Saturday, April 14, 2018, 8pm First Congregational Church, Berkeley

A rm e ni a n State C h am b e r Ch oir

PROGRAM

Mesro p Ma s h tots (362– 4 40) ༳ཱུ཮འཱུཪཱི འཻའེཪ ྃཷ

I Knee l Be for e Yo u ( A hym n f or Le nt)

Grikor N ar e k a tsi ( 9 51–1 0 03) གའཽཷཱཱྀུ The Bird (A hymn for Easter) TheThe BirdBirdBir d (A (A(A hymn hymnhym forn for f oEaster) rEaster) East er ) The Bird (A hymn for Easter) K Kom itas (1869–1 935) ཏཷཱྀཿཡ, ོཷཱྀཿཡ K K K Holy, H oly

གའཿོའཱུཤ཮འཱུ ཤཿརཤཿ (ཉའཿ ༳)

Rustic Weddin g Son g s (Su it e A , 1899 –1 90 1)

༷ཿ཮ཱུཪྀ , རཤཾཱུཪྀ , P Prayer r ayer

ཆཤཿཪ཮ ེའཱུ ཯འཫའཫ 7KH%UL The B ri de’s Farewell    ༻འརཽཷཿཪ ཱིཤཿ , ལཷཛཱྀོ   འཿཪ              To the B ride g room  ’s Mo th er         ༻འརཽཷཿ ཡའཿཷཽ 7KH%ULGH The Bridegroom’s Blessing

ཱུ༹ ལཪཥའཱུ , BanterB an te r

༳ཱཻུཤཱི ཤཿཨའཱི ཪཱི ུའཿཧ , D ance

༷ཛཫ, ཤཛཫ

Rise Up ! (1899 –190 1 )

གཷཛཽ འཿཤྃ ོའཿཤཛྷཿ ེའཱུ ,

O Mountain s , Brin g Bree z e (1913 –1 4)

༾ཷཻཷཱྀ རཷཱྀཨའཱུཤཿར

Plowing of Lor i (1902 –0 6)

༵འཿཷཱཱྀུ

Spring

Song(190 2for, P oAtheneem by Ho vh annes Hovh anisyan) Song for Athene A John T a ve n er (19 44–2 013) ThreeSongSong forfSacredor AtheneAth Hymnsene A Three Sacred Hymns A Three Sacred Hymns A Three Sacred Hymns A Alfred Schn it tke (1 934–1 998) ThreeThree SacredSacred Hymns H ymn s   Богородиц е Д ево, ра д уйся,   Hail to th e V irgin M ary   Господ и поми луй, Lord, Ha ve Mercy MissaОтч Memoriaе Наш, L ord’s Pra yer

MissaK Memoria INTERMISSION MissaK Memoria Missa Memoria MissaK Memoria K K



Lullaby (from T

Lullaby (from T Sure on This Shining Night (Poem by James Agee) Lullaby (from T SureLullaby on This(from Shining T Night (Poem by James Agee) R ArmenianLullaby (from Folk TTunes R Armenian Sure on This Folk Shining Tunes Night (Poem by James Agee) Sure on This Shining Night (Poem by James Agee)

R Armenian Folk Tunes R Armenian Folk Tunes

The Bird (A hymn for Easter)

K

         

Song for Athene

A Three Sacred Hymns

PROGRAM  

David Haladjian (b. 1962) Missa Memoria Kyrie MissaCh rMemoriaiste K Gloria

Dies Ir ae Tuba Mir um Patre m Sanctus

Daniel Elder (b. 1986) Lullaby (from Three Nocturnes ) Lullaby (from T Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943) Sure on this Shining Night Sure(Po eonm This by J aShiningmes A Nightgee) (Poem by James Agee)

R Ro be rt Mlk e yan (b. 1 961) ArmenianArmenia Folkn Fo Tuneslk Tun es ཆྲྀཷ ༵ཷཿའཱུཪ, Gorani of Moosh ཆའུཿའཱི, MayramMayram ༿ཪུཷ, KheeyoKheeyo ཆའཿའཫ, MaralMara l

This performance is made possible, in part,

by Patron Sponsors Roger Strauch and Dr. Julie Kulhanjian Strauch.

