Three Tenors

Three Tenors

Vahe H. Apelian

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Let me first note that I used the word "tenor" in the title of this blog  for trained voices. I am not a connoisseur of voice.

Some time ago, on YouTube, I came across songs by Armen Guirag. Some of the songs were “viewed” a few times. Others had no views. I became reflective. Artists, such as Armen Guirag, entertain us with their songs, uplift our spirits and make our lives more pleasurable and then, much like old warriors, fade away. In its unmistakable forward march, time brings with it new norms, attitudes and likes and new artists come for a new generation who in turn experiences the same cycle of life. 

Along with Armen Guirag, the voices of Ara Guiragossian  and Kevork Gagossian have remained etched in my memory and I listen to them also, every now and then.

ARA GUIRAGOSSIAN. I have not met him in person. He remains in my mind as a tall and robust man. I have attended his performance on stage with my parents. He also used to sing in “Sayat Nova” restaurant in Beirut. Recently I translated Boghos Shahmelikian’s book that narrates Diaspora Armenian pop music. In it Boghos notes that Ara Guiragossian was the first to record an album of Armenian revolutionary songs. But he never caught the people’s fancy as a singer of such songs. I guess his voice was too trained, too structured for opera than for such songs on popular stage.

Recently I came across the following comments on YouTube that best summarizes Ara Guiragossian as a singer of revolutionary songs and also validates my memory of hearing him in the “Sayat Nova” restaurant. These two comments read as follows:

“When I was a young kid my parents used to take the family to Sayat Nova restaurant in Beirut Lebanon where Ara used to sing. Great memories” (Harout Hamassian).

“Once my mum went to a record shop to buy the disc of "Antranig" sung by Levon Katerdjian. There was a man in the shop, whom my mother didn't recognize. The shopkeeper tried to persuade my mother to buy Ara Guiragossian's version of that song, but mother said that she didn't like Ara's voice very much. Once she said this, she noticed that the man got emotional & hid his face in his hands. My mother then realized that the man was Ara Guiragossian. She felt very ashamed & bought both records.” (arayvaz6).

In vain, I searched for Ara Guiragossian’s biography on the Internet search engines. I do not know when and where he was born and when and where did he pass away. But surely his memory and his singing linger on. He can be heard on YouTube.

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KEVORK GAGOSSIAN. I knew Alex Mnagian as a famous accordion player. Again, thanks to Boghos Shahmelikian I found out that he was more than a famous accordion player and that he was an artist of the highest caliber and has had his input in the artistic life in Lebanon be it as an Armenian and as Lebanese through his association with the famous Rahbani brothers.

Mnagian brothers had a music store next to Sourp (Saint) Nshan Church and it's one-time namesake school I attended. The neighborhood was an Armenian hub. Next, to the Mnagian’s store, my friend Garbis Baghdassarian’s brother Zareh, had a bookstore. On that very stretch of the street my classmate Haroutiun Hadsagortzian’s father had a barber shop who spoke with a distinct Dikranagerd accent and would attentively follow us students wondering how well we were doing in our studies and would encourage us to study hard. There was also a gun store whose owner married one of my classmates in Sourp Nshan. We lived a short walking distance from the church and that neighborhood was a hangout for us boys. Alex was a short and stocky guy. Another short and stocky young man would be in the store every now and then. His name was Kevork Gagossian. The community was shocked to hear that he passed away after his concert in Cairo at the age of 27.

 I pieced together the following about Kevork Gagossian from an article penned by Hagop Mardirossian that appeared in Hairenik Weekly on July 17, 2014, forty-five years after his untimely death as a testament of the enduring legacy of this gifted but short-lived young man.

Kevork Gagossian was born on July 9, 1942, and passed away in Cairo, Egypt on November 25, 1969, a day after his concert. After finishing his studies in the Lebanese Conservatory, he had continued his studies in Italy. He had not yet produced any recording letting his friends know that a singer’s voice matures after the age of 35 and that he is yet too young to record for posterity. After his untimely death, his friends produced a record from the recordings of his concerts. He was deemed to be an unusually gifted bass tenor. His teachers, friends, and classmates from Lebanon, Italy, England and Japan mourned his death. His Japanese colleague Takao Okamura held a memorial concert in Beirut and ended his repertoire by signing in Armenian “I heard a sweet voice”  (Ես Լսեցի Մի ԱՆուշ Զայն) dedicating it in memory of Kevork Gagossian.

Kevork Gagossian can be heard on YouTube.

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ARMEN GUIRAG My parents had forged a friendship with him during his stay in Hotel Lux, the inn my father ran in Beirut. For many and many years, every Sunday morning my father would play his recording of Armenian Holy Mass, which is regarded one of the best rendition of the Holy Mass by a singer. For all, I recall he was from Latin America. My mother introduced him to her friend Rahel Chilinguirian and they got married and moved to the United States. In late 1960’s my mother visited her relatives in the United States and spent time with Armen and Rahel Guirag. I often wondered what happened to him.

A few years ago I read the following about Armen Guirag in an article the late Tom Vartabedian wrote in Armenian Weekly titled “Three Tenors Strike A Different Tune” (March 24, 2009).

“He (Armen Guirag) was Armenian and ran a record shop in New York City that doubled as his home. He would sell his music in front and sleep out back with a tiny refrigerator, table, and a couple chairs.

Armen Guirag lived from hand to mouth and was in no hurry to move his records. He once told me that everyone he sold was like “selling a child.” But did he ever have a voice, and became the greatest Armenian tenor of his generation back in the 1950’s.

He was recognized as a classic concert and opera singer, produced a number of recordings, and performed near and far, including an appearance at Carnegie Hall that gained rave reviews in the New York papers.

