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SIBIL TO PERFORM IN NJ ON MARCH 31
Armenian Weekly
February 15, 2012
In 2010, the angelic voice of Armenian choir singer Sibil captured
the attention and hearts of Turkey's population. The headlines read,
"For the first time an Armenian singer is being heard in the streets
of Istanbul."
Sibil and her sister Garin were born in Istanbul, where their family
name was changed from Torosyan to Pektorosoglu. Her father, Garbis,
a goldsmith, was born in Istanbul, while her mother, Mari, has a
Sepastatsi/Tokatsi background. Sibil was named after the well-known
Armenian writer Zabelle Asadour, whose penname was Sibil.
The first music notes she heard were the prayers and hymns of the
Armenian Church, as her father would take her to church every Sunday
morning as a child. Her talent and love for music were discovered
by her parents, when Sibil would come home and sing and recite the
prayers she had just heard during the church services. However,
the opportunities were not there for young Sibil to develop a strong
foundation in music.
Sibil attended the Mihitaryan elementary school in Istanbul and
then studied finance. She currently holds an important position in a
financial institution. But her passion for music never faded. Since
1991, she has been a member and the lead soloist of St. Vartanantz
Choir inIstanbul. Her break came in 1999 when she appeared on stage
in the production of Dikran Chookhajian's musical comedy 'Leblebiji,"
which was sponsored at the time by the Istanbul Esayan Alumni. It
was in that production that she met one of Istanbul's most respected
modern-day composers and musicians, Majak Tosikyan. Sibil sang his
beautiful songs in such an inspiring way that she became his best
Armenian music interpreter.
In 2010, Sibil realized her life-long dream: Her own CD was released
with 11 songs, produced with the help of Armenian, Greek, and Turkish
artists. The songs "Namag," "Desnem Ani'n oo Nor Mernem," "Giligya,"
"Im Anoush Davigh," "Oror," "Hisus," "Der Voghormia," "Tzarav Seri,"
"Gyanki mi Hamar," "Siro Tzayni," and "Nayem" were echoed through
the streets of Istanbul. People liked what they heard-the Armenian
singer was accepted.
Sibil's voice continued to echo on the Armenian stage in Istanbul, in
the Armenian churches as well as in the Holy Cross Armenian Church on
the Island of Akhtamar. Some of Sibil's songs were released as videos
and attracted thousands of Turkish and Armenian fans. Turkey's leading
private TV channels, as well as the country's state-run broadcasters,
broke new ground by airing Armenian music videos for the first time in
Turkey's history. Sibil's also videos appeared on YouTube, showcasing
her unique voice and style to a larger audience all over the world.
In the summer of 2011, Sibil was invited to Armenia to sing at
the opening and closing ceremonies of the Pan-Armenian Games. That
performance was broadcast live on Armenian TV and was watched with
admiration throughout the Armenian Diaspora.
On March 31, Sibil will make her debut appearance in the New York
Metropolitan Area when she performs at the Bergen County Academies
in Hackensack, N.J. The evening is being sponsored by Constantinople
Armenian Relief Society (CARS). Co-chairs of the event are Tamar
Kayserian and Hilda Nisanyan. "It is a major undertaking that requires
a lot of organization and planning. That evening, Sibil will be
accompanied on stage by musicians both fromTurkeyand theUnited States.
There will be pianist, violinists, cellists, base-guitar, drummer, and
a kanun player. Shushi Dance Ensemble will also appear on the stage to
interpret the songs through dance and to enrich the evening's program,"
said Kayserian, the president of CARS. "The Bergen County Academies'
Auditorium has 1,192 seats and we are confident that we will have a
sold-out evening."
Tickets are priced at $50, $35, and $25, and can be secured by calling
Adi Abdo at (973) 761-1544, Arpi Misserlian at (973) 907-2898,
Linda Araz Berenson at (201) 561-0172, Margrit Hamparsoumian at
(914) 686-0840, Lusin Garabedian at (718) 776-9513, or Hilda Biosyan
Sheshedian at (516) 864-6966.