Cal Performances’ 2017 –18 season is sponsored by Wells Fargo.

Armenian State Chamber Robert Mlkeyan, artistic director and principal conductor Armen Arabyan, executive director Soprano Alto Tenor Baritone/Bass Nvard Aloyan Lianna Abrahamyan Razmik Baghdasaryan 3, 4 Aram Avetisyan 4 Nune Atanasyan Susanna Abrahamyan Vahe Begoyan Hakob Ghazaryan Anahit Hovhannisyan Susanna Galstyan Artur Brutyan Armen Grigoryan 2 Era Hovsepyan Naira Hovhannisyan Vrezh Gharibyan 2 Hovhannes Grigoryan 3, 4 Marine Mkrtchyan Gayane Mlqeyan Harutyun Khachatryan Gagik Martirosyan Marine Saghatelyan Lusine Ordukhanyan 5 Mikhail Tovmasyan Mavrik Mkrtchyan 3, 4 Sofya Sayadyan 1, 2 Ashkhen Tadevosyan 2 Armen Tovmasyan Lusya Vardanyan Arno Zargaryan

1 Soloist for The Bird, Wedding , Missa Memoria 2 Soloist for Plowing Song of Lori 3 Soloist for Gorani of Moosh 4 Soloist for Mayram 5 Contributor to program notes and translations

Acknowledgements Artin Der Minassians; University of California, Berkeley, Armenian Alumni (UCBAA); Armen & Nelly Der Kiureghian; Adam & Rita Kablanian; Bryan & Valina Agbabian; Anonymous; Eleanore Aslanian; Karnig & Santoukht Mikaelian; Jack & Marie Saroyan; Armen Sedrakian & Ruth Alahydoian; KZV Armenian school in San Francisco; La Mediterranee restaurant in Berkeley; Cynthia Avakian; David Balabanian; Michael & Heghine Boloyan; Edward Godoshian; Caline Soghikian; Anonymous; Knight of Vartan; Joseph Bezdjian; Hasmig & Antranik Cingoz; Jirair & Christina Moughamian; Zaven Kanneian & Janet Yeghissian; Evelyn Boyd; John & Anahid Kerkezian; Allen & Erika Odian; Sonia Tajirian; Joan Bardez; Norma Kaufman; Charles Tateosian; Haleh Hatami; Armena Petrosova.

 PLAYBILL PROGRAM NOTES

Armenian Folklore Some of ’ arrangements, although by Artin Der Minassians based on folk motifs, convey a deeper and more Armenian folklore is one of the richest in the philiosophical meaning. “Rise Up!” is one exam - world. Despite countless wars and constant ple. Although the text suggests that it’s a farmer destruction by foreign aggressors, many songs singing the song to his old and ill oxen, it is have survived and have been passed down from also the ’s cry to his old and beaten generation to generation. The main categories Armenian nation, begging it to rise and thrive. are work-related songs, ritual songs (“ Dseesa - You may notice a similar metaphor in “O Moun - shar ”) , lyrical love-songs, lullabies (“Ororot - tains, Bring Breeze,” as well. sayin”), songs of sorrow and nostalgia for loved In an article about the “Plowing Song of Lori” ones (“Pandukht”), dance songs, and songs of (1914), Komitas mentions that in Lori (North- chivalry and heroism. Eastern ) they still use the old-style pa - Armenian folk songs were originally accom - triarchal plow. Since it is not possible for a single panied and supported by group -dancing wit - person to work such plows, a few families team hout any musical instruments. Over time, when up together and set up one plow with 12 yokes. the words were forgotten, musical instruments After the preliminary arrangements, they set out became a part of the folk tradition. At times, from the village to their fields after dinner to do many people—even an entire village—would the plowing. The plowing process starts by a participate in circle dancing. Dancers would plowman or the senior plowboy calling the stand side by side in a circle while linking each yoked animals by exclaiming, “Ho!” Then he other’s pinkies, and the circle would rotate co - adds the actual prayer words, praising God. unterclock wise as the dance progressed. For They then continue, in a lively and joyful style, instance, the song “Mayram” is a “G’hovend,” encouraging the yoked animals. This usually is which means “giant crowd,” seen , from a dis - followed by a leisurely and tender melody dur - tance, as if a giant mass of people were shifting . ing which each animal is caressed and flattered The songs of traditional Armenian rustic by its name (e.g., Prere, Peryugi, Shimal, Lachin). weddings were of particular interest to Komitas. They continue singing until the plow reaches In 1905, as part of a lecture in , Komitas the edge of the field, where they greet the oxen mentioned, “They [the wedding songs] are so to let them know that the rest period is near. The many and so mysterious. Their number reac - animals soon are able to rest until the plowboys hes 78 so far…. One important group of the move the plow, turn it around, and place it in the wedding songs is called ‘Dsaghkots.’ These mouth of the next furrow. are songs that are sung by the friends of the Regarding “Gorani of Moosh,” it should be bride, in which they praise her , comparing her noted that the meaning of word “Go ra ni” is un - life to a tree, a flower, the moon, etc. But other clear. It could be derived from the word “koo - songs are about the groom, mother s-in-law, the ran,” which is related to rites and ceremonies groom’s bachelor and married friends, and so from the pagan era. Or, it could be related to on. A few of them are riddles and happy enter - dance-like movements of worship. Or, it may taining songs.” simply be “Goran,” which means “dancing.”

