LOS ANGELES—Open Music Society Foundation (OMSF) will be hosting a special evening celebrating the life and work of Aram Gharabekian, on Sunday, September 21 at 6 p.m., at The Colburn School, Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA. Performances by Aida Amirkhanian, Nune Badalyan, Suren Bagratuni, Steve Amerson, Tamara Petrosyan, Ara Ghukasyan, Ella Melik-Husyan and Nona Alakhverdova in honor of Aram, his passion for music and his devotion to his homeland.
Aram began his career as a student at the Boston Conservatory of Music. He studied with Franco Ferrara at the Music Academy in Siena, Italy as well as with Sergiu Celibidache in Munich, Germany. Aram completed his Master’s degree at the New England Conservatory and participated in postgraduate studies at the University of Mainz in Germany. His passion and commitment to music was evident early on and his career took off as the Founder, Music Director and Conductor of the SinfoNova Chamber Orchestra in Boston. This afforded Aram the opportunity to work with local musicians but also to play at national venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with his performances broadcast on NPR’s Performance Today. During his time in Boston he received an ASCAP award in 1988 for Adventuresome Programming as well as the 1989 Lucien Wulsin Performance Award for best concert performance aired on NPR. The Boston Globe noted his performances as “Best” throughout the years in Boston and he was twice honored by the Harvard Musical Association with the “Best Performance Award.”
His musical career took him all over the globe. Aram spent a considerable time in Europe appearing as the Principal Guest Conductor for the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra in Croatia as well as being invited by the Minister of Culture of Ukraine to assume the post of Artistic Advisor and Conductor of the Ukrainian national Symphony Orchestra in Kiev.
Aram consistently returned to his beloved Armenia and between 1997 and 2010 served as the Music Director and Conductor of the National Chamber Ochestra of Armenia. During his tenure there he toured all over the world garnering accolades both in Armenia and abroad. During this time, Aram was the recipient of the “Movses Khoenatsi” Presidential Medal for his contribution to the arts in Armenia, he was featured on a CNN Special, recognized in a proclamation by the U.S. Congress and featured on Russia’s Kultura TV channel for his exceptional talents and contributions to the arts.
In 2010 Aram founded and served as the Artistic Director of the Open Music Society in the United States. He had the extraordinary honor for conducting the musical celebration of the arrival of the Shuttle Endeavor to the City of Los Angeles. He inspired and entertained international celebrities and dignitaries at this event much as he had throughout his long and varied career.
Aram was truly a citizen of the world, bringing his love of music wherever he went. He inspired others to excellence and brought his own brand of excellence to everything he did. It is with his spirit in mind and a shared love of music that OMSF celebrates his life and legacy. The Tribute Concert will take place Sunday, September 21, 2014, 6:00pm, at The Colburn School, Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA. All proceeds will be donated to Aram’s Legacy Projects. Reserve tickets NOW.