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AGOS: ‘I want to return to my roots’

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nm_550_berge_photo_hamasyan_copy_JPG_1110World-renowned jazz pianist Tigran Hamasy next year, in various regions of Turkey is preparing to give concerts in churches. Hamasyan with family-Kars to Ani’s dream, Diyarbakır Surp Giragos Church, Van Ahtamara, the churches in Istanbul and Armenian songs give life to.

MARAL Dunk
is maraldink@agos.com.t

PHOTO: BERGEN ARABIAN

World-renowned jazz pianist Tigran Hamasy next year, in various regions of Turkey is preparing to give concerts in churches. Hamasyan with family-Kars to Ani’s dream, Diyarbakır Surp Giragos Church, Van Ahtamara, the churches in Istanbul and Armenian songs give life to. In 2006, the jazz world’s most prestigious award ‘winning the Thelonious Monk Hamasyan’l to 26-year-old great talent, come to a concert in Istanbul, where negotiations have opinions.

  • Life and art begins in Gyumri, is not it?

I was born in Gyumri. I went to three different music schools. I studied classical music for 10 years. Emigrated to the U.S. when I was 16 we moved to Los Angeles. My dad rock music, my uncle was a jazz fan. Dad’s Deep Purple, Queen, Led Zeppelin collections grew up with. I grew up in a wide variety of music. I studied jazz piano. Vahakn Hayrabety was the teacher. Then I was all alone. I have written, I have composed.

  • How did you have a life in Gyumri?

Not only in Istanbul, in Ani in Kars, Van Ahtamara, the Diyarbakır Surp Giragos in the Church, at least seven different places I want to play songs in Armenian.

Give life to this church, which formerly vivacious people, cultures want to give the soul.

 

Family with heavy … We have a huge difficulty. I was born in 1987, a year after the war began. There was an earthquake. Soviet disbanded. Very difficult years began. Our light, we did not burn. My dad gets up at 5 am, would enter the breadline. I have a brother who’s five years younger. He also artists. My father jewelery, designer clothes, but if my mother was not able to continue their business. Both those days, my life, my art has shaped both. Not only in Gyumri, Yerevan was also the year my.

  • When did you meet with the piano?

Whether musicians in Armenia is in everyone’s house piano, every action is accompanied by music, everyone sings. I grew up in my grandfather’s house. I started touching note three years, a year later, the song was playing now. When I was 10 we moved to Yerevan. There are various festivals, I have given concerts. I’d say a few groups. At the age of nine appeared on the scene and a song from the Beatles did. Then we have a family emigrated to the U.S.. My father was there I thought I could develop further. Armenia was not common in jazz. If you are rich you can direct your children to music, but it is really very difficult for a poor family. For this reason, some talented musicians, as well as doing work.

  • You’re living in Yerevan for over a year. Why did you come to Armenia?

Because it gives me more of a sense of home, there myself feel happier. This is not just something related to culture. There I am in spiritual wealth. Armenia, myself, to the world where I feel most connected. My family in Los Angeles. I go twice a year to the sides.

  • Does Yerevanl family?

Both my mother, my father’s family as well as Kars. After 1915 came to Gyumri. I learned how to escape the Holocaust was a child. My father’s grandfather and grandmother in Gyumri, met in an orphanage. Grandmother’s two brothers were sent to the United States. We have not heard from them.

  • Should be the relationship between politics and art do you think?

Politics, art and music mixing do not think that’s right. The art of politics can influence but should not inspire. I love art and still be affected by art. In general terms, the policy was influenced by music when I was doing but it does not provide an in-depth me to create something that I noticed and I walked away from that point soon. My culture and my identity with my music, my comments represent with Armenian folk songs.

  • Difficult to interpret traditional songs for a jazz musician, right?

