Sponsored by the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society–the Komitas Quartet performed a concert on Sunday–May 11 at Occidental College.
The program included Schubert’s String Quartet No. 13 in A minor D804 "Rosamunde," Mirzoyan’s String Quartet–selections by Komitas–Aslamazyan as well as Armenian Folk Miniatures.
Established in 1924 by Sarkis Aslamazyan and Aved Gabrielyan and two students of the Moscow Conservatory–the Komitas Quartet is the oldest and most famous of all Armenian classical groups.
Current members include Edward Tadevosyan–first violin; Souren Haghnazaryan–second violin-1984; Alexander Kosemyan–violist-1990; and Aram Talalyan–cello-2000.
2003 marks the 75th Anniversary of the Hamazkaine Educational and Cultural Society.
On May 28–1928–a group of nine intellectuals–among them writer and educator Levon Shant–historian and critic Nigol Aghbalian–former foreign minister of the Republic of Armenia Dr. Hamo Ohanchanian–and stage director and art critic Kaspar Ipekian–founded the Hamazkayin Publishing and Cultural Society in Cairo–Egypt.
The objective of Hamazkayin was to provide a sound education to the new generation–and to preserve the identity and cultural heritage of the Armenian people living outside their homeland.
Subsequently–Hamazkayin chapters were founded throughout the Middle East–Europe–the United States–Canada–South America–Australia–and most recently in the Republic of Armenia.
Hamazkayin has been successful in establishing secondary and higher educational institutions which have prepared scholars–literary figures–and community leaders. It has also played a major role in the field of publishing–but has mostly contributed to the advancement of culture.