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

The Armenian State Chamber Choir (A SCC) ASCC brilliantly performs works of Komitas was founded in 2000 thanks to the sponsorship (1869–1935), the father of Armenian classical of the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Founda- music, as well as those of the contemporary tion. A professional choir of mixed voices , Armenian . Over the years, the choir ASCC has a primary mission of bringing choral has performed world premieres by Armenian masterpieces of Armenian composers to life composers including Tigran Mansur ian, David and sharing them with its audience worldwide. Hala djian, and Edward Hayrapetian .

 ABOUT THE ARTISTS

ASCC has toured in Argentina, Canada, Robert Mlkeyan (b. 1961, Armenia) is an Georgia, Greece, , and the United King - Honored Artist of Armenia, “Movses Khore- dom. In 2006 the ensemble took part in the natsi” medal recipient, as well as Armenia’s International Festival of Modern Music at the second-degree medal recipient for the services Donizetti Opera Theatre in Bergamo, Italy, and provided to his motherland. He received his performed several concerts in the White Hall primary music education in the music school and Catherine Palace in , con - named after Mirzoyan in Armenia . He then stu - cluding the Year of Armenian Culture in Russia. died conducting in Saint Petersburg. Mlkeyan In 2007 the choir took part in a memorable con - continued his graduate studies in the class of cert at the Council of Europe Concert Hall in Emin Khachatryan at the Komitas State Con- Strasbourg, France. servatory of Music in Yere van, Armenia. In 2009, o n the occasion of the 140th birthday In 1992 he was appointed a rtistic director anniversary of Komitas’ birth , A SCC recorded and principal conductor of the Gyumri State two CDs at Saghmosavank Monastery, featuring Sym phonic Orchestra and Gyumri Chamber selected sacred and secular choral works by the Choir, positions he held for eight years . Mlke - master composer. That same year saw appear - yan has been the artistic director and principal ances in the Gaveau Concert Hall and Saint- conductor of the Armenian State Chamber Louis Church in Paris, Haus der Kulturen der Choir since 2000. The group has toured inter - Welt (House of the World Cultures) in , nationally and performed in London, Paris, and in venues in Geneva and Zurich. The video Lyon, Marseille, Geneva, Brussels, Aleppo, Da - recordings of the concerts in France and Switz - mascus, Latakia, Tbilisi, , Saint Peters - er land were edited into a documentary that was burg, Hano ver, Frankfurt, Strasbourg, Toronto, later aired on various Armenian public televi - and Ottawa. sion and satellite channels. In 2015, on the occasion of the 100th anni - ASCC released Ars Poetica on ECM Records versary of the , the National in 2006, featuring the choral concert written by Orchestra and Choir of Mexico performed and based on 10 poems by Tigran Mansurian’s Requiem and Viola Con - . The World Music Council certo under Mlkeyan’s leadership (soloist Kim awarded the CD a five-star rating. The inclusion Kashkashyan). Within the framework of the of Ars Poetica in Gramophone , a prestigious same events, he also appeared in concerts in music catalogue that has reported on the most Switzer land, with Bern’s Orchestra and Chil - outstanding classical albums since 1923, may be dren’s Choir, as well as in Lebanon, Argentina, considered one of the choir ’s most significant and Greece. achievements. Mlkeyan has appeared in many prestigious In 2009 A SCC staged a live performance of concert venues , including St. Louis Cathedral, Alfred Schnittke’s Choir Concerto for a docu - Salle Gaveau (Paris), White Hall, Smolny Cathe- mentary directed by Hovik Hakhverdyan titled dral, Glazu nov Hall (Saint Petersburg), the EU In Search of Naregatsi . Devoted to St. Gregory Hall “Salle Schwietzer at the Palais de la Musique of Narek and his famous Book of Lamentations , et des Congres” (Strasbourg), Teatro Donizetti the documentary features conversations among Opera House (Bergamo), Frauenkirche Church intellectuals, interspersed with musical pieces (Dres den), Teatro Colon (Buenos Aires), and performed by the choir and fragments from the Meg aron Concert Hall (). Book of Lamentations , recited by the renowned Robert Mlkeyan has composed numerous Armenian theater artist Sos Sargsyan. choral arrangements of folk songs and of music In addition to its frequent concerts and tours, written for theat er performances. ASCC participates in charity projects by perfor - ming in educational institutions in rural areas (362 –440), was an early me - of Armenia, introducing the choral culture to a dieval Armenian linguist, theo logian, states - wider national audience. man, and hymnologist. He is best known for