I met him during the tail end of his career when he gradually began to mellow and lived like a recluse. The last concert I attended of his was a pity.

He appeared in Boston, well into his 70s by now, and sang like he never sang before. His voice carried to the very last row of seats as people were on their feet applauding his every note.

And then, the unsuspected occurred. The record he had spinning in the background got stuck while the audience sat mortified. Even before lip-syncing became popular, Armen Guirag appeared well before his time.

He dashed off stage humiliated, never to appear again. Last I heard, he died in that little record store with hardly a whisper from the scores who embraced his music.”

Surely, it is a sad ending for such a talented singer. I hear his singing every now and then and find his voice unusually clear, crisp. It is said that the Armenian community does not appreciate its artists the way it should. I often wonder if our artists are victims of our gene pool. This may be true because we are unusually rich in talents be it singers or players of different classical instruments for the community to support all, the way it should. 

 We surely owe them a debt of gratitude for enriching our lives.

With Mr and Mrs. Armen and Rahel Guirag

*****

 

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Նախ նշեմ, որ այս բլոգի վերնագրում օգտագործել եմ «տենոր» բառը մարզված ձայների համար։ Ես ձայնի գիտակ չեմ։

Որոշ ժամանակ առաջ Յութուբում հանդիպեցի Արմեն Գյուրագի երգերին։ Երգերից մի քանիսը «դիտվել» են մի քանի անգամ։ Մյուսները տեսակետներ չունեին։ Ես դարձա ռեֆլեկտիվ: Արուեստագէտներ, ինչպէս՝ Արմէն Գիրագը, մեզ կը զուարճացնեն իրենց երգերով, կը բարձրացնեն մեր տրամադրութիւնները եւ կը դարձնեն մեր կեանքը աւելի հաճելի, ապա, ինչպէս հին ռազմիկները, կը խամրեն: Իր անսխալ առաջընթացի ընթացքում ժամանակը իր հետ բերում է նոր նորմեր, վերաբերմունք և հավանումներ, և նոր արվեստագետներ են գալիս նոր սերնդի համար, որն իր հերթին ապրում է կյանքի նույն ցիկլը: 

Արմեն Գիրագի հետ հիշողությանս մեջ դաջված են մնացել Արա Գիրակոսյանի և Գևորգ Գագոսյանի ձայները, որոնց ես էլ եմ լսում, երբեմն-երբեմն։

ԱՐԱ ԳԻՐԱԿՈՍԵԱՆ.  Ես անձամբ չեմ հանդիպել նրան։ Նա մնում է իմ մտքում որպես բարձրահասակ և ամուր մարդ: Բեմում նրա ելույթին ծնողներիս հետ ներկա եմ եղել։ Նա նաև երգել է Բեյրութի «Սայաթ Նովա» ռեստորանում։ Վերջերս թարգմանեցի Պողոս Շահմելիքյանի գիրքը, որը պատմում է սփյուռքահայ էստրադայի մասին։ Դրանում Պողոսը նշում է, որ Արա Գիրակոսյանն առաջինն է ձայնագրել հայկական հեղափոխական երգերի ալբոմ։ Բայց նա երբեք չի բռնել ժողովրդի երևակայությունը որպես այդպիսի երգերի երգիչ։ Ենթադրում եմ, որ նրա ձայնը չափազանց պատրաստված էր, չափազանց կառուցված օպերայի համար, քան հայտնի բեմում նման երգերի համար:

Վերջերս յութուբում հանդիպեցի հետևյալ մեկնաբանություններին, որոնք լավագույնս ամփոփում են Արա Գիրագոսյանին որպես հեղափոխական երգերի կատարողի, ինչպես նաև հաստատում են «Սայաթ Նովա» ռեստորանում նրան լսելու իմ հիշողությունը։ Այս երկու մեկնաբանությունները հետևյալն են.

« Երբ ես փոքր էի, ծնողներս ընտանիքին տանում էին Բեյրութ Լիբանանի Սայաթ Նովա ռեստորան, որտեղ Արան երգում էր: Մեծ հիշողություններ » (Հարութ Համասյան):

 

« Մի անգամ մայրս գնաց ձայնասկավառակ գնելու Լեւոն Կաթերճյանի երգած «Անտրանիկ»-ի սկավառակը։ Խանութում մի մարդ կար, որին մայրս չճանաչեց։ Խանութպանը փորձեց մորս համոզել գնել Արա Գիրագոսյանի այդ երգի տարբերակը, բայց մայրս ասաց, որ Արայի ձայնն իրեն այնքան էլ դուր չի գալիս։ Մի անգամ նա ասաց, որ նա նկատեց, որ տղամարդը հուզվեց և թաքցրեց իր դեմքը ձեռքերի մեջ: Մայրս այն ժամանակ հասկացավ, որ այդ մարդը Արա Գիրակոսյանն է: Նա շատ ամաչեց և գնեց երկու ձայնասկավառակները»:  (արայվազ6).

