2025 Armenian Night at the Pops to feature cellist Ani Aznavoorian
BOSTON—The Friends of Armenian Culture Society will present the 72nd annual Armenian Night at the Pops on Saturday, May 31, at 7:30 P.M. at Boston’s storied Symphony Hall.
Cellist Ani Aznavoorian will be the guest soloist appearing with the Boston Pops Orchestra. She will join the orchestra and Music Director Keith Lockhart in performances of select works for cello and orchestra by John Williams. The evening will feature music by Mr. Williams and the composers who inspired him throughout his illustrious career.
The orchestra and maestro Lockhart will also perform the Hayr Mer (Lord’s Prayer) by Magar Yegmalian, arranged by Rouben Gregorian.
The Strad magazine describes cellist Ani Aznavoorian as having “scorchingly committed performances that wring every drop of emotion out of the music. Her technique is well-nigh immaculate, she has a natural sense of theater and her tone is astonishingly responsive.” Ms. Aznavoorian is in demand as a soloist and chamber musician with some of the most recognized ensembles, and she has appeared with many of the world’s leading orchestras including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops, the Tokyo Philharmonic, the Helsinki Philharmonic, the Finnish Radio Symphony, the International Sejong Soloists, the Belgrade Philharmonic, the Juilliard Orchestra and the Edmonton Symphony.
As a first-year student at The Juilliard School, where she later received both her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees, Ms. Aznavoorian won first prize at the institution’s concerto competition, becoming the youngest cellist in the history of the school’s cello competitions to do so. She received the prestigious Bunkamura Orchard Hall Award for her outstanding cello playing and artistry. Some of her other awards include first prizes in the Illinois Young Performers Competition (televised live on PBS with the Chicago Symphony), the Chicago Cello Society National Competition, the Julius Stulberg Competition and the American String Teachers Association Competition. She was a top prizewinner in the 1996 International Paulo Competition, held in Helsinki, Finland.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Maestro Lockhart serving at the helm of the Boston Pops. To celebrate this milestone and to express our sincere appreciation for the relationship he and the orchestra have fostered with the Armenian community, the Friends of Armenian Culture Society will pay tribute to Mr. Lockhart in a special reception following the concert on May 31. (Please note that special tickets are required for the reception.)
For tickets and information, please visit www.FACSBoston.org.
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