PRESS RELEASE
Analysis Research and Planning for Armenia (ARPA) Foundation
P.O.Box 33603, Granada Hills, CA 91394
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 818-586-9660
Organization: ARPA Institute
Venue: Merdinain Armenian Evangelical School in Sherman Oaks
Event: Lecture -Free to the public
Date/Time: February 25, 2010 at 7:30 pm
Address: 13330 Riverside Dr. Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
Abstract This talk will outline the scope of creative contributions to
the Armenian culture by the colorful gusan/ashughs and their vocal –
instrumental performances; the intuitive improvisations on traditional
folk songs of the Armenian peasants in the context of every day
rituals; the rich yield of sacred music by monastic hymn composers of
medieval centuries, and the daring steps taken by contemporary
composers in the westernization process of the nation’s
music. Reciprocity between these diverse styles will be featured with
musical examples, and the role of the general public in the Armenian
musical culture will also be underlined.
Speaker: Lucina Agbabian Hubbard is a frequent presenter of talks at
seminars and workshops on a wide range of topics related to the
Armenian musical culture. She is adjunct instructor at USC Thornton
School of Music, presently in her twentieth year of teaching the
following full semester courses: `Introduction to Armenian Music’ and
`Armenian Musical Culture’. Ms. Agbabian was lecturer in the
Ethnomusicology Department at UCLA, in the Teachers’ Training Program
at La Verne University, singer and artistic director in concerts of
Armenian music in diverse venues in North America. Her fieldwork and
archival research was conducted at the Mkhitarist Monastic Libraries
of Venice and Vienna, in State and private libraries of Armenia, as
well as at the Yerevan Komitas Conservtory of Music under the
scholarly direction of professors Robert Atayan, Nigoghos Tahmizian
and Margaret Proudyan.