Իզուր էի Արա Գիրագոսյանի կենսագրությունը որոնում էի համացանցի որոնողական համակարգերում։ Ես չգիտեմ, թե երբ և որտեղ է նա ծնվել և երբ և որտեղ է մահացել։ Բայց, անկասկած, նրա հիշողությունն ու երգեցողությունը պահպանվում են: Նրան կարելի է լսել YouTube-ում։

 

 

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ԳԵՎՈՐԳ ԳԱԳՈՍԵԱՆ.  Ալեք Մնակյանին ճանաչում էի որպես հայտնի ակորդեոնահար։ Կրկին Պողոս Շահմելիքյանի շնորհիվ ես իմացա, որ նա ավելին է, քան հայտնի ակորդեոնահար, և որ նա ամենաբարձր տրամաչափի արտիստ է և իր ներդրումն է ունեցել Լիբանանի գեղարվեստական ​​կյանքում՝ լինի դա որպես հայ և որպես լիբանանցի իր ընկերակցության միջոցով: հայտնի Ռահբանի եղբայրների հետ։ 

Մնակյան եղբայրները Սուրբ Նշան եկեղեցուն կից երաժշտական ​​խանութ ունեին, և դա երբեմնի համանուն դպրոցն է, որտեղ ես հաճախել եմ: Թաղամասը հայկական կենտրոն էր։ Մնակեանի խանութին կողքին, իմ ընկեր Կարպիս Պաղտասարեանի եղբայր Զարեհը գրախանութ ունէր։ Փողոցի հենց այդ հատվածում իմ համադասարանցի Հարություն Հադսագործյանի հայրը վարսավիրանոց ուներ, ով խոսում էր Տիգրանագերդյան հստակ առոգանությամբ և ուշադրությամբ հետևում էր մեզ՝ ուսանողներիս, մտածելով, թե որքան լավ ենք մեր ուսումը և խրախուսում է մեզ քրտնաջան սովորել: Կար նաև զենքի խանութ, որի տերը Սուրբ Նշանում ամուսնացել է դասընկերներիցս մեկի հետ։ Մենք ապրում էինք եկեղեցուց մի փոքր քայլելու, և այդ թաղամասը հանգրվան էր մեր տղաների համար: Ալեքսը կարճահասակ ու նիհար տղա էր։ Մեկ այլ կարճահասակ և թիկնեղ երիտասարդ էր երբեմն խանութում։ Անունը Գէորգ Գագոսեան էր։

 Գէորգ Գագոսեանի մասին հետեւեալը միացրի Յակոբ Մարտիրոսեանի գրած յօդուածից, որը հրապարակւել էր «Հայրենիք» շաբաթաթերթում 2014 թւականի յուլիսի 17-ին, նրա վաղաժամ մահից քառասունհինգ տարի անց, որպէս վկայութիւն այս շնորհալի, բայց կարճատեւ երիտասարդի մնայուն ժառանգութեան: .

Գէորգ Գագոսեան ծնած է 9 Յուլիս 1942ին, մահացած է Եգիպտոսի Կահիրե քաղաքին մէջ, 25 Նոյեմբեր 1969ին, իր համերգէն մէկ օր ետք։ Լիբանանի կոնսերվատորիայում ուսումն ավարտելուց հետո ուսումը շարունակել է Իտալիայում։ Նա դեռևս ոչ մի ձայնագրություն չէր պատրաստել, որպեսզի իր ընկերներին իմանային, որ երգչի ձայնը հասունանում է 35 տարեկանից հետո, և որ նա դեռ շատ երիտասարդ է հաջորդների համար ձայնագրելու համար: Նրա վաղաժամ մահից հետո նրա ընկերները ձայնագրեցին նրա համերգների ձայնագրությունները։ Նա համարվում էր անսովոր շնորհալի բաս տենոր: Նրա մահը սգացին նրա ուսուցիչները, ընկերներն ու դասընկերները Լիբանանից, Իտալիայից, Անգլիայից և Ճապոնիայից: Նրա ճապոնացի գործընկեր Տակաո Օկամուրան հիշատակի համերգ է կազմակերպել Բեյրութում և ավարտել իր երգացանկը՝ հայերեն ստորագրելով «Ես լսեցի մի քաղցր ձայն» (Ես Լսեցի Մի ԱՆուշ Զայն)՝ այն նվիրելով Գևորգ Գագոսյանի հիշատակին։

Գևորգ Գագոսյանին կարելի է լսել YouTube-ում։

 

 

*****

ԱՐՄԵՆ ԳՈՒՐԱԳ  Ծնողներս նրա հետ ընկերություն էին հաստատել Բեյրութում հայրս վարած հյուրանոցում՝ «Լյուքս» հյուրանոցում գտնվելու ժամանակ: Երկար ու երկար տարիներ ամեն կիրակի առավոտ հայրս նվագում էր հայկական սուրբ պատարագի իր ձայնագրությունը, որը համարվում է Սուրբ Պատարագի լավագույն կատարումներից մեկը երգչի կողմից: Ի վերջո, ես հիշում եմ, որ նա Լատինական Ամերիկայից էր: Մայրս նրան ծանոթացրեց իր ընկերոջ՝ Ռահել Չիլինգուիրյանի հետ, և նրանք ամուսնացան ու տեղափոխվեցին ԱՄՆ։ 1960-ականների վերջին մայրս այցելեց ԱՄՆ-ում գտնվող իր հարազատներին և ժամանակ անցկացրեց Արմեն և Ռահել Գիրագների հետ: Ես հաճախ էի մտածում, թե ինչ է պատահել նրա հետ։

Մի քանի տարի առաջ ես կարդացի հետևյալը Արմեն Գիրագի մասին մի հոդվածում, որը հանգուցյալ Թոմ Վարդապետյանը գրել էր Armenian Weekly-ում «Երեք տենորներ հարվածում են տարբեր մեղեդի» (24 մարտի, 2009 թ.): 

« Նա (Արմեն Գիրագը) հայ էր և Նյու Յորքում ձայնասկավառակի խանութ էր ղեկավարում, որը կրկնապատկվեց որպես նրա տուն: Նա վաճառում էր իր երաժշտությունը առջևից և քնում էր ետևում՝ փոքրիկ սառնարանով, սեղանով և մի քանի աթոռով:

Արմեն Գիրագն ապրում էր ձեռքից բերան և չէր շտապում իր ձայնագրությունները տեղափոխել։ Մի անգամ նա ինձ ասաց, որ բոլորը, ում վաճառել է, նման են «երեխա վաճառելու»։ Բայց արդյո՞ք նա երբևէ ձայն ուներ և դարձավ իր սերնդի մեծագույն հայ տենորը դեռևս 1950-ականներին:

Նա ճանաչվեց որպես դասական համերգային և օպերային երգիչ, արտադրեց մի շարք ձայնագրություններ և կատարեց մոտ ու հեռու, այդ թվում՝ ելույթ ունենալով Կարնեգի Հոլում, որը արժանացավ բուռն արձագանքների Նյու Յորքի թերթերում:

Ես հանդիպեցի նրան իր կարիերայի վերջում, երբ նա աստիճանաբար սկսեց հմուտ լինել և ապրել որպես մեկուսի: Նրա վերջին համերգը, որին ներկա էի, ափսոս էր։

Նա հայտնվեց Բոստոնում, արդեն մոտ 70 տարեկան, և երգեց այնպես, ինչպես նախկինում չէր երգել: Նրա ձայնը հասավ նստատեղերի ամենավերջին շարքին, երբ մարդիկ ոտքի վրա ծափահարում էին նրա յուրաքանչյուր գրառումը:

Եվ հետո տեղի ունեցավ անկասկածը. Այն ձայնագրությունը, որը նա պտտվում էր հետին պլանում, խրվեց, մինչ հանդիսատեսը նստած էր հուզված: Նույնիսկ նախքան շրթունքների համաժամացման հայտնի դառնալը, Արմեն Գիրագը հայտնվեց իր ժամանակից շատ շուտ:

Նա նվաստացած դուրս եկավ բեմից, այլևս չհայտնվեց: Վերջին անգամ, երբ լսեցի, նա մահացավ այդ փոքրիկ ձայնասկավառակում նրա երաժշտությունը ընդգրկող պարտիտուրներից հազիվ շշուկով»։

Անշուշտ, տխուր ավարտ է նման տաղանդավոր երգչի համար։ Ես մեկ-մեկ լսում եմ նրա երգը և նրա ձայնը անսովոր պարզ է, պարզ: Ասում են՝ հայ համայնքը չի գնահատում իր արվեստագետներին այնպես, ինչպես պետք է։ Ես հաճախ մտածում եմ՝ արդյոք մեր արվեստագետները մեր գենոֆոնդի զոհն են: Սա կարող է ճիշտ լինել, քանի որ մենք անսովոր հարուստ ենք տաղանդներով, լինեն դա երգիչներ կամ տարբեր դասական գործիքներ նվագողներ, որպեսզի համայնքը աջակցի բոլորին, ինչպես դա պետք է: 

 Մենք, անկասկած, նրանց երախտագիտության պարտք ենք պարտական ​​մեր կյանքը հարստացնելու համար:

 

Տէր եւ Տիկին Արմէն եւ Ռահէլ Գիրագի հետ

My Mother’s Armenian Manual Typewriter

Vahe H. Apelian

An Armenian manual typewriter

My mother was born and raised in Keurkune, Kessab in Syria and taught Armenian language and literature during her entire productive life in Syria, Lebanon and then in the U.S. She left behind hundreds of beautifully handwritten pages. On unlined blank sheets of paper, she wrote neatly and on a straight line, line after line, hundreds of pages. She had a beautiful handwriting. At least, I know of no other whose natural effortless Armenian handwriting is as beautiful as hers was. She was also endowed with an uncanny ability for committing poems by heart much like a recording. She loved Armenian poetry and had a habit of writing them down for her enjoyment. She also loved and prepared group recitations, Khmpayin Asmoung in Armenian, for her students to recite. Such group recitations were, as I am not sure if they still are, time-honored traditions at the graduation ceremonies from Armenian schools.  I invite interested readers to read my blog about group recitation (see note)

Along with her handwritten papers, she left the following hand written instruction. 

-                Do not treat my handwritten notes ungently.

-                Keep my albums in a corner.  Do not throw them away. At times you look for something and cannot find them.

-                Love, learn and speak the Armenian language. That is a blessing and a sacredness.”

The instructions my mother left behind.

Surely it leaves me with a great burden as her only surviving child. A year ago, I had part of her handwritten group recitations assembled and published as 260 pages long, 8”x11” size book, titling it “Group Recitations” (Read the link below if interested).. I am in the process of assembling the rest of her group recitations as the second volume of a sequel.

Her handwriting reminded of the following.

Decades ago in Lebanon, my mother purchased an Armenian font manual typewriter. It was not an on the spur of the moment purchase. Armenian font manual typewriters were fabricated upon request. It was an expensive proposition, especially for a teacher in Armenian schools. It might have taken her a year maybe to set aside enough funds to buy an Armenian manual typewriter. She knew how to type on a regular typewriter. She committed herself learning to type on the Armenian font typewriter. But I do not think she ended typing a letter on it. She did not like the fonts. She stored the typewriter never to use it again.

Some time ago I found in her papers a typewritten report by the late Rev. Aram Hadidian, on the founding of the one-time Sin El Fil Armenian Evangelical School. The fonts indeed look very dull. There is no appeal whatsoever. It is made to be functional and that’s all.  The technology or the mindset may not have been there to impart to the fonts appeal along with their functionality. (link: https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2017/08/blog-post.html)

An example of the fonts on Armenian manual typewriter 

I was also reminded of a movie about Steve Jobs. In a dramatized scene Steve Jobs fired one of their best programmers because he questioned the need to devote time and effort to have different scripts on the McIntosh computer when they were facing so many challenges to overcome; but Steve Jobs was adamant. He attributed his appreciation of the importance of having different appealing calligraphy on the McIntosh to his attending a calligraphy class during his short stay in college.

