Guitar virtuoso Iakovos Kolanian to perform in Watertown

PanARMENIAN.Net - On March 30, the Boston chapter of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society presents Greek-Armenian classical guitar virtuoso Iakovos Kolanian in concert at the First Parish of Watertown, The Armenian Weekly reported.

Based in Athens, Greece, Kolanian is considered one of the leading classical guitarists of his generation. Born to an Armenian father and Greek mother, Kolanian is best known for having expertly transcribed folk songs from both sides of his unique ethnic heritage. Of his recent album “Iakovos Kolanian Plays Mikis Theodorakis” (Legend Classics), Theodorakis raved that Kolanian “achives technical and expressive perfection.” In Soundboard Magazine, Albert Kunze said “his tone is beautiful, his playing sensitive” when describing Kolanian’s “Shoror” (Pomegranate Music), a collection of Armenian folk music transcribed for classical guitar. Other recordings include collections by J.S. Bach (Legend Classics) and masterworks by Agustin Barrios (Pomegranate Music).

Iakovos Kolanian has performed with every major orchestra in Greece and Armenia, and has made select appearances in Europe, North America, and the Middle East. He currently lives in Athens, where he balances a busy schedule of teaching, transcribing, and teaching with his various performance engagements around the world. In 2011, he was awarded the Komitas Medal in Yerevan for his ongoing contributions to Armenian culture. In his spare time, Kolanian gives gratis master classes in Armenia to underprivileged youth. He currently holds the post of guitar department director at the Contemporary Music Education Conservatory of Athens. During the March 2012 tour, Iakovos Kolanian will be performing the works of Komitas, J.S Bach, Agustin Barrios, Mario Guiliani, Leo Brower, Antonio Lauro, and his own transcriptions of Armenian folk music.

Hamazkayin-Boston aims to uphold the ethnic identity and cultural heritage of the Armenian community in the Greater Boston area by cultivating and promoting local, national, and international Armenian arts; celebrating important educational and cultural milestones in our history; and engaging the youth and the young professionals in our community to raise interest and awareness toward educational and cultural issues of importance to the Armenian community and cultivate the next generation of local and national community leaders.