6 PLAYBILL PROGRAM NOTES inventing the , which was a Gregory was born c. 950 to a family of scho - fundamental step in strengthening Armenian larly churchmen. His father, Khosrov, was an national identity. Mesrop Mashtots was born in archbishop. He lost his mother very early, and a noble family in the settlement of Hatsekats in was educated by his cousin, Anania of Narek, and died in (today’s Etch - who was the founder of the monastery and miadszin). His biographer, Koryun, mentions school of the village. At a young age, Gregory that Mashtots received a good education and entered the Narek Monastery, known as was versed in the Greek and Persian languages. Narek a vank, on the southeast shore of Lake Because of his piety and learning Mesrop was Van in Vaspourakan (Greater Armenia, now appointed secretary to King Khosrov IV. ) and spent almost all of his life in the Armenia, so long the battleground of Romans monastery. The monastery was completely de - and Persians, lost its independence in 387, and stroyed in the 20th century after the Armenian was divided between the Byzantine Empire and Genocide. Persia, about four-fifths being given to the lat - A leader of the well-developed school of Ar - ter. was governed by Byzan - me nian mysticism at Narek Monastery, Gregory tine generals, while an Armenian king ruled, but set out to find an answer to an imponderable only as feudatory, over Persian Armenia. The question: what can one offer to God, our creator, principal events of this period are the invention who already has everything and knows every - of the Armenian alphabet (c. 405 AD), the revi - thing better than we could ever express? To this sion of the liturgy, the creation of an ecclesiasti - question, posed by the prophets, psalmist s, cal and national literature, and the readjustment apostles, and saints, he gives a humble answer— of hierarchical relations. Mesrop is one the the sighs of the heart—expressed in his Book of three men who are prominently associated with Lamentations . In 95 prayers, Gregory draws on this work, together with Patriarch Isaac and the potential of the Classical Arme nian language King Vram shapuh, who succeeded his brother to translate feelings of suffering and humility Khosrov IV in 389. into an offering of words thought to be pleasing St. Mesrop also produced several liturgical to God. Calling it his last testament—“its letters compositions. He is buried at a chapel in Osha - like my body, its message like my soul”—it is an kan, a historical village southwest of the town of edifice of faith for the ages , u nique in Christian . St. Mesrop is listed officially in the literature for its rich imagery, its subtle theology, of the Roman Catholic its Biblical erudition, and the sincere immediacy Church; his feast day is February 17. The of its communication with God. For Narekatsi, read his name in the Canon of the peoples’ absolute goal in life should be to reach Mass and celebrate his memory on February 19. to God, and to reach wherever human nature unites with godly nature, thus erasing the diffe - Grikor Narekatsi (, 951 –1003) rences between God and men and the difficul - was an Armenian monk, poet, mystical philo - ties of earthly life. According to him, mankind’s sopher, theologian, composer, and saint of assimilation with God is possible not by logic, the Armenian Apostolic Church and Catholic but by feelings. The actual date he wrote the Church. He is considered Armenia’s first great book is unknown , but he finished it around poet, and was the author of a mystical interpre - 1001–1002, one year prior to his death. tation on the Song of Songs and numerous poe - tic writings. His Book of Prayers , also known as Soghomon Soghomonyan—Komitas (1869 – Book of Lamentations , a long mystical poem, has 1935), was born in , Turkey, in the town been translated into many languages. The book, of Kütahya. He lost his mother when he was less the work of his mature years, remains one of the than one year old and ultimately became an orp - definitive pieces of . He was han when he was 11. In 1881 the priest of Küt - declared a by ahya had to leave for Etchmiadzin to be or dained in 2015. a bishop. At the request of the he

