FRESNO–The internationally recognized Shoghaken Armenian Folk Ensemble will perform in concert in Fresno as part of its 22-city United States tour, at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, February 26 in the Satellite Student Union at Fresno State.
The concert is co-sponsored by the Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State, the Knights and Daughters of Vartan, and the Armenian General Benevolent Union.
The eight-member Ensemble was founded in 1991 by dudukist Gevorg Dabaghyan in Yerevan and has become one of the preeminent traditional music ensembles in Armenian. The group uses only traditional Armenian instrumen’s, maintaining an authentic sound with the duduk, zurna, dhol, kanon, kamancha, shvi, and other instrumen’s. Singers Hasmik Harutyunyan and Aleksan Harutyunyan are known throughout Armenia, the former Soviet Union, and Europe for their unique interpretation of Armenian folk and ashoughagan (troubadour) music. The ensemble recorded the soundtrack for Atom Egoyan’s film Ararat and in 2002 was invited by acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma to perform at the “Silk Road Festival,” in Washington.
In 2003 their CD Armenian Anthology (Traditional Crossroads CD 4311) won the NARM Award for “Best World Recording of the Year.” With an extraordinary ancient tradition of exhilarating folk dances, haunting love songs and lullabies, Shoghaken has mesmerized audiences far beyond the Caucasus mountains, where Armenia’s have lived for centuries.
The Chicago Reader said about Shoghaken, “There isn’t a better introduction to traditional Armenian music.”
Jon Pareles of the NY Times said, “There may be no instrument that can sound as richly inconsolable as the duduk;exuberance tempered by a tearful memories.”
The Shoghaken Folk Ensemble performed to a standing room only audience in their Fresno State concert held in 2004.
Tickets are $20 per person for general admission and $10 per person for students.
For tickets and information call the Armenian Studies Program at 559-278-2669; AGBU-Zar at ‘s559-431-5259; or Knights of Vartan-Gerald-439-7910. In the South Valley call Gerry -896-2785.
© 2021 Asbarez | All Rights Reserved | Powered By MSDN Solutions Inc.