ARAKELIAN AND MELKONYAN TAKE THE STAGE AT CARNEGIE HALL FOR 40th CONCERT OF MUSICAL ARMENIA

The Eastern Prelacy’s Musical Armenia marked its 40th concert at its traditional venue of the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, featuring pianists Vartan Arakelian and Arno Melkonyan, who performed for the first time his composition dedicated to Artsakh.   

Arakelian, 16, performed a selection of classical and Armenian works, including Bach’s Partita No. 2 in C Minor, Beethoven’s Sonata No. 4 in E-flat Major, Chopin’s Nocturne in C Minor, and Schumann’s Novelletten, Op. 21, No. 8. His program concluded with Arno Babajanian’s Six Pictures for Piano (Toccatina). 

Following intermission, Melkonyan, 21, accompanied by violinists Analuna Chahine and Alisa Shin, violist Minjun Seo, cellist Queralt Giralt, and tar player Alireza Khodayari, performed a series of works, including Babajanian’s Prelude and several of his own compositions. These included Wedding Song and Patriotic Rhapsody for piano, tar, and strings, as well as the first live performance of his String Quartet No. 1. 

The concert concluded with the world premiere of In Memory of Artsakh, a three-movement work for solo piano: Vardavar in Stepanakert, Elegy for the Fallen, and Hope of Rebirth. 

“The 40th edition of Musical Armenia is remarkable on several levels,” His Eminence, Archbishop Anoushavan, Prelate, wrote in the playbill introduction. “The brainchild of His Eminence Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian, of blessed memory, only the Covid pandemic stood in the way of this continuous celebration of the rich and ever-blooming Armenian musical culture.”

A reception followed at the Eastern Prelacy headquarters, attended by musicians, guests, and clergy, including Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate. 

Please see our next issue for the full coverage of the concert.