I discovered Armenian folk music at the age of 13-14. In the beginning I was very bad reviews, arrangements remained superficial. A culture thousands of years old which is not easy to get to the bottom of the music. Folk music, and I try very hard to understand what happened when I discovered I loved, he opened the door and went inside. I learned to learn languages ​​such as music. Language was in my blood. Just to jog sense, supposed to evoke.

  • In memory as a child listening to lullabies was there?

My my lullaby, Black Sabbath songs. When I learned Armenian lullabies, I’m not a kid anymore.

  • In the mother tongue do you feel about making music?

Language paramount. Language, culture. Sad to see that people care about the protection of the language. Learning a new language is very exciting but it would be a pity if you lose your mother tongue. It’s roots come from. Bedros TURYAK can be an exciting thing to read in their mother tongue? This sequence of TURYAK, Charents I’m reading, my mind turns. Nonverbal, I’m making an album consisting of only the melody. My biggest inspiration, their poems.

  • Latest album ‘Shadow Theater (shadow theater) Where did the name come from?

Shadow theater people themselves and to understand something about life and monitors. There are only shadows on the stage, not colors. Fake love the idea of ​​an understanding of reality through something. Shadows fact that many hosts. Those who listen to the album, the songs I wanted to explore the story behind themselves, I left it to their imaginations. Traditional Armenian shadow play has also inspired me. I have friends who do it in Yerevan. After recording the album met with them. They did shadow play at a club, then we improvise together on a few songs. It was incredible.

  • What are you doing improvisations inspired by?

To improvise, to think, to imagine, but about being yourself. Impossible to describe music without music. The body, the soul, the mind must be in music. All of them, in a balance, improvisation is leading.

  • What is the first time you came to Istanbul? How did you feel here?

In 2012, I came to the festival. Tunisian musician Dhafer to Youssef’l stole. Political propaganda was confusing me. Honestly, I thought I’d leave here a moment ago. I did not want to talk to anyone. However, when people tanıştık, how cultures are intertwined and I noticed that I started to feel different. Istanbul, is a combination live, a city that opportunity to communicate. But, of course, where the Turkish nationalism, religion I see the propaganda. Armenians in Turkey were damaging to this land; On the contrary, they built, they did, they set up. Van, Kars, as refer to the regions inhabited by Armenians. Oralardaki structures, would protect culture, would boast, as did the Armenians are trying to destroy. A people, to destroy a culture … they label themselves as religious but how to go against God’s will, I do not know. In a land where my roots are sad to see a trace of myself. Return to my roots, I want to give a concert there.

  • Like what you listen and musicians from Turkey Have you?

Hosni Şenlendirici and Erkan Ogur know. I played with Ahmet Egyptians.

  • When you give a concert in Turkey?

Next year. Anatolia Kültür’l and talked to Patrikhane’yl. Not only in Istanbul, in Ani in Kars, Van Ahtamara, the Diyarbakır Surp Giragos in the Church, at least seven different places I want to play songs in Armenian. Give life to this church, which formerly vivacious people, cultures want to give the soul. This will be a personal journey for me at the same time.

  • Agos readers what you want to say?

Necessary to have wished. Armenian read, write and speak very important. Language, lose, lose identity becomes. Also, where we want to get in touch with the Armenians more. Armenia was attached to the Soviets; Would you live in a state of Turkey. Different grows, we are influenced by different cultures. ‘Diaspora’ even my word hurts. Diaspora, why? However, they were unable to have our own country … not a problem. We are all one, our roots a. Should meet more often, deeper ties should be established. A politically incorrect look at everything from the frame. Policy will die eventually. To the end, it is important that we understand how each other will be.

serjtankianSerzh Tankian’l duet

“I was amazed System of a Down. Serj Tankian live in Los Angeles. Around that everybody knows each other. Wanted to make an experimental jazz album. He knew me, she did. We played a few songs together. You want to have a piece on the album were from midas’ Garuna chose. Tankian’s vocal accompaniment on the piano in that song would. “

