Armenian Cultural Foundation

The Armenian Cultural Foundation and co-sponsor Amaras Arts Alliance are presenting "Senza Misura: An Homage to Alan Hovhaness," the classical composer who grew up in Arlington (1911-2000).

Cellist Christina Gullans joins the Armenian Cultural Foundation to host Senza Misura (“Without Measure”), a chamber music concert dedicated to Alan Hovhaness’ life and narratives. The program of duos and trios, for violin, cello and piano, is inspired by mountains, Bach, Hindu mythology, love and Hovhaness’ own Armenian heritage as well as works by Armenian women composers.

The concert, free of charge and open to the public, and will be presented at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 15, on YouTube >> 

The concert will offer listeners a cross-cultural experience about foreign traditions, people and places, in a musical setting endowed with empathy and understanding.

The concert, co-sponsored by the Amaras Art Alliance is part of the Armenian Cultural Foundation's Mirak Chamber Music Series, which aims to place the world’s finest classical music in the center of cultural life for the Armenian community in Boston and for the general public in Arlington.

It will feature cellist Gullans, praised for her “incredible depth” [Broadway World Review], “haunting sound” [Boston Arts Review], “exemplary musicianship” [Guy Rickards, Musical Opinion]. She is a Washington, D.C.-based chamber musician who will be joined by violinist Courtney Orlando and pianist Christopher Schmitt.

The repertoire includes a work, "Seyran" by Komitas (1869-1935), musicologist, composer and the founder of the Armenian national school of music, arranged by award-winning young and promising composer and pianist Kristina Arakelyan and Piano Trio (1945) composed by composer and musicologist Gayane Chebotaryan (1918-1998), among the prominent woman composers of Armenia.

The Mirak Chamber Music series, is named in memory of John P. Mirak (1907-2000), entrepreneur, philanthropist, community leader, sole benefactor for decades and late president of the ACF.

In line with the foundation’s mission, the focus of the series is “on the history of Armenian music in the diaspora and on the role of Armenian women in the nation’s history.” The series showcases works by international and Armenian composers, with an emphasis on introducing works by Armenian women composers in Armenia and the diaspora. On occasion, the series will also feature and promote young and promising performers as well as groups and premieres of newly written works.

For more details, contact the ACF office during office hours 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays at 781-646-3090. 

Feb. 3, 2020: Ordinary origins: From immigrants, a foundation grew

April 19, 2015: Mirak family rose from ashes of genocide

This news announcement was published Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021. The writer is Ara Ghazarians, curator of the Armenian Cultural Foundation of Arlington.