. It has a lot of variety. Definitely
a journey of cultures," Bayrakdarian said.
Bayrakdarian performace will be Dec. 4 at 8 p.m. at the Dearborn Ford
Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets range from $25-$50 and can
be purchased in advance by calling (313) 943-2354.
"It’s an opera for the people," Kachadourian said.