2 Armenians killed in Aleppo shelling

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May 1, 2014 – 15:21 AMT
178516PanARMENIAN.Net – 2 Armenians died as Armenian districts of Aleppo were shelled, with a 7th grade student Khazhak Zhakomchnyan injured, PerioNews reported.
On April 29, Raffi Hekimyan died of a gunshot wound; a Syrian army solder Armenian Willian Makaryan, 25, was killed in action on April 30.
At least 150,000 people have been killed in Syria’s three-year-old civil war, a third of them civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Before the civil war, Syria was home to 80000 Armenians. At present, about 20000 left the country – mainly for Armenia, Lebanon and the U.S. About 100000 Armenians died in Syria during 3 years of war.

Minsk to host Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting Apr 29

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April 28, 2014 – 17:24 AMT
The Supreme Eurasian Economic Council will hold a summit meeting in Minsk on April 29.
178403The presidents of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan will discuss the main cooperation fields within the Customs Union and Common Economic Space and will review the results of efforts by the three governments to prepare a draft treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union, which is expected to be signed in late May, 2014.
The Eurasian Economic Union will begin functioning on January 1, 2015.
The summit will also examine further expansion of the Eurasian economic integration process to take in more countries, including Armenia and Kyrgyzstan’s accession to the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space.
Armenia’s accession deal is expected to be inked in May.
“The deal on Armenia’s accession to the Russia-led Customs Union will be signed upon completion of talks for preservation of customs duties for a number of imported goods,” then acting economy minister Vahram Avanesyan told journalists on April 18
Armenia implemented 70% of the activities stipulated by the Customs Union accession roadmap, a presidential statement said in late March.
According to the address of Armenian leader Serzh Sargsyan to participants of the Armenia-CU conference, close cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Commission and relevant structures in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan promoted progress in Armenia’s accession activities, to be followed by signing of an international legal deal.
In his address, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev welcomed the already perceptible success that the Customs Union and Unified Economic Space members achieved in their work. He also hailed Armenia’s progress in implementation of the CU accession roadmap, according to Armenia Today.
He further noted a stable global tendency for regional integration projects to facilitate economic growth and secure investments, expressing hope for the integration to strengthen Armenian-Russian ties.
At the conference, then Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan outlined challenges of Armenia’s CU accession.
“Armenia is a member of the World Trade Organization, with customs fees instituted in the WTO space thrice as low as those in the CU area. This means that the CU accession will negatively affect business entities importing goods from third countries. On the other hand, local manufacturers might benefit from the step, in having their rights protected and investments boosted.”
As he further noted, the expected increase in customs fees might force Armenia to give preference to services and products offered by the CU states, with the difficulties that the importers of goods from third countries could face to be discussed.
According to Sargsyan, by joining WTO, Armenia assumed certain obligations which should be revised in the light of its CU accession and change in customs fees, with the negotiations to be launched on the subject.
“Armenia will complete all steps envisaged in the Customs Union accession road map in mid-April, will the CU accession deal currently in the works,” Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan said on March 1.
As Kocharyan told a news conference, once the text of the deal is coordinated with the CU member states, it will be submitted for parliamentary ratification.
A draft resolution on Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union and unified economic zone was approved at the Minsk-hosted Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting Dec 24. On Jan 23, Armenian government has approved the list of measures for joining the Customs Union.

Source: PanARMENIAN.Net

France: Television 8:40 p.m. this evening LCP The Armenian Genocide

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On the occasion of the anniversary of the roundup of Armenian intellectuals in Constantinople April 24, 1915, LCP offers to reopen the pages of history to understand the origins of the Armenian genocide, which claimed the lives of more than arton99194-480x322one million Armenian.

There 99 years, April 24, 1915, the arrest of more than 600 leaders and intellectuals Armenians, in an orderly Constantinople by the nationalist Young Turks, while the government in the Ottoman Empire raid, sealed the fate two-thirds of the Armenians of Anatolia.

