Category Archives: music
A Tribute to Simon Javizian: A Guardian of Our Music, Memory, and Community
A couple of days ago, we lost someone truly special: Simon Javizian, at the age of almost 92. To many, he was a musician, a funeral director, a storyteller, and a pillar of the Armenian community. To me, he was … Continue reading
Posted in Armenian, detroit, music
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When Music Becomes a Passport: The Role of Global Festivals in Preserving and Sharing Culture
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to perform at Troy Family Daze in Troy, Michigan, as part of their Global Troy celebration. I shared the stage with my trio — Jerry Gerjekian on dumbegs and George Nigosian on guitar — … Continue reading
Posted in culture, detroit, music, world music
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When Songs Travel: From History to TikTok
Recently, I came across a fascinating article on Houshamadyan: A Song’s Journey by Ara Dinkjian. In it, Ara traces the path of a melody—how it traveled across countries and cultures, transformed along the way, and eventually became part of the … Continue reading
Posted in Business of Music, creativity, music
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Old Tunes, New Energy: A Reflection from the AYF Jr. Olympics Dance
I recently had the opportunity to perform with The Hye Vibes, led by Mark Gavoor and friends, at the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Junior Olympics in Chicago, IL. It was a weekend filled with spirited competition, tradition, and a hopeful … Continue reading
Posted in Armenian, culture, music
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Michigan Creates, New Podcast Series
For several years I served proudly on the Michigan Arts & Cultural Council (MACC) through appointments by both Governor Snyder and Whitmer. The experience I gained being a council member exposed me to abundance of artists and arts organizations in … Continue reading
Posted in art, creativity, culture, detroit, music, Uncategorized
Tagged amazon, apple podcast, Ara Topouzian, art organizations, artists, Arts, culture, fyp, marketing, michigan, michigan creates, musicians, painters, podcast, promotion, spotify, writers, youtube
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Guardians of Music Re-Airs on Detroit Public TV
On February 27th, my film documentary Guardians of Music: A History of Armenian Music in Detroit re-aired as part of Armenian night on Detroit Public Television. My film followed the world premiere of Armenia, My Home produced by Emmy award … Continue reading
Posted in Armenian, armenian genocide, culture, film, Genocide, music, Reflections
Tagged Andrew Goldberg, Ara Topouzian, Armenia My Home, armenian genocide, Armenian music, art, culture, detroit, documentary, dptv, Guardians of Music, history, kanun, music, pbs, television
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Reflecting on a 2023 Musical Journey
As the curtains draw on 2023, I find myself humbled and grateful for the musical journey this year has unfolded. It’s been a year filled with melodies, challenges, and milestones, and I’m excited to share some of the highlights from … Continue reading
Posted in Armenian, detroit, Middle Eastern music, music, Reflections, world music
Tagged 2023, 2024, Armenian, art, Clarinet, detroit, dumbeg, kanun, michigan, music, oud, Refections
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The Next Generation and Cultural Continuity
Armenia, with its rich history and vibrant cultural heritage, has faced numerous challenges throughout the years. Recently, the conflict in Artsakh has left an indelible mark on the Armenian diaspora, highlighting the need to fortify cultural bonds in the face … Continue reading
Posted in Armenian, armenian genocide, art, Artsakh, culture, detroit, Genocide, music, Uncategorized
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Zilan Tigris, Armenian Singer Killed in Earthquake
Recently, Syria and Turkey suffered a devasting 7.8 magnitude earthquake, the largest in over a century for this region. At the time of this post, over 12,000 have been confirmed dead and I am sure this number will increase over … Continue reading
Building my YouTube channel
Not too long ago, I decided that I wanted to grow my video music YouTube channel. Currently I have over 100 videos that I have posted over the last several years. In the past, I didn’t put much effort into … Continue reading
Posted in Armenian, Middle Eastern music, music, world music
Tagged Ara Topouzian, Armenian, Armenian music, Armenian youtube, Folk music, Kanon, kanoon, kanun, michigan, music, qanun, Topouzian, world music, youtube
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HYE Times 