Author Archives: aratopouzian
Mal Barsamian & Qawsaan (Two Bows) Concert Recital at Tufts University
It is not every day that I watch a concert of live Middle Eastern music and become completely impressed and immersed into the entire performance. That is not to mean that I haven’t been impressed by Middle Eastern musical artistry, … Continue reading
Posted in Armenian, creativity, culture, Middle Eastern music, music, oud, Uncategorized
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Armenia and Ukraine – Common Victims of Genocide
Each year through this blog, I do my best to commemorate April 24th, a date too well known to Armenians worldwide when 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered by the hands of the Turkish government, then referred to as the Ottoman … Continue reading
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What time are you creative?
Recently, I saw an article headline which immediately grabbed my attention. The Quiet Joys of the Very, Very Early Morning Club. It was written by Jason Gay and published in the Wall Street Journal. When I opened the article, I … Continue reading
Posted in creativity, Reflections
Tagged awake, coffee, creative mornings, creativity, exercise, ideas, mental, mornings, sleep, writing
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Guardians of Music: History of Armenian Music in Detroit NOW ON AMAZON
In 2015 which marked the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, I released a film documentary. Guardians of Music: History of Armenian Music in Detroit followed the journey of Detroit Armenian musicians that were children of Armenian Genocide survivors and … Continue reading
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Michigan State University: Creativity in the Time of Covid-19
In this blog I have often discussed how the pandemic affected Michigan artists. The ability to adjust to an environment that disabled the ability to perform in front of a live audience, to be able to see instant gratification for … Continue reading
Posted in art, art work, covid19, Creative Industries, creativity, culture, music, Reflections
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March is Arts Advocacy Month
“The arts create connection, community, belonging, and joy. In the worst of times, the arts create all of that and more—and most of all, the arts create hope” from the American for the Arts website. As a council member of … Continue reading
Posted in art, creativity, culture, Uncategorized
Tagged advocacy, art, CAN, culture, Farmington Hills, Funding, MACC, michigan, Novi, policy
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The Importance of Spontaneous Composition
As artists, we are told to tell a story with our work. Storytelling is an art form in itself, but mastering this art form is just as difficult as any form of artistry. However, storytelling can be expressed in different … Continue reading
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The arts industry is back on the rollercoaster
It certainly feels like Groundhogs Day when it comes to the pandemic. What was once ‘on hold’ due to COVID and then opens up seems to close again. It is a viscous cycle that is taking its toll in many … Continue reading
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Merry Armenian Christmas!
Armenians from around the world celebrate Christmas on two different dates. Most of us celebrate on December 25th, but many also recognize and celebrate Christmas again on January 6th. Historically, all Christian churches once celebrated Christ’s birth on January 6th … Continue reading
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Making Music Fun
I guess what they say is true, you can make music out of just about anything. A video that my musician friend Mark Gavoor (and fellow blogger) posted a humorous video on social media (which we have all seen before, … Continue reading
Posted in art, Humor in Music, music, world music
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HYE Times 