Between a million and a million and a half Armenians accused of conspiracy in favor of the Russians, while Turkey had to engage in the First World War on the side of Germany and Austria-Hungary were victims between 1915 and 1916 a policy of deportations and massacres.

This film tells the page of history, placing the facts in the complex geopolitical context of the early twentieth century. Through archives and testimonials available different actor s and / or witnesses of this tragedy documents, this documentary looks back at the origin, nature and issues of the Armenian genocide.

Before 1894, three million Armenians and as many Turks formed half the population of the Ottoman Empire. In 1917, two thirds of Armenians have been exterminated. The elimination process was put into place gradually. In 1914, after the killings, exiles and forced conversions, the Armenians are already more than 2.25 million. When Turkey entered the war in November 1914, the Armenians were the first to step up to the 250 000 Armenian soldiers were disarmed and assigned in “labor battalions” that they will never return. On 24 April 1915 the arrest of 650 intellectuals and notables sounds kick appalling massacres that will continue until 1917.

France: A delegation from the CCAF received by the president of the UMP in the National Assembly

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A delegation from the CCAF (Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France) consisting of Ara Toranian its co-chair, and Hrach Varjabedian, Co FRA ARF (Member CFC), was received Wednesday at the National arton99053-480x320

Valerie Boyer MP Marseille and Philippe Meunier du Rhône member also participated in this meeting devoted to the fate of the Armenians and also the concern of Christian minorities in the region. The Delegation of CCAF has focused on the role of the Turkish authorities in the attempt of ethnic cleansing against Kessab a particularly symbolic place because it represented the last surviving Armenian in range of Turkey.

700 Armenian families, survivors of the 1915 genocide, who had observed a strict neutrality in the Syrian conflict, and who only wanted to live in peace, have indeed had to abandon their ancestral village to escape the armed forces assault Islamists supported and manipulated by Ankara. These terrorist groups now occupy their homes, desecrate their churches and rob them of their property.

The Delegation noted that the CFC these events shall be dubbed anti-Armenian exacerbated racism which, other things being equal, belongs to the same fanaticism as that presided 1915 genocide criminal ideology. Logic that is also found in the state professed denial by Turkey and which has lead to Kessab on a new outlet.

Faced with this criminal insanity, which is today through the worst Islamist armed arms in the Syrian conflict organizations, CCAF delegation has called for an awareness and a burst of Western democracies, especially the forces involved in the defense of human rights.

The president of the UMP group in the National Assembly is committed to a question the government on this issue and to invite his alter ego of the Senate to do the same. Participants in the meeting expressed the need for clarification of the position of France on the drama and issues.

Thursday, April 17, 2014,

Source: Stéphane © armenews.com

Cyprus House Speaker addresses int’l community over Kessab

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April 16, 2014 – 14:36 AMT

The President of the House of Representatives of Cyprus, Yiannakis Omirou sent a message to the Presidents of European Parliament, Inter-Parliamentary Union, Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, Euro – 178038Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly and to the President and Secretary General of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy regarding recent events in Kessab region on the northwestern borderline of Syria with Turkey.

According to an official press release the message was sent following relevant consultation with the Parliamentary Representative of the Armenian community in Cyprus, Vartkes Mahdessian, Famagusta Gazette reports.

In his message, Omitou refers to the attacks against civilians of Armenian origin in Kessab and destruction of religious sites and monuments, as well as property looting by extremist groups based in Turkey.

Omirou underlines that such attacks against civilians and ethnic and religious groups undermine international efforts to end ongoing violence and achieve a peaceful settlement in Syria and calls on the recipients of his message to exercise their influence on Turkey in order to put an end to such kind of attacks from its territory.

He also underlines that all sides should make every effort so that the Armenians of Kessab return as soon as possible to their homes in conditions of stability and security, according to the report.

