Author Archives: aratopouzian
Songs of Solomon, Armenia’s Entry for Academy Awards
“The boy would grow up to be known as Komitas. He would rise above his humble beginnings to eventually be known as the savior of Armenian music” Recently I had the opportunity to screen Armenia’s official entry for the upcoming … Continue reading
Chaplin and his century of legacies
Those of you that know me well are aware of the admiration I have for the art of silent movie icon, Charlie Chaplin. I have been watching his movies ever since I was a “kid”. A wonderful childhood memory I … Continue reading
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Did music save us during COVID?
Music has always been considered to have the ability to sooth ones nerves, a useful tool for practicing meditation and exercise. Whenever I am working in my office, I do enjoy having some light music playing in the background. It … Continue reading
Posted in covid19, detroit, Gigs, music
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What would go in your 2020 time capsule?
Creating a time capsule that captures a period of time with items that would go into a container and buried in a location only to be discovered many years later is an age-old tradition. While I was researching the origin … Continue reading
Posted in covid19, Reflections
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Where do we go from here?
Undoubtedly this has been the most difficult year in all of our lives. It is historical, well documented and generations will talk about it. We will never forget 2020…no matter how hard we try. Reflecting on a year can be … Continue reading
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Artsakh-Armenia Relief Concert on Dec. 12th
Over the past several months we have experienced many groups throughout the diaspora helping both raise awareness and funds due to the war in Artsakh. These groups have been innovative in putting together products or offering their talents to help … Continue reading
Cultural Identity, Repeated History
105 years ago, our ancestors were driven from their homelands by the order of the Turkish government. A well documented massacre that can be easily researched for those unfamiliar with this important and dark piece of Armenian history. In order … Continue reading
How I Wish To Remember Artsakh
Personal Note: This was a difficult story to write for several reasons. Initially, I wanted to be able to express my thoughts about Artsakh and the the war against the Armenians in this region – struggling to find the right … Continue reading
Posted in Armenian, Artsakh, music, Reflections
Tagged Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno-Karabagh, War
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Performance of a lifetime during a pandemic
It becomes an understatement and perhaps overused phrase to say that 2020 has been a tumultuous year. As a global pandemic entered our lives, we each experienced different strengths and weaknesses as we managed to adjust to even simple daily … Continue reading
Posted in Armenian, detroit, music, world music
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Ara Dinkjian with The Secret Trio and New York Gypsy All-Stars Live at Princeton University
As we attempt to push forward through a global pandemic, the quest to find solace in our everyday lives is more important than ever before. The medicinal effect of making and/or listening to music is scientifically proven to reduce anxiety—something … Continue reading
Posted in Album Review, Armenian, Middle Eastern music, oud
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