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A Meeting of two musicians
By Lola Koundakjian
 On Sun., Sept. 22, David Bakamjian, a New York City based
cellist, drove to Rhode Island to consult with master
kamanchi player David Ayriyan. Bakamjian, who was trained in
the Western European tradition, was researching Armenian
traditional scores for an upcoming concert at the
Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He came across a
video of Ayriyan performing “Dele Yaman” in Washington, D.C.
and, impressed by the master’s performance at the Kennedy
Center, called Ayriyan and scheduled to meet.
The Baku born master kamanchist has lived in the U.S. since
1991, having fled the massacres in his hometown and survived
the earthquake in Armenia. A performer, teacher, and concert
master in Baku, he settled with his family, wife Julia and
sons Gregory, Artur, Levon, and Daniel, in Yerevan for a few
years, where Ayriyan taught at the Yerevan Conservatory and
became concertmaster of the conservatory’s orchestra.
Originally from Karabagh, the Ayriyan family has been
involved with music professionally for several
generations: David’s father, Gregory, was a band leader who
also played the tar. David’s eldest son, also named Gregory,
is a violinist and concertmaster in Moscow who also composes
and arranges music.
In April 2006, Ayriyan and his son, Levon, performed at the
Kennedy Center’s Millenium Stage in Washington (www.kennedycenter.org)
and in the Library of Congress’ Coolidge Auditorium (www.lcweb.loc.gov).
On Sun., Nov. 23, Bakamjian and actress Nora Armani will
perform medieval Armenian music and poetry during a special
“Sunday at the Met” afternoon of lectures on the importance
of Armenian medieval culture. This program is sponsored by
the Hagop Kevorkian Fund.
For more information, visit www.metmuseum.org.
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