By the time the computers became available loaded with beautiful Armenian fonts, my mother was too much set in her ways to ever consider learning word processing. She remained oblivious of the beautiful fonts out there. She resorted to the only way she knew, handwriting.

An example of mother's group recitation handwriting

As to the Armenian font manual typewriter, it was shipped along with other household items from Lebanon as the family moved in, one by one, and settled in the U.S.  Sometime ago I donated it to the Armenian Library and Museum of America, in Watertown, MA. The original ribbon was still on it. I typed a line on a page indicating that this typewriter is being gifted to the Armenian museum and had her Armenian manual typewriter shipped there.

Note: Group recitation - Խմբային Ասմունք։

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2017/10/tribute-to-art-khmpayin-asmoungner.html

Tribute To An Art: Khmpayin Asmoungner

The attached is the preface of my mother's book titled  "Group Recitations and Live Enactments" in Armenian.

Tribute To An Art: Khmpayin Asmoungner

As I write the Foreword in our house in Loveland, OH; my mother Zvart Apelian is thousands of miles away in the Ararat Nursing Facility in Mission Hills, California. She has made the facility her last residence since the past three years although she does not seem to know it. The once dynamic person has become silent and disengaged. Dementia, to avoid the other dreaded word, has ravaged her once beautiful mind and deprived her of memory and recognition. In September 2014 I had her 90^th birthday celebrated at the monthly social the facility’s Ladies’ Guild hosts on the first Tuesday of every month.  She was there at the table but she was not with us. She was elsewhere, somewhere apparently the best of the human mind and intention cannot reach her any longer. Ironically a few years earlier when we both had attended the same function, on the spur of the moment she wanted to recite. She was invited to the podium. She captivated and mesmerized the audience with her recitation.

I liken my mother’s state to a broken record and recorder, for lack of a better analogy. Her mind once recorded and stored countless poems she had taught her students. Anywhere, on the spur of moment, she could retrieve any one of them upon request and recite them. She loved poetry and recited them movingly. To distract her from her continued mourning of her younger son’s, my brother’s death, I asked her several months after his funeral if she would like to recite and let me record. She agreed. We went to a local park and I started recording as she recited from memory one poem after another. After an hour or so I stopped recording. I had run out of tape but she could continue on reciting.

Fortunately, she put her unusual talent to good use. Throughout her teaching career that spanned five decades, she directed group recitations and staged live presentations. The terms as such do not convey the sentiments their Armenian terms, Khmpayin Asmounk and Gentany Badger, respectively do. The former is a responsive recitation over a theme where soloists recite followed by the group responding or affirming in unison to what the person recited. The latter - Gentany Badger - is a live reenactment and thus the performers are attired accordingly and voice from a prepared text around a theme. Both are cherished traditions in Armenian schools although they seem to be dying nowadays. At one time no graduation ceremony would take place without one of them being performed on the stage.

Group recitation and live enactment texts have not been collected in books. After she retired from teaching she made her mission to record the texts of the group recitations and live reenactments she had taught her students and presented on stage. Their texts filled hundreds of handwritten pages. She had them arranged in several volumes. Each volume is titled after a theme reflected in the texts of the recorded group recitations in that volume. This book is a reproduction of two of these volumes. One is simply titled  Group Recitations (Khmpayin Asmounkner). The other is both group recitations and live enactment in memory of Vartanants.

Usually, the person who directed the group recitation or the live reenactment would have been the person who arranged the text around the theme by quoting from authors or by arranging an author’s poetry or prose in such a manner that it became a responsive group recitation or live enactment. She put together most of the group recitations she taught her students. In one such recitation, she cites having quoted from seven well-known authors. In another, she cites having quoted from eight authors. Naturally, it is not uncommon that the person who directed the recitation could also have presented an arrangement made by another person. In both cases, the person must have a good knowledge of the Armenian literature and the literary works of authors to put together such an arrangement around a theme and present it on stage.

Staging group recitation and or live enactment celebrating or commemorating an important Armenian historical date, such as the Battle of Avarayr the Armenians waged in 451 in defense of their right to worship their Christian religion or about the Armenian Genocide and others themes, cemented the sentimental bonds between the school and the community. It also became an avenue to delight the parents seeing their sons and daughters on the stage. The group reciting could number from a few students to many more. My mother claimed that she was always mindful to have many students in the group and many soloists taking part reciting thus giving an opportunity for many parents to see their children perform on the stage. It should be noted that group recitation did not require any elaborate stage preparation in having a group of students reciting in front of an audience made up mostly of their parents and relatives.

Group recitation and live enactment served a pedagogical purpose as well. Their staging helped train students express themselves publically.

My mother never warmed up to computers. She did not even attempt to sit in front of a monitor and have someone explain to her that computers can also be used as a typewriter of sorts she knew using. Many years ago she ordered a manual typewriter with Armenian fonts. They were not commonly available then and were made by special order. She never warmed up to it also. She found the fonts from the typewriter dull and unappealing. Had she warmed up to computers she could have learned that nowadays she would have a choice for different types of fonts and sizes. Having long given up typewriter she resorted to handwriting the group recitations and the live enactments in the several volumes that added up to hundreds of pages. She had a good handwriting. As I view the pages or read the recitations I remain at owe seeing her beautiful handwriting in straight lines over blank pages with the same consistency page after page. Her unusual memory became very helpful to her. Most of the group recitations and live enactments in these handwritten volumes were written from memory. Copying them from a source while making sure that they were copied correctly would have made her task exceedingly more difficult.

Why handwritten?