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brought the gifted orphan boy with him to study In September 1899 Komitas returned to Etch - at the Etchmiadzin Church Seminary. Twelve- miadzin and immediately began his musical year-old Soghomon was selected out of the work . In a short period, he radically changed the other 20 orphans to study at the seminary. As it system of teaching music in the seminary, orga - was forbidden to speak Armenian in Tur key at nized a small orchestra, and advanced the that time, the boy spoke Turkish and when quality of the choir. He visited various regions being greeted by the Catholicos Gevorg IV, he of Armenia, notating thousands of Armenian, replied, “I don’t speak Armenian. If you wish I Kurdish, Persian, and Turkish songs. He started will sing.” Then with his fine soprano voice he serious scientific research work, studied Ar me- sang an Ar me n ian “shara kan” (sacred hymn) nian secular and sacred melodies, and worked without understanding the words. Due to his on deciphering Armenian “khazes” (neumes) aptitude, Sog ho mon learned perfect Armenian and the theory of voices. in a short time. Komitas focused on the themes of folk music In 1893, after studying at the seminary, he and revealing the content of folk songs. His was ordained a “Vardapet” (priest) and acquired interest led to an inescapable conflict between his new name, Komitas, the name of the out- Kom i tas and the Church. Gradually, the indiffe - standing poet of the seventh century and the rence of new leaders, the negative attitude of a author of “sharakans.” At the seminary Komitas back ward group of church figures, gossip, and was assigned to teach music. Along with these slander poisoned the life of the composer. The activities , Komitas organized a choir and an conflict became so tense that Komitas sent a let - orchestra of Armenian traditional instruments. ter to the Catholicos begging to discharge him In 1895 he left for Tbilisi, Georgia to study at and allow him to create and live quietly. This re - its musical college. However, after meeting the quest remained unanswered, and the per secu - com poser Makar Yekmalyan, who had received tion of Komi tas became more obvious. In 1910 his education at the conservatory of S aint Peters - he left Etchmiadzin for , where burg, he changed his mind and began studying he expected to find an environment that would and taking a course on harmony with the com - understand, protect, and encourage his activi - poser. These studies became foundational to ties ; and where he would be able to fulfill his his understanding of European composition dreams. Komitas hoped to establish a national techniques. conservatory, but he failed to accomplish this The following events of Komitas’ life are plan (as well as many others). His inspired ideas related to Europe’s main center of music, Berlin, were met with the indifference of the local aut - where he studied at the private conservatory of horities. Despite these setbacks, in Constanti- Pro fessor Richard Schmidt, with financial spon - nople he organized a large choir and called it sorship of the Armenian oil magnate Alexander “Gousan” ( singer ). Mantashyan. During these years he had an op - During , the government of portunity to “communicate” with European Young Turks initiated their monstrous program music, continually enriching his experience and of violent and inhumane extermination of a knowledge. Upon the invitation of the Inter - segment of the Armenian people. In April 1915 national Music Association, he held lectures Komitas was arrested along with several devoted to Armenian sacred and contemporary outstanding Armenian writers, publicists, phy - music as compared with Turkish, Arabic, and sicians, and lawyers. He was deported to Ana - Kurdish music. tolia, where he became a witness of the brutal Renowned musicians like Vincent d’Indy, extermination of the nation’s bright est minds. Gabriel Fauré, and Camille Saint-Saëns fell Although, by intervention of influential figures, in love with Komitas’ creative work. After a Komitas was returned to Constantinople, the concert in Paris, exclaimed ex - nightmare he had experienced left a deep, ine - citedly, “Brilliant father Komitas! I bow before radicable impression on his soul. Komitas re - your musical genius!” mained in seclusion from the outer world,

