Life, music and a 'Symphony of Tears'

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Life, music and a 'Symphony of Tears'

Malookian's tribute to the Armenian Genocide will feature a musical circus for

children

 

By RANDY SYDNOR

 

 

The Pasadena Symphony will present a summertime edition of its free hands-on

Musical Circus for children featuring the Karapetyan String Quartet, an Armenian

ensemble 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

The popular, fun-filled event for children ages 10 and under will begin with a musical

instrument petting zoo, where youngsters can toot flutes, trumpets, baritone horns and

trombones, pluck violins and cellos and bang on percussion instruments.

It will be followed by a performance by the noted Karpetyan String Quartet, which

will perform an array of ethnic Armenian music geared for children.

The Armenian-themed children's event is being staged to kick off the West Coast

premiere of "Symphony of Tears," a major oratorio written by Armenian-American

composer Jeff Manookian commemorating the anniversary of the 1915 Armenian

genocide.

Manookian will conduct the premiere that evening, which will be performed by the

Oratorio Society of Utah with The Pasadena Symphony at the Civic Auditorium, 300

E. Green St.

Although The Pasadena Symphony has presented Musical Circus programs in

conjunction with its regular concert season since 1992, this marks the first time the

orchestra has offered a summer program.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for The Pasadena Symphony to reach the

Armenian-American community with meaningful musical programs for both adults and

children," said symphony's Executive Director Geoffrey Fontaine. "We are delighted to

partner with the Oratorio Society of Utah in his endeavor."

Highlights of the Musical Circus include a musical instrument "petting zoo" from 10

to 10:40 a.m. There kids will have the opportunity to handle a variety of music

instruments.

The second part of the program will feature a performance by the Karapetyan String

Quartet, whose Armenian-born members began their musical training in Armenia and,

subsequently, studied at such renowned institutions as the Komitas Conservatory of

Yerevan, the Moscow Conservatory and the University of Southern California.

Founded in 1997, the group's members include Sahak Karapetyan, first violin;

Hripsime Yepremyan, second violin; Herman Markossian, viola; and Garik Terzyan,

cello.

They have performed with such leading ensembles as the Armenian Philharmonic

Orchestra, Baroque Ensemble of "Takaran" and the Yanni Orchestra, and currently

play with the Pasadena Pops, New West Symphony, Long Beach Symphony, Santa

Barbara Symphony, Riverside Philharmonic, Cal Philharmonic and the Redlands

Symphony.

The goal of the Musical Circus is to provide a broad and unique spectrum of

classical music experiences for youngsters, from playing instruments themselves to

hearing top professional musicians perform, in a warm, user-friendly environment.

Developed by The Pasadena Symphony eight years ago, the Musical Circus has

introduced thousands of children, many of whom had never before played an

instrument, to the world of classical music.

In addition to the Musical Circus, the orchestra presents several other education

programs including TEMPO! (Teaching Essentials of Music through Participation and

Observation), an in-depth, year-long, in-school program for selected kindergarten, first

and second grade classes that is designed to complement traditional classroom

curricula; a Mentor Program, which matches gifted instrumental students in the

Pasadena Unified School District with mentors from The Pasadena Symphony; and the

Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra and Prelude Strings, which offer rigorous

orchestral training programs to junior high school music students.

Reservations are not required for the Musical Circus, but for more information on

The Pasadena Symphony's free Musical Circus, please call (626) 793-7172 ext. 10.