Finally, I might not be mistaken to say that she was the last of the Mohicans who practiced this art since she embarked on teaching as a young woman in Kessab, Syria and then in Beirut and in Bourj Hammoud in Lebanon and lastly in Los Angeles, California. The art seems to have died in Armenian schools, especially among the schools in the Western World. There is a good reason for it. The teacher and the students are not exempted from class to prepare a group recitation. A teacher had to make room during her lunch breaks and after school to have a group of willing students participate in the group recitation. That is what she did throughout those years. I am sure her uncanny ability to retain the recitation by heart helped her direct such presentations with relative ease. If a teacher were to hold the text and read from the text to train the group and subsequently continue on referring to text while hearing the students recite to correct their errors or remind them of the word or the sentence they might have forgotten would have made the task of training a group of students exceedingly difficult. In her case, she knew the group recitation by heart so it did not become difficult for her to correct a student, or remind the soloist or the group on that very spot of the word or the sentence they might have forgotten. I am sure she became a good example as well for the students to emulate. She claimed that having the group repeat the recitation over and over again is the key for successful stage presentation.

This book is meant to retain a glimpse of the art she practiced throughout her teaching career and to preserve her meticulous handwriting. Fewer and fewer of us nowadays in the Diaspora reads in Armenian, let alone writes in Armenian. Calligraphy in the caliber that was her norm has almost disappeared from our midst, as handwriting is becoming a thing of the past in this fast age of computers and word processing.

In the foreword of the volume reproduced within the cover of this book, she wrote about why she chose to handwrite instead of having the recitation typed. She also painstakingly noted that she does not want to think about the eventual fate of the volumes she prepared. The thought that they might be lost or ignored would grieve her immensely, she wrote. She ended the forward saying that she found this art nourishing her soul more than her nourishment for sustenance.

I want to believe that the publication of this volume would have put her concerns to rest.

Vahe H. Apelian

Loveland, OH

April, 2016

  

Armenian Evangelical Schools in Lebanon

By Dr. Zaven Messerlian
Translated and abridged by Dr. Vahe H. Apelian, OH, 12 June 2013
(Chanasser, Jan.-Feb., 2013)

Dr. Zaven Messerlian, a graduate of the American University of Beirut (BA ’59, MA ’63), is a historian, author, and principal of the Armenian Evangelical College in Beirut since 1967. He received an honorary doctorate from the Academy of Sciences of Armenia in Yerevan in 2003 for his contributions to modern Armenian history and education. In 2007 Archbishop Hovnan Derderian conferred upon him, by the order of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, the St. Sahag-St. Mesrob Medal.

Yeprem-Martha Philibosian College in Beirut

There are six functioning Armenian Evangelical schools in Lebanon. They were founded at different times since the Genocide of the Armenians.

The schools are:

• Armenian Evangelical Yeprem-Martha Philibosian College in Beirut. It was founded in 1923. It's the first post-Genocide secondary (high) school in the Diaspora.  The principal is Dr. Zaven Messerlian.
• Armenian Evangelical Central High School in Ashrafieh, a suburb of Beirut. Founded as an elementary school in 1922, it later became a secondary (high) school. The principal is Mrs. Maral Deyirmenjian.
• Armenian Evangelical Shamlian-Tatigian Secondary School in Bourj-Hamoud, Beirut. Initially (1930) an elementary school, it was elevated to secondary (high) school. The principal is Ms. Vartoug Balekjian.
• Armenian Evangelical Secondary School of Anjar. It was founded in 1930, after the exodus of the Armenians from Sanjak (of Alexandretta), as an elementary school and later became a secondary (high) school. The principal is Rev. Raffi Messerlian.
• Armenian Evangelical Peter and Elizabeth Torosian Junior High School in Amanos, Beirut. It was founded in 1951 as a kindergarten and later became middle school. The principal is Mrs Seta Karagoezian.
• Armenian Evangelical Gertmenian School in Nor-Hadjin, Beirut. It was founded in 1931 as an elementary school. Its principal is Mr. Sahag Dedeyan.

Central High School

All the schools are affiliated with their churches and are under the jurisdiction of the Union of The Armenian Evangelical Churches In Near East (UAECNE, The Union). The Union also oversees the Haigazian University that was founded in 1955 as a College and was elevated to University by a governmental decree in 1996. An Education Council operates under the jurisdiction of The Union.

Shamlian-Tatigian Secondary School

At each stage of their schooling--elementary, middle, high--students receive a diploma upon successful completion of the academic programs.

Secondary School of Anjar

The Armenian Evangelical schools in Lebanon were more numerous in the past. Due to the dwindling Armenian-Lebanese population as a result of demographic changes and civil wars (1958, 1975), their number shrank.

Peter and Elizabeth Torosian Junior High School

The following Armenian Evangelical School have ceased to exist:

• Armenian Evangelical School in Zahle, founded in 1922.
• Armenian Evangelical Co-Ed High School in Tripoli, founded in 1936.
• Armenian Evangelical School in the Nor-Adana neighborhood of Beirut, founded in 1936.
• Armenian Evangelical School in Shtaura, founded in 1938.
• Armenian Evangelical School in the Hayashen neighborhood of Beirut, founded in 1938.
• Armenian Evangelical Philibosian School in Sin el Fil (Beirut) founded in 1953.
• Armenian Evangelical School in Trad, Bourj-Hamoud founded in 1936 and closed in 2008,

Along with these schools, Genats High School, which also was affiliated with the Armenian Evangelical Community, was also closed. It was founded in 1937 in Dbayeh.