Photo: Cyprus-Mail

Iran, Isfahan youth protests in support of Kesab Armenians

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The Armenian youth of Isfahan (Iran) on Tuesday held a protest to express support to the Armenians of Kessab, the Syrian border town that was targeted by Islamist militants in late March.

Isfahan-KessabThe crowd also condemned Turkey for provoking violence against the town’s civilians.

They voiced appeals in Persian and Armenian to awaken memories of the 1915 Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey.

“Turkey’s atrocity is condemnable,” a slogan on one of the banners read.

The militant attacks against Kessab, a north-western Syrian border town predominantly populated by Armenians, forced around 600 families to flee homes and find shelter in the port city of Latakia. Around 23 civilians were moved to Turkey by armed rebels.

Turkish gov. holding Kessab Armenian until after April 24. to use them for propaganda

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Reports about killing of young Kessab Armenian confirmed

Killing conformThe reports about the killing of 23-year-old Kessab Armenian Kevork Jourian by rebels have been confirmed.

Deputy chairman of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party (SDHP) Armenia office, Syrian Armenian Vazgen Mesropyan told Panorama.am that he was informed about it by a source in Vakif village of Turkey. Kevork Jourian’s father is in Vakif along with other elderly Armenians from Kessab, he said.

According to Mesropyan, the rebels took him for a Syrian army soldier and killed him.

19 Kessab Armenians and 2 Aleppo Armenians are being held in the Armenian church of Vakif. Negotiations are underway to take them out of Turkey’s territory, he said.

“The Turkish government said that they will not allow to take them out until after April 24. Their goal is to show the world that they assist Armenians,” Mesropyan said.

He also said that of 7 missing Armenians of Kessab, 3 have been found. Their names are Tsovig Manjigian, Sam Poladian and Luder Trtrian. These elderly people did not want to leave their homes.

Source: Panorama.am

Syria: Young Kessab Armenian Killed by Rebels

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The Yerevan-based CivilNet is reporting that it has learned from several reliable sources that 23-year-old Kevork Jourian, son of Babken and Nvard Jourian, was killed by members of Syrian rebel groups, as they were kessabkillingsearching for guns among the Armenians who remained behind after the March 21 attack on Kessab. Sources explained that this happened in Kessab as the group of mostly elderly were being evacuated to Vakifli, Turkey.

The attack on Kessab has resulted in the displacement of more than 600 families. All have been accounted for except 10 individuals who remain missing, one of whom was Jourian. His parents, uncles and grandmother are in the group of 21 taken to Vakifli.

The Vakifli community representatives have appealed to the Turkish authorities to undertake efforts to identify and liberate the remaining missing, believe to be in the custody of the same Syrian rebel groups.

Kessabtsis by Name: Taken to Vakif or Still Missing
On March 21, armed rebel groups attacked Kessab after crossing the border from Turkey. As a result, over 600 Armenian families had to leave their homes the same day and took refuge at the Armenian church in Latakia, which is 65 km (45 miles) to the south of Kessab. However, nearly 40, mostly elderly, were left behind in Kessab and there was no news from them during the first week. Soon after, the Titizian sisters from Kessab were brought to the Turkish border, after which they were cared for at the Armenian Church in Vakifli, the last remaining Armenian village in Turkey.

After the TItizian sisters, a new group of Armenians reached Vakifli last week, comprised of 19 people, mostly elderly. Saghatel Basil met them and talked to CivilNet about how they arrived from Kessab to Turkey. According to the testimony of the elderly, they were brought to the Armenian catholic monastery in the center of Kessab to say a last prayer, where they were also filmed and later sent with buses to the Turkish border. The rebel groups confiscated their identity cards and passports, and only some of them (the women) were able to get their documents back.

