Author Archives: aratopouzian
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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Armenian Musician Harry Minassian, Student of Udi Hrant Passes
The Armenian music community has lost another gentle giant, Harry Minassian. Known throughout the east coast as a prominent oud player (Middle Eastern lute, 11 strings) as well as a singer, Harry’s playing and vocal skills made him a versatile … Continue reading
Posted in Middle Eastern music, music, oud, Uncategorized
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Onnik Dinkjian Receives 2020 National Endowment of the Arts Fellowship
When I heard the news, the first thoughts that came to mind were – long overdue. I was elated to hear one of our Armenian musical icons has won one of the highest awards in the country you could receive … Continue reading
Posted in Armenian, music
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High School Choir goes virtual amid COVID-19
I have written a few stories about how artists have been forced into pivoting how they share their art with the world as they experience the lack of a live audience. Many have been creative and embraced using technology. A … Continue reading
Posted in covid19, detroit, music
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An annual observance – 105 years later
I find it difficult to write about the Armenian Genocide each year, but I feel that doing so is a personal obligation that I have in order to acknowledge the atrocities of April 24, 1915. The reality is that … Continue reading
Posted in Armenian, armenian genocide
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Artist organizations responding to COVID-19
Over the past several weeks, we have seen many relief funding mechanisms come together for the small business community throughout the United States. These have ranged from mini-grants to larger scaled loan programs. It seems that many of these funds … Continue reading
Experiencing COVID-19 as a musician
In the past several days, we have all been experiencing surreal moments in our lives pertaining to the corona virus pandemic. This hits hard for each of us in different ways and how we react and respond will indicate the … Continue reading
Artists Respond to COVID-19 Crisis
We are currently living in unprecedented times as the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic. As it gradually makes its way throughout the United States, it became a reality for Michiganders this past week. Government emergency mandates, school closing, and … Continue reading
Posted in Business of Music, covid19, Gigs, music, Uncategorized
Tagged covid19, music, technology
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