Armenian Museum of America concert to feature quartet led by Artyom Manukyan

Cellist Artyom Manukyan’s electro-jazz quartet will be streamed by the Armenian Museum of America in Watertown, MA, for its online concert on February 27 (Photograph by Hal Masonberg)

WATERTOWN, Mass.—The Armenian Museum of America recently announced its ninth online concert featuring an exclusive performance by the Artyom Manukyan Quartet. This Armenia-based electro-jazz ensemble features Arman Mnatsakanyan (drums), Arman Peshtmaljyan (keyboards), Karen Mamikonyan (keyboards) and Manukyan (cello). The concert will be shown online on Sunday, February 27 at 1:00 pm EST (10:00 am PST and 10:00 pm in Yerevan).

Manukyan made his name as a musician in Armenia and traveled the world as the youngest member of the BBC World Music Award-winning Armenian Navy Band. He has performed internationally with the renowned world music band Night Ark. After the success of his debut album “Citizen,” Manukyan performed with artists including rapper Everlast, Kamasi Washington, Melody Gardot, Flying Lotus and Tigran Hamasyan.

Manukyan has shown that the cello can be played in classical music, rock, and as the lead instrument in jazz. His virtuosity is equaled by his creativity and willingness to stretch himself with adventurous improvisations. His second solo album “Alone” was released in 2019. In between gigs with different bands, the multitalented artist has even nurtured another musical passion, hip hop.

“Our online concert series has been a great success for highlighting the traditional as well as the new,” says executive director Jason Sohigian. “It is in this spirit that we are excited to present this concert by a young jazz quartet led by Artyom that includes the talented percussionist Arman Mnatsakanyan. We’re grateful for the support of the Dadourian Foundation, whose mission is to promote Armenian culture, and which makes the performance available for everyone online.”

“Our members have grown with the expansion of our online programming,” adds Sohigian. “By the end of 2021 we received several leadership gifts including a sponsorship from Michele Kolligian, president of our Board of Trustees, to continue the weekly video series from our curator highlighting objects in our collection, and a grant from the SJS Charitable Trust to support the Sound Archive program to digitize the 78 rpm records in our collection and make them accessible online.”

The online concert series is free and pre-registration is not required. The link will be available on Sunday, February 27 on Facebook, YouTube Channel and online.

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Armenian Museum of America

The Armenian Museum of America is the largest Armenian museum in the Diaspora. It has grown into a major repository for all forms of Armenian material culture that illustrate the creative endeavors of the Armenian people over the centuries. Today, the Museum’s collections hold more than 25,000 artifacts including 5,000 ancient and medieval Armenian coins, 1,000 stamps and maps, 30,000 books, 3,000 textiles and 180 Armenian inscribed rugs, and an extensive collection of Urartian and religious artifacts, ceramics, medieval illuminations and various other objects. The collection includes historically significant objects, including five of the Armenian Bibles printed in Amsterdam in 1666.