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PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, February 25, 2010
AGBU Sofia Chamber Orchestra Enters Fourth Season
The AGBU Sofia Chamber Orchestra, which was founded by AGBU Sofia, began
its fourth season on October 4, 2009 with a concert entitled "Autumn
Motives" in the hall of the NMA Pancho Vladigerov Academy, which was
full of enthusiastic people. The concert, conducted by Maestro Bedros
Papazyan, started with the premiere of the "Aznavour" Suite, specially
composed by the Bulgarian composer Vassil Spassov for the orchestra and
"devoted to the Armenian Cause all over the world." Also performed were
well-known jazz compositions arranged and performed by the Vassil
Spassov Jazz Trio, featuring guest jazz singer Militsa Gladnishka,
saxophonist Peter Momchev and double bassist Martin Doykin.
The second concert of the autumn season, "Flight to Eternity," took
place on November 22, 2009 at the Concert Hall of the Bulgarian National
Conservatory and was conducted by the famous Bulgarian composer Georgi
Andreev. Its program included works by Gomidas, Vivaldi and Bach, plus
Andreev’s powerful symphony "Phoenix," which was dedicated to the
Armenian Genocide and presented for the second time with this chamber
orchestra. In three parts, "Fire," "Complaint" and "Armenian Dance," the
symphony presents the suffering of the Armenians, the terror of the
extermination, and finally the coming back to life. The new name in the
evening’s concert program was Nelly Andreeva, Georgi’s wife, who sang
two songs, one of which was Gomidas’ "Hoy Nazan."
AGBU Sofia Chamber Orchestra gave its final autumn concert, "It’s
Christmas," on December 20, 2009, with Maestro Papazyan conducting. Some
30 children from the town of Pazardjik participated with songs and
dances composed by Haygashot Agasian. In addition, more than 100 toys,
which had been donated to AGBU Sofia Chapter by the Armenian businessman
Kegham Ghazarian, were distributed to all the children present, after
the concert. The highlight of the program, however, was the presentation
of the Bulgarian edition of Turkish-Armenian lawyer Fethiye Cetin’s book
"My Grandmother," which was translated, published and presented by
Ararat News Publishing-ANP. A beautiful commemorative plaque was given
to Fethiye Cetin by AGBU Sofia Chapter. Following the concert, YP Sofia
organized a welcome dinner for Cetin and Ararat News Publishing.
Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian program, annually touching the
lives of some 400,000 Armenians around the world.
For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit