Armenian Cultural Foundation to host piano recital in honor of Beatrice Ohanessian

ARLINGTON, Mass. – The Armenian Cultural Foundation (ACF) will feature noted pianist and educator Anahit Truzyan in concert on March 26 at 6 p.m.

Truzyan is a pianist with undeniable talent and dedication to her craft, with a master’s degree and post-graduate degrees from Komitas State Conservatory.

Having performed internationally in the US, Middle East, Armenia and Russia, Truzyan has refined her craft to perfection.

In the United States, Truzyan pursued an artist diploma and continued to perform at various venues. She also served as a pianist and organist for church services, showcasing her versatility and commitment to sharing her talent with the community.

Her performances are breathtaking and manifest a deep understanding and emotional depth of music.

Truzyan’s contributions to music go beyond just performing. She is also a dedicated instructor with a private practice in the Greater Boston area, where she has inspired and mentored students of all ages and levels of experience. Her students describe her as patient, kind and endlessly creative, always finding new ways to unlock their potential and help them reach their goals.

Child prodigies Rebecca Lai (14) and Timothy Lai (12), students of Truzyan, will also be featured in the program.

Rebecca Lai is an eighth-grade student at Lexington Christian Academy (LCA). She began her journey with the piano under the guidance of Truzyan at the tender age of five. Rebecca has honed her skills and developed a strong technical foundation. With her unwavering dedication and hard work, she has won several awards, including the First Place Honor in Crescendo International Competition and the silver award in the American Association for Development of the Gifted and Talented (AADGT) International Young Musicians Festival. She also performs in various chamber ensembles and collaborates as an accompanist in different chorales. In September 2022, she started studying at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School.

Timothy Lai is a seventh-grade student at LCA. Like his sister, Timothy began learning piano at the age of five with Truzyan. Timothy’s exceptional musical sensitivity and quick absorption of new material is truly remarkable. He has the ability to feel the music in a way that is deeply touching. He has won the silver award in the AADGT International Young Musicians Festival. He also plays trombone and performs with different ensembles.

The Lai siblings have performed in various recitals and festivals throughout the Boston area, such as the New England Piano Teacher Association (NEPTA) recitals and Passion of Music Festival at New York’s Carnegie Hall.

The recital is dedicated to the memory of Baghdad Barcarolle, Beatrice Ohanessian—Iraq’s foremost classical pianist. Born on March 15, 1927 in Baghdad, Ohanessian received her early music training from the Institute of Fine Arts majoring in piano. Later, she continued studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London with professor Max Pirani. Four years later, she earned her Licentiate from the Royal Academy of Music in performance and pedagogy, with a major in piano and a second major in voice.

Ohanessian took up music as a young girl. She studied in London and New York and went on to become a pianist for the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra. After receiving a Fulbright Scholarship, she continued her higher education at Juilliard School of Music in New York City. Upon returning to Iraq, Ohanessian was appointed the head of the piano department at the Institute of Fine Arts in Iraq. From 1969 to 1972, she taught at the University of Minnesota and Macalester College. Then, she spent the next two years teaching in Geneva and performing as a soloist throughout Switzerland.

In 1994, Ohanessian moved to the United States and settled in Minneapolis-Saint Paul with her siblings. A year later, she resumed teaching at the University of Minnesota, Macalester College, as well as the University of St. Thomas. She also served as the organist for the Armenian Apostolic Church of St. Paul. Ohanessian died of cancer on July 17, 2008 in Bloomington. She was 81 years old.

The program will include works by Beethoven, Chopin and Liszt. The event is free and open to the public and will be followed by a reception.