According to CivilNet sources, the names of the 21 elderly people taken to Vakifli are the following:

Hagop Sianos Djurian (70-72 years old)
Asbed Sianos Djurian (60-65 years old)
Papken Sianos Djurian (60-65 years old)
Nvart Guzelian (Papken’s wife, 40-45 years old)
Karun Titizian-Djurian (nearly 90 years old, their mother)
Yessayi Aintablian (75 years old)
Hasmik Darus (his wife, 57 years old)
Silva Aintablian (his sister, 57-58 years old)
Ani Aintablian (his daughter, 31 years old)
Serop Sulian
Dzovig Saghdedjian-Sulian
Hagop Giragosian (85 years old)
Vazken Giragosian (80 years old)
Zaven Hovsepian (over 80 years old)
Movses Yervant Arabian (nearly 75 years old)
Marta Yervant Arabian (nearly 85 years old)
Karun Der Sahagian-Keoshgerian (90 years old)
Srpuhi Yaralian-Titizian (86 years old)
Satenig Titizian (85 years old)
Nerses Tangugian (from Aleppo, over 80 years old)
Anais Aharonian-Ekmekdjian (from Aleppo, Nerses Tangugian’s caretaker)

There are also a number of people missing, from whom there has been no news since March 21. Istanbul Armenian journalist Aris Nalci reports the names of the ten Kessab Armenians that are still missing:

Musa (Moses)Sahagian
Musa Sahagian’s sister – name unknown
Shami Poladian
Seta Chilingirian
Luder Trtrian
George Kortmosian
Minas Cherchigian
Dikranuhi Kazazian
Shant Hovhannesian
Kevork Jourian

California: Zareh Sinanyan Chosen as Glendale Mayor

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GLENDALE—The Glendale City Council of Thursday voted to select Councilman Zareh Sinanyan as the next mayor of Glendale, during its regular Council session with friends and family in the audience.

sinanyan-mayorGlendale Council Members are elected by the public at large while the Mayor is selected by the Council Members on an annual basis. Glendale Council Members serve four-year terms with an election cycle every two years.

Sinanyan was nominated by Councilman Frank Quintero, who was joined by fellow councilmembers Ara Najarian and Laura Friedman in the vote for his nomination. Councilman and outgoing mayor Dave Weaver abstained.

In his remarks, Sinanyan thanked his wife, Lori, his children, family friends and supporters and said he was humbled by the “trust bestowed upon me by the voters of the City of Glendale and my colleagues on City Council.”

“The past year has been very educational for me and each of you have played a unique role in that process,” said Sinanyan referring to his fellow City Council members.

“Councilman Quintero, I look forward to serving with you for the next two months. Thank you for your mentorship and support during these 12 months. Councilmember Weaver, I thank you for your leadership in the last 12 months and look forward to working with you in the future. Councilmember Najarian, we have had our disagreements, in fact our votes have seldom aligned on issues, but I look forward to ever-increasing cooperation on all issues that concern Glendale. Councilmember Friedman, thank you for calling in and expressing your support for my candidacy. I think you and I have voted along the same lines on many issues and I look forward to working together for the betterment of our city,” added Sinanyan.

He pledged that he will work will all residents and groups in the city to ensure the ongoing projects advance to make the city of Glendale and better place for its residents.

“We shall do everything to ensure that all parts of Glendale, from far North, to South, East to West, homeowners and renters, big businesses and mom and pop shops are increasingly engaged in and well informed about the developments in the City, and that their opinions and needs are heard loud and clear,” said Sinanyan.

He also pledged to make city government more transparent proposing to translate city-produced materials in Armenain, Korean, Spanish and Tagalog to increase access to a broader base of Glendale residents.

“Thank you, and let’s make this a great year of continued progress in Glendale,” concluded Sinanyan.

Sinanyan was elected to City Council in April of 2013 and has since served as the Chair of the Housing Authority. Councilman Sinanyan has been involved with the City of Glendale directly since 2006, when he was appointed to Glendale’s Parks, Recreation and Community Service’s Commission.