Highlight of the week: Eurovision stirs up passions

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia’s Honored Art Worker, composer Arzas Voskanyan, however, believes that Eurovision Song Contest shouldn't be taken seriously, as it's a way to misrepresent national culture.

“I think it’s high time to stop exaggerating the importance of the contest for Armenia,” he told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

While talking about Eva Rivas’ song to be presented at Eurovision Song Contest, maestro Voskanyan emphasized that Turkey is in habit to ‘privatize’ the cultural heritage of other nations.

“It’s not surprising that after hearing oriental motives, Turkey started to talk about stolen music. Actually, the fact that Turks haven’t yet laid claims to medieval Armenian music means that they are not aware of its existence,” he said.

There are eastern motives, which Turks can ascribe to themselves, in the second part of Eva Rivas’ “Apricot Stone” song for Eurovision Song Contest 2010, according to maestro Martin Vardazaryan, People’s Artist of Armenia, composer and conductor of the Armenian TV & Radio Orchestra.

However, he said, Eurovision is played out and should not be taken seriously.

“The success of the song depends on the international image of the country and the size of Diaspora in different states,” Maestro Vardazaryan said.

Emmy and Mihran, national final’s third place finishers, questioned the credibility of voting results, expressing their intention to demand a report on sms voting from all mobile operators.

As InterMOB LTD, sms service provider of the national final told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, the company is not yet ready to produce the report, the results of the latter being currently investigated by independent auditing firm.

The report on sms voting for Eurovision 2010 Armenian national final will be published in Hayastastani Hanrapetutyun newspaper, as well as announced by Armenian Public Television.

A number of violations were registered during sms voting for Eurovision 2010 Armenian national final, chairman of “Emmy-B” producing center Nadezhda Sarkisyan believes.

“Server error occurred right after the voting started, so the audience was provided with results of first few minutes of sms voting only,” she told a news conference in Yerevan.

Upon termination of voting, singer’s attorney, Vrezh Kirakosyan, advised against announcing results, as there were witnesses to the fact that some of the sms votes did not go through. “Nevertheless, the winner was determined based on results published,” the attorney said.

InterMOB LTD sms service provider hasn’t yet produced the report; Nadezhda Sarkisyan indents to submit report results to European Broadcasting Union as soon as it is provided.

“We don’t claim for a trip to Oslo; we struggle to make transparency and accuracy a feature of Armenian contests,” the singer emphasized, adding: “Emmy and Mihran do not concede defeat, being fully assured of their fans’ support.”

Nadezhda Sarkisyan thanked all the fans of Emmy and Mihran, requesting them to stop support rallies. She expressed intention to resolve the matter legally.

Also, Mrs. Sarkisyan denied rumors of Emmy having been promised participation in Eurovision 2011.

Meanwhile, Public Television of Armenia issued a statement concerning complaints filed in connection with technical difficulties experienced during sms voting. “Armenia 1 TV along with 3 mobile operators started investigation of the issue. Public Television of Armenia is ready to provide voting results to all interested parties,” the statement said.

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Over 70% of Armenia’s population does not read books, Levon Ananyan, Chairman of the RA Writers’ Union stated.

“Publication of books, newspapers, and magazines has significantly decreased (about 10 times) over the last 10 to15 years, which means that we are facing serious problems. The rising generation has lack of relevant knowledge to support the development of country’s future. It’s necessary to elaborate national strategy to promote reading,” Writers’ Union Chairman told a news conference in Yerevan.

On February 19, “Book donation day”, about 150 Armenian writers will meet students and teachers from Yerevan and regional schools to donate 200 books to the school libraries.

“I do hope that such meetings will draw the rising generation’s interest to reading,” Levon Ananyan noted.

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Armenia participated in 17th international book exhibition due February 10-14 in Minsk.

Books on Armenia, Artsakh and famous Armenians were featured at the exhibition, with special emphasis put on demonstration of real facts on Karabakh conflict, Sumgait tragedy and Khojalu events, Armenian Foreign Ministry press service reported.

The exhibition hosted 30 participants, including Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and France as an honorary guest. Members of Byelorussian government and leaders of diplomatic missions accredited to the republic attended the opening ceremony.

Byelorussian Minister of Information, Oleg Proleskovski thanked Armenia for the forth consecutive year of participation in the exhibition.

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High Wycombe Library launched an exhibition of Armenian illuminated manuscripts and children’s art Wednesday, February 17.

Exhibitions are organized within “Armenian culture development aspects” program frameworks, with the assistance of RA Embassy in Great Britain. Chiltern Armenian Society and High Wycombe Library sponsored the exhibition.

The exhibit, to last till February 28, features 115 Armenian miniatures, RA Foreign Ministry press service reported.

Opening the exhibition, Armenian Ambassador to Great Britain Vahe Gabrielyan expressed a hope for increase of cultural awareness and collaboration development between High Wycombe and Armenian towns of Ijevan and Dilijan.

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In the frame of the Year of Armenian language exhibition of books opened at museum of Charents on February 18. The exhibited book were donated to the Armenian writer Eghishe Charents and the museum by the admirers of his talent. The words of Charents “World of Books is Infinite Universe” became the title of the exhibition, Lilit Hakobyan, director of the museum said.

On the first day of the exhibition the museum was visited by students from various schools of Yerevan.

This museum launched a book week, when every person is encouraged to donate books to the museum.

"We are also going organize classes on February 20 at the school after Charents and we will award students, winners of our competitions and festivals, with books from our museum," Lilit Hakobyan said.