Armenian Weekly
February 15, 2012
In 2010, the angelic voice of Armenian choir singer Sibil captured
the attention and hearts of Turkey's population. The headlines read,
"For the first time an Armenian singer is being heard in the streets
of Istanbul."
Sibil and her sister Garin were born in Istanbul, where their family
name was changed from Torosyan to Pektorosoglu. Her father, Garbis,
a goldsmith, was born in Istanbul, while her mother, Mari, has a
Sepastatsi/Tokatsi background. Sibil was named after the well-known
Armenian writer Zabelle Asadour, whose penname was Sibil.
The first music notes she heard were the prayers and hymns of the
Armenian Church, as her father would take her to church every Sunday
morning as a child. Her talent and love for music were discovered
by her parents, when Sibil would come home and sing and recite the
prayers she had just heard during the church services. However,
the opportunities were not there for young Sibil to develop a strong
foundation in music.
Sibil attended the Mihitaryan elementary school in Istanbul and
then studied finance. She currently holds an important position in a
financial institution. But her passion for music never faded. Since
1991, she has been a member and the lead soloist of St. Vartanantz
Choir inIstanbul. Her break came in 1999 when she appeared on stage
in the production of Dikran Chookhajian's musical comedy 'Leblebiji,"
which was sponsored at the time by the Istanbul Esayan Alumni. It
was in that production that she met one of Istanbul's most respected
modern-day composers and musicians, Majak Tosikyan. Sibil sang his
beautiful songs in such an inspiring way that she became his best
Armenian music interpreter.
In 2010, Sibil realized her life-long dream: Her own CD was released
with 11 songs, produced with the help of Armenian, Greek, and Turkish
artists. The songs "Namag," "Desnem Ani'n oo Nor Mernem," "Giligya,"
"Im Anoush Davigh," "Oror," "Hisus," "Der Voghormia," "Tzarav Seri,"
"Gyanki mi Hamar," "Siro Tzayni," and "Nayem" were echoed through
the streets of Istanbul. People liked what they heard-the Armenian
singer was accepted.
Sibil's voice continued to echo on the Armenian stage in Istanbul, in
the Armenian churches as well as in the Holy Cross Armenian Church on
the Island of Akhtamar. Some of Sibil's songs were released as videos
and attracted thousands of Turkish and Armenian fans. Turkey's leading
private TV channels, as well as the country's state-run broadcasters,
broke new ground by airing Armenian music videos for the first time in
Turkey's history. Sibil's also videos appeared on YouTube, showcasing
her unique voice and style to a larger audience all over the world.
In the summer of 2011, Sibil was invited to Armenia to sing at
the opening and closing ceremonies of the Pan-Armenian Games. That
performance was broadcast live on Armenian TV and was watched with
admiration throughout the Armenian Diaspora.
On March 31, Sibil will make her debut appearance in the New York
Metropolitan Area when she performs at the Bergen County Academies
in Hackensack, N.J. The evening is being sponsored by Constantinople
Armenian Relief Society (CARS). Co-chairs of the event are Tamar
Kayserian and Hilda Nisanyan. "It is a major undertaking that requires
a lot of organization and planning. That evening, Sibil will be
accompanied on stage by musicians both fromTurkeyand theUnited States.
There will be pianist, violinists, cellists, base-guitar, drummer, and
a kanun player. Shushi Dance Ensemble will also appear on the stage to
interpret the songs through dance and to enrich the evening's program,"
said Kayserian, the president of CARS. "The Bergen County Academies'
Auditorium has 1,192 seats and we are confident that we will have a
sold-out evening."
Tickets are priced at $50, $35, and $25, and can be secured by calling
Adi Abdo at (973) 761-1544, Arpi Misserlian at (973) 907-2898,
Linda Araz Berenson at (201) 561-0172, Margrit Hamparsoumian at
(914) 686-0840, Lusin Garabedian at (718) 776-9513, or Hilda Biosyan
Sheshedian at (516) 864-6966.