The mission statement of the Armenian Evangelical schools adopted during the 2001 Second Assembly of the UAECNE states: “Based on the mission and history of the Armenian Evangelical Church, the goal of the Armenian Evangelical School is to equip students with a quality Christian Armenian education, adhering to the governmental curriculum, in addition maintaining the orientation set by the Armenian Evangelical Education Council".

The mission has three components.

1.Academic Curriculum. The Armenian Evangelical Schools follow a liberal education program that aims to educate the student in entirety by fostering in the student critical thinking to successfully implement the government mandated academic requirements to achieve the best possible results. The Armenian Evangelical Schools implement current teaching methodologies to best educate their students for college or trade schools.

2.Armenian Identity. The Armenian Evangelical Schools impart to its students at each stage of their schooling cultural values rooted in the Armenian experience and teach them Armenian language, history, literature. The Armenian Evangelical Schools strive to foster in their students a balanced and inclusive Armenian awareness and a spirit of service to the nation.

3.Armenian Evangelical Heritage. The supreme goal of the Armenian Evangelical Schools is to help students know God through Jesus Christ. This is achieved by fostering in the schools an Armenian Evangelical spirit by offering the students morning services, teaching the Bible, attending Sunday church services and encouraging the students to participate in Armenian Evangelical youth fellowship. The teachers are expected to exemplify Christian conduct for their students to emulate them.

The Union trusts the implementation of the mission of the Armenian Evangelical Schools to the local school boards of trustees, principle and teachers to prepare the students to become responsible Christians, exemplary citizens and productive members of their communities.

The Armenian Evangelical schools have always served the Armenians in Lebanon without regard to their denominational and sectarian affiliations. They have always put due emphasis on the teaching of the Armenian language, history, literature along with the teaching of the Bible in Armenian. The schools have also implemented the government-mandated language, science and math requirements. From its first graduating class in 1927, the graduates of the Armenian Evangelical high schools have successfully continued their education at the American University of Beirut in various disciplines.

When Lebanon was under French mandate from 1923 to 1943, French was taught at the Armenian Evangelical schools along with Arabic. After the conclusion of the French mandate, the teaching of the Arabic language was emphasized along with English. The Armenian Evangelical schools successfully fulfill the Lebanese government academic requirements. There was a time when Armenian Evangelical high school students were accepted to the American University of Beirut through the recommendation of the principal. Nowadays, success in the Baccalaureate II exam is a must for admission.

Armenian and Christian education is not only imparted in the classrooms, but also through extra-curricular activities within the schools. The schools have Armenian, Bible, history, science and other clubs as well. The schools have their own publications such as:

“Sipan” by the Armenian Evangelical Yeprem-Martha Philibosian College.
“Shiraz” by the Armenian Evangelical Secondary School of Anjar.
“Arpi” by the Armenian Evangelical Central High School.
“Shogher” by the Armenian Evangelical Peter and Elizabeth Torosian School.

Almost all the Armenian Evangelical schools have student theater, choir, dance groups and athletic teams. The students speak Armenian during recess. Most of the services offered to the students in the sanctuaries are in Armenian. In short, a healthy Armenian atmosphere prevails at the Armenian Evangelical schools of Lebanon.

Source: Keghart.com.

A Glimpse of Armenian Schools in U.S.A

Vahe H. Apelian

Posted in Keghart.com on October 5, 2011

This past Saturday, on October 1, on the very first day of the month we traditionally celebrate Armenian culture, I finished reading an interesting and inspiring book titled “A Glimpse of the History of the Armenian American Schools”, “Ակնարկ Ամերիկահայ Վաըժարաններու Պատմոթեան” by Dr. Hrant Adjemian.

The soft-cover book is published in Los Angeles (2011). It is 331 pages long and is in Western Armenian. The publication of the book has been realized by the generosity of the Caloust Gulbenkian Foundation for which the author expresses his gratitude.

The book presents the evolution and the chronology of the founding of the Armenian schools in the United States of America. The author first presents a brief history of Armenian presence in the country and the structuring of the nascent community in Worcester, MA and subsequently across the Mainland onto the West Coast in California.

The author notes that it took decades from the establishment of the first Armenian Church in Worcester, MA - Church of Our Savior in 1891 -  to the founding of the first Armenian school in California in 1964. The author attributes the lag of time to the belief of the community that the church is the best guardian of our heritage hence the communities vested their energies into building churches. Along the way, the Armenian Americans enabled Armenian communities in the Middle East to found their own schools by rendering them substantial financial support while not daring to venture into establishing their own schools

Adjemian subsequently presents in detail the founding of the first Armenian school by Gabriel Injejikian, whom he calls “a saint of a daredevil”, “Սրբազան Խենթ”. Gabriel Injejikian was born in Kessab, Syria and educated in the United States. He founded the first Armenian school in Encino, California in September 1964 with 12 students. The School is named after Mr. Matheos Ferrahain who had willed a substantial sum of money towards the first Armenian school in America. Gabriel Injejikian acted as its founding principal for the next 25 years.

The Holy Martyrs Ferrahian Armenian School gave impetus to the establishing other schools. The author subsequently presents a brief history of the founding of each of the following Armenian Schools in U.S.A., 16 of which are in California – 13 in greater Los Angeles, 1 in Orange County, 1 in Fresno and 1 in San Francisco. There is an Armenian School in Southfield (MI), in New Milford (NJ), in Philadelphia (PA), in Bayside, (NY), and in Boston (MA). See the listing of the schools, their founding dates and the closure dates of some of them:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Armenian_schools_in_the_United_States 

After briefing the history of the founding of the Armenian Schools, Adjemian presents thought-provoking assays on whether these schools are justifying their mission; on the challenges to pass the Armenian heritage to the next generation in America; on the state of the Armenian language in the Armenian Schools in U.S., and whether the Armenian Schools are preparing community leaders. The author also proposes ways and means to further the mission of the Armenian American Schools and make it more effective. 

