Renowned Piano, Violin Duo Set to Perform at Glendale Homenetmen Event

GLENDALE, CA—Renowned virtuoso performers, violinist Khatchik Babayan from Tehran and pianist Serouj Kradjian from Toronto will be performing alongside Soprano Knarik Nerkararyan at the First Baptist Church of Glendale on January 30 as part of a debut concert organized by Glendale’s Homenetmen “Ararat” chapter.

The program will include pieces from Schubert, Beethoven, Brahms, Dvorak, Tartini, Kreisler, Edward Mirzoyan, Khachaturian and Komitas.
The First Baptist Church of Glendale is located at 209 North Louise St Glendale CA 91206. The concert is set to begin at 7:00 PM, with doors opening at 6:30 PM. Ticket prices are $25, $40, $60 and can be purchased at www.itsmyseat.com.
Khachik Babayan was born in 1956 to a musical family in Tabriz, Iran. In 1972, he entered the Tehran Conservatory of Music and in 1974 he was awarded the first place in the Iranian Violinists Competition, being offered a scholarship of musical studies in England.
In the recent years, Babayan has appeared as a soloist with the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra and The National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia under the baton of Maestro Loris Tjeknavorian. On November of 2009, Babayan accompanied by Serouj Kradjian, performed to a sold-out audience in his Canada Tribute concert at the Glenn Gould Studio. The January 30 concert in Glendale will mark Babayan’s debut concert in the United States.

Serouj Kradjian is a Juno award winning and Grammy-nominated Canadian pianist and composer. He has been described as “a keyboard acrobat” of “crystal virtuosity,” having a “fiery temperament and elegant sound” with “a technique to burn.”
Kradjian began his studies at the age of five, and by seven had won a National Competition for Young Musicians. At fourteen he earned a scholarship to study in Vienna, and later studied with Marietta Orlov at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music, where he earned a B.A. in Piano Performance in 1994. Kradjian’s talent has been acknowledged by the Chalmers Grant of the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council. In the 2008-2009 season Mr. Kradjian became co-artistic director and pianist of the Amici Chamber Ensemble. Their recording of chamber music by Armenian composers will be released in 2010 on the ATMA CLASSIQUE label.
With more than 2,000 members, the Homenetmen Glendale “Ararat” Chapter is the largest Armenian-American youth organization in Los Angeles, providing healthy and clean programs for teenagers and young adults through sports, scouting and after school activities.