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UCLA's Armenian Music Program - ARecap of the Past Year

Highlights of UCLA's Armenian Music Program: Cycle of achievements and advancements this academic year, marked by the introduction of two fresh courses, and the successful launch of a highly acclaimed album, featuring the UCLA VEM Ensemble's captivating tunes.

Yearly Recap of UCLA's Armenian Music Program
Yearly Recap of UCLA's Armenian Music Program

UCLA's Armenian Music Program - ARecap of the Past Year

UCLA's Armenian Music Program: A Vibrant Return for the 2020-2021 Academic Year

The Armenian Music Program at UCLA is gearing up for an exciting academic year, filled with new courses and collaborative performances. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the program experienced new achievements and milestones in the previous year.

In the coming year, the program will offer four different classes. Movses Pogossian, Director of the Armenian Music Program, will teach "Masters and Masterpieces of Armenian Classical Music". Armen Adamian, UCLA Ethnomusicology Ph.D. student, will take the helm for the Armenian Music Ensemble. Karenn Presti will introduce students to the basics with her course, "Introduction to Armenian Music". Additionally, two new courses have been added to the program's academic branch: a graduate seminar on Armenian folk music and a course specifically for the Armenian Music Ensemble.

The Armenian Music Ensemble, which made its debut in the Winter Quarter, offers students the opportunity to learn traditional Armenian songs, dances, and instruments. The ensemble has been busy during the virtual classes, with students learning to transcribe and conceptualize melodic structures and lyrics in different dialects.

The VEM Quartet, which began exploring Armenian classical music in the 2019-2020 academic year, has been actively collaborating to create virtual performances. A notable example is their collaboration on Komitas' Kaqavik for the "Gems of Armenian Music" Fiat Lux class.

The program's success is attributed to the assistance and encouragement of its community partners and supporters. The program is also looking forward to recording a second CD highlighting the works of contemporary Armenian composers.

The world-renowned jazz pianist, Tigran Hamasyan, is expected to return for a series of workshops on improvisation during the winter and spring quarters. His new album, "The Call Within", is set to be released in August.

Melissa Bilal, Distinguished Research Fellow at UCLA Center for Near Eastern Studies, will teach a guest lecture on "Music and Intersectionality in the Mediterranean". Danielle Segen, Mezzo-soprano, and Victoria Simonyan of the Lark Musical Society have also created video recordings of Armenian pieces, including "Oror" by Komitas, "Manushakin" by G. Chitchian, and the ancient Armenian Tagh "Horzham".

The Program is hopeful that live performances will return and the VEM Ensemble will continue its busy outreach program. The ensemble is also planning to return to Armenia in June 2021.

For the most accurate and detailed information about the Armenian Music Program courses and events for the 2020-2021 academic year, it is recommended to consult UCLA’s departmental announcements, the Armenian Music Program’s official website, or UCLA’s academic course catalog archives from that period directly.

  1. The Armenian Music Program at UCLA, despite the virtual setup due to the COVID-19 pandemic, continues to provide students with opportunities for education-and-self-development, offering new courses such as a graduate seminar on Armenian folk music and an online course specifically for the Armenian Music Ensemble.
  2. In addition to academic learning, the program also provides entertainment through the Armenian Music Ensemble and collaborative performances, with students learning traditional Armenian songs, dances, and instruments, and the ensemble planning to return to Armenia in June 2021.

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