7B PLAYBILL PROGRAM NOTES absorbed in his gloomy and heavy thoughts— the funeral service of Diana, Princess of Wales. sad and broken. Commissioned by the BBC, it was written in In 1916 Komitas’ health deteriorated, and he April 1993 as a tribute to Athene Hariades, a was put in a psychiatric hospital. However, there young half-Greek actress who was killed in a was no hope that he would recover. The genius cycling accident. Tavener said of Hariades: “Her of Armenian music found his final shelter in beauty, both outward and inner, was reflected Paris, in the suburban sanatorium Vil-Jouif, in her love of acting, poetry, music, and of the where he spent almost 20 years of his life. On Orthodox Church.” He had heard her reading the October 22, the life of the Great Komitas Shakespeare in Westminster Abbey, and after came to an end. In the spring of 1936 his re - her funeral, developed the idea of composing a mains were transported to Armenia and buried song that combined words from the Orthodox in in the Pantheon of prominent art funeral service and Shakespeare’s . figures. No less tragic was the destiny of Komitas’ creative legacy. Most of his manuscripts were de - Alfred Garrievich Schnittke (1934 –1998) was stroyed or lost. a Soviet and German composer. He was born in in the Volga-German Republic of the Russian Sir John Kenneth Tavener (1944 –2013) was SFSR and began studying music in 1946 in Vien- an English composer, known for his extensive na, where his father had been posted. Schnit tke ’s output of religious works. Tavener first came experience in Vienna gave him “a certain spiri - to prominence with his cantata , tual experience and discipline” for his future premiered in 1968. He was described by the professional activities. In 1948 the family moved media as “the musical discovery of the year” to Moscow. Schnittke completed his graduate and “among the very best creative talents of work in composition at the Moscow Con ser - his generation.” vatory in 1961 and taught there for a decade . He Tavener was born in Wembley, London. His converted to and possessed deeply parents ran a family building firm and his held mystic beliefs, which influenced his music. father was also an organist at St . Andrew’s Pres - Schnittke created a new style that has been byterian Church in Frognal, Hampstead. At the called “polystylism, ” in which he juxtaposed and young age of 12, he heard ’s most combined music of various styles, past and pre - recent work, Canticum Sacrum , which he later sent. He once wrote, “The goal of my life is to described as “the piece that woke me up and unify serious music and light music, even if I made me want to be a composer.” Tavener be - break my neck in doing so. ” came a music scholar at Highgate School (where In 1982, after many years of spiritual reflec - a fellow pupil was John Rutter). In 1961 he tion, Schnittke decided to be baptized a Catholic became organist and choirmaster at St . John’s while visiting Vienna. Nonetheless, while in Presbyterian Church, Kensington (now St .Mark’s Russia he continued to observe Russian Ortho - Coptic Orthodox Church), a post he held for dox rites. Two years later he composed Three 14 years. Tavener entered the Royal Academy of Sacred Hymns , a set of three choral pieces very Music in 1962, where his tutors included Sir much within the Russian orthodox sacred style. Lennox Berkeley. During his studies there he Schnittke wrote his Choir Concerto in 1985, set - decided to give up the piano and devote himself ting texts from the Book of Lamentations by the to composition. Armenian mystic Gregory of Narek. Tavener suffered from considerable health In 1985 Schnittke suffered a stroke that left problems throughout his life, which left him him in a coma. He was declared clinically dead very frail. He died in 2013 at his home in Child on several occasions, but recovered and conti - Okeford, Dorset. nued to compose. As his health deteriorated, “Song for Athene” is Tavener’s best known Schnittke started to abandon much of the ex - work, having been performed by the Westmin - troversion of his polystylism and retreated into ster Abbey Choir conducted by Martin Neary at a more withdrawn, bleak style, quite accessible

