The fourth annual Day of Armenian Music, Arts, and Culture at UCLA will be a day-long festival spotlighting the depth and breadth of the Armenian Music Program through a variety of engaging events. The program will commence with a reading by poet and musician Raffi Joe Wartanian who teaches undergraduate writing at UCLA. Accompanied by music, the reading will be followed by a writing workshop with the artist. The day will unfold with a concert featuring performances by the Armenian Music Program’s VEM fellows and their mentors. AMP’s resident ensemble VEM quartet and VEM fellows and mentors in voice, duduk, shvi, kamancha, and the oud will offer a vibrant performance of Armenian repetoires in diverse styles. Following the concert, an outdoor community dance workshop will highlight azgagrakan (ethnographic) shourchbar’s. Finally, the day will conclude with a film screening and panel discussion. This last portion of our mini-festival will be introduced and moderated by UCLA film professor Zareh Arevshatian.
The Armenian Music Program at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music provides an in-depth exploration of Armenia’s rich musical heritage, with a focus on its classical traditions. A hallmark of the school’s innovative leadership in music and its commitment to public outreach, through dynamic performances and academic scholarship, the program has evolved into a vibrant educational platform. The Armenian Music Program is under the direction of Professor Melissa Bilal.
