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The Armenian Weekly; Volume 74, No. 7; Feb. 23, 2008
Community:
1. Bohjalian Wows Crowd in Newburyport
By Tom Vartabedian
2. Hakhnazaryan Wins Young Concert Artists Competition
3. St. Stephen’s Ordains Baljian into Priesthood
4. ALMA Hosts Reception for ‘Ballad of Life’ Exhibit
5. A Man Called Sooren Apkarian
By Betty Apigian Kessel
6. Hairenik Mourns Shadigian
***
1. Bohjalian Wows Crowd in Newburyport
By Tom Vartabedian
NEWBURYPORT, Mass. (A.W.)-From this small seaport community which recently
ended its ties with the No Place for Hate program, on came a best-selling
Armenian-American author to lend a fresh new perspective.
Chris Bohjalian, a writer from Lincoln, Vt., author of numerous books that
have climbed aboard the New York Times list, presented a special Valentine’s
book-signing on Feb. 14 at the popular Jabberwocky Bookshop.
Bohjalian read from his current novel The Double Bind and introduced yet
another new work called Skeletons at the Feast, slated for release May 6.
Best known for his books Midwives and The Buffalo Soldier, Bohjalian was an
instant hit when he appeared at the podium. Speaking with assurance, he
reviewed his newspaper career and that of literary prominence.
He admitted that his half-Armenian identity did him proud and went a long
way toward inspiring success in the medium. Bohjalian also continues his
weekly Sunday column with the Burlington Free Press in Vermont, where he
currently resides with his family.
Many of his popular pieces caught the reader’s attention in another
publication called "Idyll Banter," a chronicle of his personal life and a
compendium of set pieces that have foreshadowed scenes and themes from his
novels.
"There’s no doubt that Chris Bohjalian has established himself as one of
America’s finest, most thoughtful, and most humane writers," says reviewer
Howard Frank Mosher.
The line formed at the rear as patrons gathered to meet the author with
books in hand. Many dallied at the table to get acquainted, including a
local writer or two.
Bohjalian attributed much of his success to "some good people around him,"
and the many contacts he has made in the middle of a friendly Vermont
village.
In answer to a question, three other books he wrote never saw the light of
day due to one reason or another. One had to do with the Armenian genocide.
Skeletons of the Feast is set in January 1945 in the waning months of World
War II, during which a small group of people begin the longest journey of
their lives: an attempt to cross the remnants of the Third Reich from Warsaw
to the Rhine in order to reach the British and American lines.
Bohjalian mentioned the pride he had in his heritage, which drew applause
>From Armenians in the group.
His appearance here produced a lot of hype in the local press.
Bohjalian left Newburyport for a whirlwind tour of the country to promote
his book as part of an authors’ series in several communities.
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2. Hakhnazaryan Wins Young Concert Artists Competition
NEW YORK-On Jan. 19, Pius Cheung, a 25-year-old Chinese-Canadian marimbist,
and Narek Hakhnazaryan, a 19-year-old Armenian cellist, were announced the
first prize winners of the 2008 Young Concert Artist’s International
Auditions, held at the 92nd St. YMCA. They were chosen from 15 finalists,
who were selected out of 261 applicants from 36 countries.
Each first prize winner was awarded a $5,000 career development grant, and
will be presented in debuts in the 2008-09 Young Concert Artists Series
Carnegie’s Zankel Hall in New York; at the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater
in Washington, D.C.; at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.
The other 13 finalists were awarded second prize and a cash award of $1,000.
They included Satenik Khourdoian, a 24-year-old French violinist.
The winners join the roster of Young Concert Artist’s Inc., which offers a
minimum of three years of management services, including concert
engagements, promotion and career development. Young Concert Artists has
been discovering and launching the careers of extraordinary musicians since
1961.