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to the lay listener. In 1990 Schnittke left the Critics have hailed his works as “deeply affec - and settled in Hamburg. He ting” and “without peer, ” with emotional evo - suffered several more strokes before his death cations ranging from lush lyricism to jagged on August 3, 1998, in Hamburg. He was buried, polyphony. Elder ’s compositions have won wide with state honors at the Novodevichy Cemetery recognition and been performed by the Simon in Moscow, where many other prominent Rus - Carrington Chamber Singers, Cantus, the sian composers are interred. Grammy-winning Eric Whitacre Singers , and many others . The first commercial album of David Haladjian (b. 1962, Armenia) is a his choral works, The Heart ’s Reflection: Music composer, conductor, and music educator. He of Daniel Elder , was released in 2013 by West- studied composition, , conducting, minster Choir College (Princeton, NJ) and Naxos and piano at the Yerevan State Conservatory of of America. Elder currently resides in Nashville, Music. His postgraduate study was completed TN as a full-time freelance composer. He is pu - with a dissertation and licentiate in composi - blished internationally by Carus Verlag, Edition tion and musicology. While still a student, Peters, GIA Publications, Hal Leonard, Imagine Haladjian worked for Armenian state television Music, Walton Music, and Wingert-Jones Publi- and radio as a music editor. In 1985 he became cations, while also self-publishing his newest a member of the Composers Union of the for - releases through J.W. Pepper. mer USSR and two years later, he was appointed as the conductor of the Yerevan State Conser- Morten Johannes Lauridsen (b. 1943, USA) was vatory Choir. composer-in-residence of the Los Angeles Mas - Haladjian took advanced training in Riga, ter Chorale (1994–2001) and has been a profes - Latvia with conductor Guido Kokars and com - sor of composition at the University of Southern poser Paul Dambis. He then traveled to Switzer - California Thornton School of Music since land, where he continued his studies in electro - 1967. In 2006 he was named an American acoustic music at the Music Academy in Basel Choral Master by the National Endowment for and at the Musikhochschule Zürich. His com - the Arts. In 2007 he received the National Medal positions have been performed at various con - of Arts from President George W. Bush in a certs and music festivals in Armenia, Ger many, White House ceremony, “for his composition of France, Spain, The Netherlands, Italy, the United radiant choral works combining musical beauty, States, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Russia, and Switzer - power, and spiritual depth that have thrilled au - land. He has also composed soundtracks for diences worldwide.” motion pictures. Lauridsen ’s musical approaches are very di - Haladjian has been the conductor of Ananun verse, ranging from direct to abstract in res - choir since its founding in 1993. The choir has ponse to various characteristics (subject matter, won a number of awards at choral festivals and language, style, structure, historical era, etc.) of has become indispensable to the cultural life the texts he sets. His music has an overall lyri - of Dietikon, Switzerland. Haladjian is also the cism and is tightly constructed around melodic choir director of the Pfäffikon & Maur Church and harmonic motives. His works have been and the Akusma choir of Baden. He cur - recorded on more than 200 CDs, five of which rently teaches at the music school of Zumikon have received Grammy nominations, including and at the Conservatory of Zürich. O Magnum Mysterium by the Tiffany Consort, A Company of Voices by Conspirare, Sound the Daniel Elder (b. 1986 , USA ) is a prolific writer Bells by the Bay Brass, and two all-Lauridsen of vocal and instrumental music who combines discs entitled Lux Aeterna with the Los Angeles these genres to create forms and aesthetics that Master Chorale led by Paul Salamunovich and are at once lyrical and textural, with roots drawn Polyphony with the Britten Sinfonia conducted particularly from the impressionist movement. by Stephen Layton.

8B PLAYBILL