Adjemian states that after 1986 no other Armenian School was established in US [Note: The AGBU founded the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School in Pasadena in 2006.]. Gabriel Injejikian took upon himself to venture again into uncharted territories and after planning for over a decade, Gabriel founded the Ararat Charter School in Los Angeles last year, 2010. The Ararat Charter School is the first of its kind established for public good by dedicated Armenian educators under the leadership of the youthful octogenarian, Gabriel Injejikian. It should be noted that the Alex & Marie Manougian Armenian School in Southfield, MI is also a charter school; however, it had started as private Armenian School but was chartered in 1995.

The book is well researched and fills an important historical void. The author lists the many sources he has consulted. He does not enumerate them but cites in the text. The book is also a tribute to the told and untold many who had faith in the mission of Armenian Schools in the United States of America as well and the vision to make them a reality. Going back to the future, I wonder if it did not look even “bleaker” in 1964 when Gabriel Injejikian founded the Ferrahian Armenian School that continues with vigor to this day.

The author, Hrant Adjemian, possesses impressive academic credentials and experience in Armenian Diaspora education. He is born in Beirut in 1941 and is a graduate of the Seminary of the Catholicoste of Cilicia. Subsequently, he taught and supervised Armenian Schools in Iran and established and conducted two choirs there. He received his B.A. from the Department of the Armenian Studies at the University of Isfahan.

In 1972 Hrant moved to France and enrolled in Sorbonne University while he taught in Armenian Schools and found and directed a choir in France as well. In 1977 he received his doctorate degree in Eastern Studies.

Dr. Hrant Adjemian moved to U.S. in 1988 and presently is a lecturer of Armenian language and literature at the University of La Verne. He is the author of 9 other books he lists inside the back cover of the book and contributes to various Armenian periodicals. He may be reached at 1107 Furman Place, Glenda, CA 91306.

The Answer is Charter Schools

Gabriel Injejikian

translated by Vahe H. Apelian

First posted in keghart.com on January 8, 2012. The original Armenian article was published in Asbarez' New Year special issue on Dec. 31, 2011. Gabriel Injejikian read and approved this translation. For Ararat Charter School check: WWW. AraratCharterSchool.com. 

What are Charter Schools and why do I think that they provide a golden opportunity to teach Armenian to the Armenian American students?

The laws governing Charter Schools in California were enacted in 1991. They came into effect because many public schools were not living up to the educational standards expected of them as evidenced by the poor academic performance in national achievement tests. Charter Schools come about in two ways. An existing public school may be converted to a Charter School, or an individual or an organization may start a Charter School.

The Charter Schools are semi-independent public schools. These schools are expected to outperform the public schools within their designated area as evidenced by the higher academic performance of their students on national achievement tests. If they succeed in their mission, their permit is renewed every five years. If they do not succeed, their permit is revoked.

Charter Schools must offer the students the state’s mandated curriculum. Besides the mandated curriculum they may offer students additional subjects such as foreign languages, longer school days or academic year. Charter Schools are not permitted to teach religion. They do not have the right to refuse a student. In the event the number of students applying is more than the seats available, then the students will be chosen by lottery.

The state funds Charter Schools at the same rate as the public schools according to the number of the students enrolled. Charter Schools are not permitted to require parents to pay tuition. However, parents are permitted to make donations for the betterment of the school.

Why do I think that Charter Schools present a golden opportunity to teach Armenian language and culture to a much larger number of Armenian American students?

There was no Armenian School in the United States until1964 when thanks to the overwhelming encouragement and support by the Armenians in Lebanon “Ferrahian” school was started in Encino, California with 12 students. During the following 25 years, 25 Armenian schools were established, enrolling around 6000 students.

The Armenian community in Los Angeles more than doubled during the last two decades during which time the only new Armenian School that was founded is the AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School in Pasadena in 2006. However, in spite of more than doubling of the Armenian Americans, the number of the students attending Armenian schools has noticeably declined.

Presently there are approximately 60,000 Armenian American students in California. Less than ten percent (10%) attend regular private and one-day Armenian schools. One of the most important causes for this sad state is definitely the cost of the tuition.

Times have changed. There was a time when the American public schools advocated the students from immigrant parents to shed away their culture and accept and adapt to the American culture. Nowadays the prevailing mentality is that we need to retain our ethnic language and culture to enrich the American culture.

The first Charter School in California to teach Armenian is the Ararat Charter School. It is situated in Van Nuys. The school was established two years ago by a group of self-appointed pioneer educators. It started with 120 students from kindergarten to third grade. This year the number of the students increased to 257 and we added a fourth grade. To accommodate the growing number of students we established three more kindergarten classes as well. We had 140 applicants for the 66 available seats. To our great regret, we had to turn down those who were not lucky enough to have their names drawn in the lottery.

Ararat Charter School is the only Charter School in Los Angeles that teaches Armenian and Spanish languages and cultures to every student starting with kindergarten. Ninety-Five percent (95%) of its students are ethnic Armenians. The only Armenian School in Michigan, Alex and Marie Manougian High School in Southfield, was chartered in 1995 and also teaches the Armenian language as an inherent part of its curriculum.

Let us preserve and improve the excellent private Armenian schools we have established over the past decades. Let us also have more of these semi-independent Charter Schools as well.

Honestly, I hope that it will not take additional decades for our community leaders to start establishing Charter Schools to teach Armenian language and culture to the ninety percent (90%) of the ethnic Armenian students who do not or more importantly cannot afford to attend the private Armenian schools.

For further details, you may contact me at 818-885-5232. I will gladly respond to your questions.