Erevan Choral Society to Hold Christmas Concert on Dec. 9

By Robert Dulgarian

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—The Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Fr. Vasken A. Kouzouian, pastor, and the Erevan Choral Society and Orchestra recently announced that their annual Christmas Holiday Concert will be held in the church sanctuary, 145 Brattle St., Cambridge, on Sun., Dec. 9, at 3:30 p.m.

Reflecting a year replete with anniversaries and commemorations, the program will headline a number of special performances, including the world premiere of composer and conductor Maestro Konstantin Petrossian’s “Vocalise,” dedicated to the memory of the Very Rev. Fr. Oshagan Minassian, the founder and director of the Erevan Choral Society until his death in 2008, and to his devoted mother, Diramayr Sirvart Minassian, and performed by the talented and compelling operatic mezzo-soprano Victoria Avetisyan.

The concert will also celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the admission of the Republic of Armenia to the United Nations with a performance of Maestro Petrossian’s “Hayastan,” featuring the renowned operatic tenor Yeghishe Manucharyan, to be performed in honor of the visit of Garen Nazarian, the ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United Nations. In yet another anniversary performance, the program will include Armen Mandakounian’s “Karabagh,” in celebration of the 20^th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Karabagh.

On a more solemn note, the chorus and orchestra will perform the late Alexander Haroutounian’s setting of “Kta Der” (Requiem) in loving memory of His Beatitude Archbishop Torkom Manoogian (1919-2012), the recently deceased Patriarch of Jerusalem. The program will be rounded out, as in years past, with a mix of traditional Armenian, classical, and Western Christmas music, including more solo performances by Avetisyan and Manucharyan, and by soprano Noune Karapetian.

Admission to the concert is complimentary. For more information, contact the Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church by calling (617) 354-0632 or e-mailing office@htaac.org.