The Aznavoorian Sisters bring “Music in Color” to the Armenian Museum of America
WATERTOWN, Mass. — On Saturday, March 28, the Armenian Museum of America welcomed an audience for a performance by sisters Marta (piano) and Ani (cello) Aznavoorian. The concert took place in the museum’s Adele and Haig Der Manuelian Galleries and was part of the “Music in Color” series, which pairs live music with exhibitions to highlight Armenian cultural heritage.
Executive Director Jason Sohigian opened the event with welcoming remarks, noting that this was the second consecutive year of the program, sponsored by Nancy Kolligian. “Events like these deepen the public’s connection to Armenian culture, especially through music,” Sohigian said.
Marta and Ani Aznavoorian began performing together at ages eight and four at St. James Armenian Church in Evanston, Illinois. They have won awards and performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and have appeared internationally at venues including Armenia’s Khachaturian and Komitas Halls and New York’s Carnegie Hall. In Boston, they have performed at Armenian-themed Boston Pops evenings organized by the Friends of Armenian Culture Society at Symphony Hall under Maestro Keith Lockhart.
Marta studied at Indiana University and the New England Conservatory, while Ani is a member of the California-based chamber ensemble Camerata Pacifica. Ani performs on a cello made by her father, Peter Aznavoorian.
The program included works by Komitas, including “Chinar Es,” “Tsirani Tsar” and “Krunk”; Brahms’ Sonata for Piano and Cello in F major, Op. 99; and “Mount Ararat,” a composition by Peter Boyer written for the sisters. Also featured were a sonata by Avet Terterian and a piece by Niccolò Paganini, originally written for violin, performed by Ani on cello. The performance concluded with an encore of Alexander Arutiunian’s “Impromptu.”
Sponsor Nancy Kolligian and the museum’s development director, Sarah Hayes, spoke at the event, expressing their appreciation for the performance.
The Aznavoorian sisters, who are distant relatives of Charles Aznavour (1924–2018), continue to contribute to the family’s musical legacy.