The members of the jury for the final auditions were Stephen Burns
(trumpet/conductor), Daniel Druckman (marimba), Pamela Frank (violin), Gary
Graffman (piano), Marya Martin (flute), Robert McDuffie (violin), Roberto
Montenegro (conductor), Scott Nickrenz (viola), Lorraine Nubar (voice), Toby
Saks (cello), Geoffrey Simon (conductor/cello), Ignat Solzhenitsyn
(conductor/piano), Paul Sperry (voice), Ilana Vered (piano) and Susan
Wadsworth (chairman). The semi-finals jury included Ani Kavafian (violin),
Jon Manasse (clarinet), Ken Noda (piano/voice) and Jeffrey Swann (piano).
Hakhnazaryan’s prize of $5,000 is sponsored by the Paul A. Fish Memorial
Fund. At the auditions, he was awarded the Jerome L. Greene Foundation Prize
(which will sponsor his New York debut at Carnegie’s Zankel Hall), the Ruth
Laredo Memorial Prize, the Slomovic Orchestra Soloist Prize, the
Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival Prize, the Buffalo Chamber Music
Society Prize, the Candlelight Concert Society Prize, the Princeton
University Concert’s Prize, the Roberto Montenegro Prize and the Saint
Vincent College Series Prize.
Hakhnazaryan was born in 1988 in Yerevan into a family of musicians; his
father is a violinist and his mother is a pianist. His early studies were at
the Sayat Nova School of Music in Yerevan with Zareh Sarkisyan. At the age
of 12, he began studying at the Moscow Conservatory with Alexey Seleznyov.
Hakhnazaryan is a laureate of several international competitions, having won
first prize in the 2006 Aram Khachaturian International Competition in
Armenia and fifth prize at the 2007 Tchaikovsky International Competition in
Moscow. He has received scholarships from the Rostropovich Russian
Performing Arts Fund, and has performed in Russia, Europe, Greece and
Turkey.
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3. St. Stephen’s Ordains Baljian into Priesthood
WATERTOWN, Mass. (A.W.)-On Feb. 16 and 17, Deacon Nishan Vahe Vartkes
Baljian became ordained to the Holy Priesthood at St. Stephen’s Armenian
Apostolic Church.
Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian acted as Baljian’s religious sponsor and Col.
George Rustigan (USAF, Ret.) as Baljian’s godfather in his ascension to the
priesthood.
The English word "ordination" connotes ordering by rank. In the Armenian
Church, as in all ancient churches of the Christian East, clergy are ordered
by the ranks of bishop, priest and deacon (known as the Major Orders). The
Armenian Church also ordains men and women to the Minor Orders of reader,
doorkeeper, acolyte and healer of the sick.
The Armenian word for ordination is tsernatrootyun; its root words being,
tserk (hand), and tir (from tnel, or "to put"). The word connotes the laying
on of hands by the bishop, which is essential for ordination in the
Christian Church.
This practice originated with the Apostles in the earliest days of
Christianity [Acts 6:1-6] and signifies the conferring of authority. Just as
priests and deacons are ordained by the laying on of hands, a bishop and the
Catholicos are consecrated in the same manner.
Ordination is one of the Armenian Church’s 7 sacraments. The list of
sacraments also includes: baptism, chrismation (confirmation), repentance,
Holy Communion, marriage and extreme unction (prayers for the sick).
While technically it is the Sunday portion of the ritual that is called the
"Service of Ordination," Saturday’s evening portion, the "Service of
Calling," is an important step on the path to priesthood.
While verses of the hymn Naya I Mez (Look Upon Us) are sung, the sponsoring
priest and the other clergy lead the candidate on his knees down the center
aisle of the sanctuary, stopping at intervals to petition the ordaining
bishop for permission to approach and to speak.
By walking down the aisle on his knees, the candidate for priesthood in the
Armenian Church is demonstrating his humility and willingness to serve God,
his superior clergy and the Armenian people.
The service ends with the candidate’s recitation of the long form of the
Armenian profession of faith, confirming all that he believes.
