By Harry Derderian
For years, artists Hachig Kazarian and John Berberian have provided pure listening and dancing pleasure to audiences at various venues. Hachig and John’s relationship goes back to college in New York City, in the early 1960’s. This is their story.
Hachig Kazarian, son of Yenook and Varsenig Kazarian, grew up in Detroit with brother Kazar and sister Sarah. “Mom and dad always supported my interest in music,” Hachig says with pride. “Mom was so creative with sewi
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What a beautiful and enlightening article how two young men grew in their Armenian heritage became friends and gave us all so much joy!
John Berberian is an electrifying musician, a gift to anyone who appreciates Armenian/Turkish/ Anatolian Greek Music, Thanks for this wonderful article about him. He is amazing.
I so much enjoyed this article esp. regarding the fact that he learned at his father’s knee and could count such luminaries as Udi Hrant and George Mgrdichian (whose record I grew up listening to) and Marko Melkon as his “theos”. Thanks do much for this great article. John needs more recognition for his work from the wider musical community.
I remember listening to Johnny Berberian as a young man. Mostly in the Catskills during the summers in the ’60’s. My cousins, the Varjabedians would take me to see him play. He was amazing then and gave me a true appreciation for my Armenian roots.
Thank you for a fine article. These are two of the icons of our music, I am very pleased to see them recognized, it is so richly deserved.
Any of their music still available to buy? Maybe on line? Please advise, thanks.
Hachig Kazarian, or “Mr. K.”, was my most favorite teacher in both junior high and high school. Wonderful to read more about his life and accomplishments.
Mr Kazarian taught me the beauty of music for many years. He has truly touched my soul! Decades later I still remember him, his music, his passion, and mostly his jokes! He is a blessing from God! This article has just made my day. I’m so proud to have been a student of this great fella!
I had the honor of having Mr. Kazarian as my teacher and mentor through middle school and high school. Because of his passion for music, he pulled the out of of his students. He is the reason I chose to pursue a career in music education. I can only hope one day to make one tenth of the impact he made on me as well as the rest of the students of the Melvindale Northern-Allen Park school district.
Such an awesome read of an icon in my life growing up..I had Mr K as a mentor from 4th grade up until the day I left Melvindale High. To this day my friends that I ve had since middle and high school still tell stories of Mr K. That right there tells you what an impact he had on our lives. Thank you Mr K for everything…so glad to hear how well things are going..if you do happen to travel somewhere in the Midwest, please let us know!
As with a lot of these posts, I am a Melvindale alumnus. Mr K was without a doubt the most caring and inventive teachers I’ve ever had the pleasure of being taught by. I have his picture on my wall still as motivation to do what’s right and to express myself through my music. Not a day goes by that I don’t appreciate what this man has done for himself, his people and his students.
I had the honor of having been taught music under the great Mr. Kazarian. I truly had no idea how accomplished he was in the field, but this revelation does not surprise me in the least bit. He is one of those people whose lessons will stay with you for a lifetime. God bless him and his family.
I am touched by all of the responses I’ve read regarding Hachig. I’ve heard he was an amazing teacher, musician, mentor and friend. But I can tell you he is an awesome Dad and Grandfather as well.
I played second clarinet with Hachig at Cass Tech under Maestro Misha Bistritzsky. Hachig was a year older and was a wonderful mentor. At Cass we performed the first all-contemporary concert in Detroit history, including Bartok’s Viola Concerto; Prokofiev’s 2nd Violin Concerto, and Hindemith’s Symphony Metamorphis. Hachig was and is the greatest clarinetist known to me.
Steven Brooke
steven@stevenbrooke.com
Mr. Kazarian had an incredible positive impact on me. I kept playing after High school because of his great influence as so many others did.
My mother in law knew Mr.Kazaian very well. She grew up in the Armenian community of Detroit, MI. I am told he was almost named the Godfather of my husband. I am an Irish girl who married into people of Armenian heritage. God Bless the Armenians. I am the mother of a beautiful daughter whose great grandmother was a genocide survivor.