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Thursday, February 18, the winner of Russia’s Golden Pen, poetess, translator and publicist Anna Barseghyan paid a visit to Naberezhnie Chelny, Tatarstan, to meet with the teaching staff and students of the city’s branch of Moscow State University of Culture and Arts, reported Yerkramas, the newspaper of Armenians of Russia.

During a 2-hour meeting, Anna Barseghyan answered numerous questions and told about future plans.

“I started writing poems at the age of 7 and always knew my home will be filled with music and books,” she said. “I haven’t written fiction before but I plan to publish a collection of short stories, narratives and essays.”

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First issue of the Vardzk scientific journal with scholarly articles on Armenian monuments and cultural studies was presented on February 15 in Yerevan.

The idea of creating a new magazine matured long ago, after articles featuring a 40-year-long activities of the Armenian Architecture Research Organization (RAA) published in 1997.

As the editor-in-chief of Vardzk, head of RAA NGO Samvel Karapetyan said, the first issue has already been translated into English. He expressed hope that the magazine will be published in Armenian and English bi-annually.

"The next issue will be released in November, which is not linked to funding. We have been provided funds for the for the issue of the journal from the state budget. In the next 5 months we intend to travel to the Republic of Artsakh and the Islamic Republic of Iran to study the Armenian architectural monuments," Samvel Karapetyan said, adding that they have a lot of work to do in Iran and Western Armenia.

The first issue of Vardzk is dedicated to the memory of the founder and leader of RAA NGO Dr. Armen Hakhnazaryan.

Hanri Nersisyan, Academician of National Academy of Sciences of RA (NAS RA), will open his exhibition “World of Tumanyan, Dsegh village, people and nature” in Folk Art museum on February 19.

According to EcoLur, the exhibition is dated to the 141st birth anniversary of the great Armenian writer. The exhibition organized by Lorva Dzor compatriotic union will be held up to February 25.

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Professional musical instruments from Fender Musical Instruments Corporation - 4 acoustic guitars of Japanese Takamine Company and Blackhawk drum kit of American Gretsch Drums Company were delivered to Yerevan. The musicians also gifted Paiste сymbals and Vic Firth drumsticks, provided by John Henrys Ltd. Company.

On October 1, 2009, Ian Gillan and Toni Iommi visited N6 music school in Gyumri in the framework of Armenia Grateful 2 Rock project, implemented by Mediamax and Australian Do Something organization. Harutyun Asatryan, director of the school, which was destroyed during 1988 earthquake and is still hosted in temporary shelters, said in a talk with the rock stars that the pupils would very much like to have good guitars and a drum kit.

“We express profound gratitude to these great musicians for their attention towards Armenian children, who study music in poor conditions. Almost 5 months have passed since Gillan and Iommi’s visit to Armenia, but this gift is the evidence of their sincere wish to help the Armenian school. I also want to thank the musicians’ executive producers Ralph Baker and Phil Banfield, who directly dealt with acquisition of the instruments,” Mediamax Director Ara Tadevosyan stated.

Ian Gillan’s concerts with the State Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia will take place on March 26 and 27. The proceeds from them will be directed at rebuilding of N6 musical school in Gyumri.

“This is another evidence that these outstanding musicians are friends of Armenia,” Mr. Tadevosyan stated.

He also expressed gratitude to Deputy Head of the Armenian President’s Staff Vigen Sargsyan for assistance, rendered in transportation of the musical instruments to Yerevan. Ian Gillan and Tony Iommi’s gift was conveyed by the aircraft of Armenian President, who visited London last week. “This is very symbolic, since Rock Aid Armenia/Armenia Grateful 2 Rock takes place under the patronage of the President,” Mr. Tadevosyan emphasized.

The musical instruments are supposed to be handed over to the school administration in March, during Ian Gillan’s visit to Yerevan.

VivaCell-MTS is the general sponsor of Ian Gillan’s concerts due on March 26 and 27 in Yerevan. bmi Airlines is the partner of the concerts.

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Friday, February 26, Yerevan’s Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall will host Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra concert to be performed under the guidance of Artistic Director & Principal Conductor Eduard Topchyan.

Famous Swiss violinist Sibylle Tschopp will present a solo program.

The concert will feature works of Mozart and Beethoven, as well as the premiere of Karen Vardanyan’s “Road to heaven” musical composition.

The concert will be organized with the assistance of Armenian Ministry of Culture, with AGBU and VivaCell as sponsors.

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On Monday March 1, 2010, Roger Hagopian, Documentary Producer will present the topic “Destination Watertown – The Armenians of Hood Rubber”. In 1896 the Hood Rubber Company opened in Watertown, Massachusetts, attracting Armenian immigrant laborers, refugees from the Abdul Hamid Massacres in the Ottoman Turkish Empire and the subsequent Genocide of 1915.

This film tells the stories and reflections of former employees of Armenian descent, Watertown residents, and descendants of the Hood family, interspersed with personal and historic photographs, archival films, maps, documents, artifacts and images of the remnants of the old factory, once the largest of its kind in the world, producing rubber footwear and tires, among other products.

Workers recount life on the conveyer belt, piecework, exposure to chemicals, and injuries in the workplace, yet considered themselves fortunate to have a job. For East Watertown residents, Hood Rubber was their neighborhood. They fondly remember the famous “sneaker test”, whereby the durability of the product was demonstrated through the daily activities of local kids.

Most importantly, this factory, which closed in 1969, was the impetus for the establishment of the Armenian community of Watertown. Written, videotaped, and edited by Roger K. Hagopian, a recipient of the Watertown Historical Commission’s Community Spirit Award from 2009.