During Saturday’s evening service, Bishop Tanielian affirmed Baljian’s
worthiness and readiness for ordination. The ordination ceremony continued
Sunday during Badarak. Within the Armenian Church, all ordinations to the
major orders take place in the context of Badarak.
The new priest emerges from the vestry and the bishop anoints his forehead
and hands with holy oil (soorp muron).
Lastly, the bishop places the chalice and paten (the vessels in which Holy
Communion is prepared) into the priest’s hands and instills in the new
priest the authority to bless and to prepare and distribute the Eucharist,
the latter of which the new priest will wait until his first Badarak to do
for the first time.
The new priest then gives his first official blessing to the congregation,
saying for the first time a phrase that he will utter countless times over
the course of his life: Khaghaghootyoon amenetsoon, "Peace Be to All."
A banquet ceremony followed the ordination at St. Stephen’s Armenian
Cultural Educaton Center honoring the new Der Hayr, Stepan Baljian.
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4. A Man Called Sooren Apkarian
By Betty Apigian Kessel
Sooren Apkarian leads a full and ambitious life. He has a burning passion
for being Armenian, demonstrated by his deep emersion into Armenian history
and politics (while staying abreast of the same American issues). He has
found his 40-year membership in the Detroit ARF Azadamart Gomideh to be very
rewarding and encourages youths to follow in his footsteps. He has made
several trips to Armenia fulfilling a passion to connect with relatives
there.
This longing led him to teach himself to write in Armenian. It really had
its beginnings at age 10, when his parents observed his keen interest in
learning and sent him to the ARS school located in the back of the srjaran
(coffee house). To this day, he blesses the devotion of the ARS ladies.
Apkarian, 81, is one of six first-generation-born siblings of immigrant
parents Simon Apkarian, born in Shirak, Historic Armenia, and Varsenik
(Dourian), born in Shoulavar, Georgia, who after much tribulation eventually
settled in South Dearborn, escaping from the genocide. Presently, Sooren and
Vicky, his bride of 58 years, reside in Melvindale, Mich. They have three
daughters Denise, Carol and Loretta. Like all the survivors, his parents
suffered tremendous hardship, bearing the scars of horrible cruelties only a
genocide can leave upon humans. But also like all the survivors they adapted
to life in America.
Good Ol’ Salina Street
He grew up in the Salina Street ethnic neighborhood amongst Ukrainians,
Poles, Hungarians, Italians and Armenians. "I feel sorry for today’s kids.
They have too much, know too much and have no imagination. We created our
own fun." According to Sooren they played bocci ball, football, shot and
collected marbles, and waded in the street after a downpour. They had their
own swimming hole created by a brick company digging a huge hole where they
got the clay needed to make bricks. When it filled up with water, the unclad
guys took a leap of faith from the top of the steam shovel into the murky
"lake."
So what if your knees were scarred from falling off your bike while riding
on streets paved with cinders. Nearby vacant land owned by the Ford Motor
Company for employee gardens became an open season "salad bowl" for
neighborhood kids who raided the carrot, cabbage and potato patches. Would a
bunch of kids today call sitting ’round an outdoor fire waiting for a potato
to roast, fun? Such was the growing up for this generation.
He credits the Boys Club as another bonding agent that held the spirits of
underprivileged kids together. "I made a few bucks picking cherries in
northern Michigan’s Traverse City while out-door camping. In the summer of
’42, I got a job on a passenger ship sailing all the Great Lakes and
Georgian Bay. Graduation was followed by a stint in the United States
Maritime Services.
Sooren Apkarian, the Author
Apkarian has authored two books, My Armenian Heritage and Unionism, both
available on Amazon and Lulu. Profits from the sales of his book on Armenia
will be used to benefit his fellow Hyes and sent directly to Armenia. His
family history is documented for posterity. He has documented so much
information in Heritage, which gives a glimpse into the life and times of a
first-generation Armenian growing up in an urban city-a reflection of life
for so many.
