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Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
July 16 2010
Hot July with Armenia
Friday, July 16, 2010
GÄ°LA BENMAYOR
Sixty-five young musicians between the ages of 16 and 23 have been
selected among hundreds of conservatory graduates in Turkey and
Armenia to set up an orchestra that no one could even imagine years
ago.
It is the Turkey-Armenia Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Before lending an ear to these young people, who gave their third
concert at Cemal ReÅ?it Rey Concert Hall Thursday night following a
concert at BoÄ?aziçi University and another one in Büyükada, let's read
together what two conductors of this awesome project have said:
One of them was born in Istanbul, 40-year-old Armenian Nvart Andreassian.
And the other is working hard to make youngsters love classical music.
He is Cem Mansur, conductor of the Akbank Chamber Orchestra. Mansur
is, at the same time, founder of the National Youth Symphony
Orchestra.
`I had a crazy idea to unite the musicians of the two countries,' says
Andreassian.
Just like the famous Israeli pianist and conductor Danial Barenbroim
and his close friend Palestinian philosopher and author late Edward
Said brought Palestinian and Israeli musicians together.
Listening to each other like musicians do
Andreassian shares his project with Osman Kavala, CEO of Anadolu
Kültür A.Å?. (Anatolian Culture Inc.).
Kavala, as a strong voice of a civil initiative, which plays a
critical role in solving Turkey's problems with its neighbors Greece
and Armenia, someday asked, `Why should we not set up an orchestra?'
And the orchestra came to life.
`For a good orchestra, musicians should listen to each other.
Listening to each other and understanding each other¦ The orchestra
will do what the two peoples have to do because music is a common
language of all,' adds Andreassian.
Mansur rather speaks politically.
`I don't understand musicians who act indifferent. We all are living
on this planet, and we all function individually. We, musicians, can
do what others cannot or are afraid to do.'
Istanbul Art and Culture Foundation, or Ä°KSV, organized the concert
together with Anadolu Kültür and BoÄ?aziçi University. Unfortunately, I
will go to the concert after I am done with this article.
I will not be able to share my expressions with you about Armenian and
Turkish young musicians who will play the pieces of Bizet, Beethoven,
Smetana, Hacadurian and Ulvi Cemal Erkin.
Hot days of September at the door
The Turkey-Armenia Youth Symphony Orchestra is the last ring of events
taking place in the hot days of July between Turkey and Armenia.
Another art activity, which was not introduced well enough in the
media, in Istanbul is a sign that the `days of no dialogue' between
Turkey and Armenia are left behind.
The Armenian ballet artist Avetik Karapetian won the 2nd
`International Ballet Competition' in Istanbul.
The artist coming to Istanbul with no visa application had a problem,
but it was solved in two hours at the Interior Ministry.
Who would think years ago that this could be possible?
In fact, we received the first sign of `hot days of July' between
Turkey and Armenia following the visit of U.S. Secretary State Hillary
Clinton to Baku and Yerevan in early July.
Ten days later, we learned that Turkey will participate in NATO's
humanitarian assistance exercise in Armenia, which will be a first for
Armenia.
It's been said that Turkey might open the border for logistics
delivery to the military exercise to be held on Sept. 11 and 12.
Following the NATO drill, thousands of Armenians will participate in a
critical rite to be held at the Akhtamar Church in Van on Sept. 19.
After hot days of July, `hot days of September' will be at the door.
From: A. Papazian
July 16 2010
Hot July with Armenia
Friday, July 16, 2010
GÄ°LA BENMAYOR
Sixty-five young musicians between the ages of 16 and 23 have been
selected among hundreds of conservatory graduates in Turkey and
Armenia to set up an orchestra that no one could even imagine years
ago.
It is the Turkey-Armenia Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Before lending an ear to these young people, who gave their third
concert at Cemal ReÅ?it Rey Concert Hall Thursday night following a
concert at BoÄ?aziçi University and another one in Büyükada, let's read
together what two conductors of this awesome project have said:
One of them was born in Istanbul, 40-year-old Armenian Nvart Andreassian.
And the other is working hard to make youngsters love classical music.
He is Cem Mansur, conductor of the Akbank Chamber Orchestra. Mansur
is, at the same time, founder of the National Youth Symphony
Orchestra.
`I had a crazy idea to unite the musicians of the two countries,' says
Andreassian.
Just like the famous Israeli pianist and conductor Danial Barenbroim
and his close friend Palestinian philosopher and author late Edward
Said brought Palestinian and Israeli musicians together.
Listening to each other like musicians do
Andreassian shares his project with Osman Kavala, CEO of Anadolu
Kültür A.Å?. (Anatolian Culture Inc.).
Kavala, as a strong voice of a civil initiative, which plays a
critical role in solving Turkey's problems with its neighbors Greece
and Armenia, someday asked, `Why should we not set up an orchestra?'
And the orchestra came to life.
`For a good orchestra, musicians should listen to each other.
Listening to each other and understanding each other¦ The orchestra
will do what the two peoples have to do because music is a common
language of all,' adds Andreassian.
Mansur rather speaks politically.
`I don't understand musicians who act indifferent. We all are living
on this planet, and we all function individually. We, musicians, can
do what others cannot or are afraid to do.'
Istanbul Art and Culture Foundation, or Ä°KSV, organized the concert
together with Anadolu Kültür and BoÄ?aziçi University. Unfortunately, I
will go to the concert after I am done with this article.
I will not be able to share my expressions with you about Armenian and
Turkish young musicians who will play the pieces of Bizet, Beethoven,
Smetana, Hacadurian and Ulvi Cemal Erkin.
Hot days of September at the door
The Turkey-Armenia Youth Symphony Orchestra is the last ring of events
taking place in the hot days of July between Turkey and Armenia.
Another art activity, which was not introduced well enough in the
media, in Istanbul is a sign that the `days of no dialogue' between
Turkey and Armenia are left behind.
The Armenian ballet artist Avetik Karapetian won the 2nd
`International Ballet Competition' in Istanbul.
The artist coming to Istanbul with no visa application had a problem,
but it was solved in two hours at the Interior Ministry.
Who would think years ago that this could be possible?
In fact, we received the first sign of `hot days of July' between
Turkey and Armenia following the visit of U.S. Secretary State Hillary
Clinton to Baku and Yerevan in early July.
Ten days later, we learned that Turkey will participate in NATO's
humanitarian assistance exercise in Armenia, which will be a first for
Armenia.
It's been said that Turkey might open the border for logistics
delivery to the military exercise to be held on Sept. 11 and 12.
Following the NATO drill, thousands of Armenians will participate in a
critical rite to be held at the Akhtamar Church in Van on Sept. 19.
After hot days of July, `hot days of September' will be at the door.
From: A. Papazian