At age 58, Apkarian retired from the Detroit Steel Corp. after serving in
every union position. His daughter Denise Apkarian Panatonni lives and works
in London, England, and says this about her modest father: "He is a warrior
fighting for his working colleagues. He battled management for fair pay,
increased paid vacation and enhanced benefits. His success in these endavors
led management to have Sooren come back as a management consultant."
Apkarian is a very spiritual man, having read The Holy Bible cover to cover.
He attends St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church in Dearborn, Mi, saying it
gives him great tranquility. He is a music lover and plays the guitar. Also
known as "Toots", his interests include too, as I’ve learned to adapt the
principals of a Dashnag from my father."
Apkarian-Panatonni was also instrumental in and attended the dedication of
the cross memorial in Cardiff, Wales last month called the "Temple of
Peace." She was the first to relay the news to Hye Beat within hours that
the cross was smashed by vandals, suspected to be Turks, with the hammer
used in the destruction still lying nearby.
In conclusion Sooren Apkarian says, "I’m glad I had three daughters. The
love Vicky and I gave came back three fold. Life went by fast like a dream
and that old Biblical verse does merit recognition: "As you sow, so shall
you reap."
So you see, quiet men in reality are seldom quiet. The "noise" they make
speaks for itself in their accomplishments. When you start inquiring, you
discover one column alone does not do justice to a man like Sooren Apkarian.
May his "quiet" continue for a long, long time.
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5. ALMA Hosts Reception for ‘Ballad of Life’ Exhibit
WATERTOWN, Mass. (A.W.)-On Feb. 10, the Armenian Library and Museum of
America (ALMA) hosted a reception for its PhotoEmerge 2008 exhibit titled
"The Ballad of Life." Curated by Naveed Nour, it runs from Feb. 1-29.
The exhibit features the photography of artists Jeffrey Engel, Jason
Jedrusiak, Kate Russell Jones, George Libbares, Marcus Stern and Melanie
Thornton.
Nour characterized the exhibit by stating that it’s "an exhibit featuring 6
bodies of work, a story by each artist that collectively looks at various
aspects of existence. Dreams, surrealism, nostalgia, reality and religion
are among the themes of stories narrated by photographers, who with their
vision will take you to different grounds."
He added, "Each collection hums its own melody, but together they chant the
ballad of life."
"Lonely Leesa," vocalist for the Boston area Indie Rock group "Lonely Leesa
and the Lost Cowboys," performed for all in attendance.
For more information about the photography and artists included in "The
Ballad of Life" exhibit, visit
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6. Hairenik Mourns Shadigian
He was a soft-spoken man and, typical to his character, departed from this
world silently. Months after his death, a woman contacted us by phone. She
said that her father, who was from Indianapolis, Ind., has passed away, and
could the Hairenik Weekly please discontinue his subscription?
The words Indianapolis and Hairenik could only remind us of one name: Vandos
Shadigian. And through that phone call, the Hairenik Association received
the sad news of the passing of one of its close friends.
Vandos, a dedicated ARF member, attended Tufts University and Franklin
Technical College, receiving a degree in chemical engineering. Awarded over
20 patents, his most important scientific contribution to society was
discovering an environmentally friendly alternative to toxic PCB’s used in
capacitors.
A master chess player, polyglot, music lover, prideful Armenian and great
analytical mind, the charismatic Vandos is greatly missed by his loving
family: wife Mary, residing in Indianapolis; daughters, Elizabeth and Vanda;
and grandchildren Katherine, Claire, Karina and Cary, residing in Ann Arbor,
Mich.
On the occasion of the first anniversary of his passing, the Armenian Weekly
published an article about this dedicated Armenian’s life. The Hairenik
Weekly, in turn, published his biography and reprinted one of Vandosb’s
articles from earlier issues of the Hairenik.
May he rest in peace.
Z.T.