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MUSICAL ARMENIA CONCERT WINNER TO PERFORM AT NY CARNEGIE HALL
PanARMENIAN.Net
March 28, 2012 - 14:47 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian Prelacy has sponsored the "Musical
Armenia Concert" for 29 seasons, choosing the best among Armenian
musicians. The winners go through an application process for the
opportunity to play at New York's Carnegie Hall.
This year, the Prelacy chose Marta Bagratuni, a graduate of Okemos
High School and a graduate student at Michigan State University,
City Pulse reports.
Bagratuni started playing cello when she was 4 years old and has been
playing for almost 20 years. Both her parents are also cellists:
Her father played at "Musical Armenia" 15 years agoand her mother
has also played at Carnegie Hall.
"I guess it's my turn," Bagratuni said. "It's a really good start,
to play at Carnegie Hall," she added, even though she is anything
but a beginner.
In addition to MSU performances, she has performed in concerts
throughout the United States and abroad. She also sings opera (that
runs in the family, too) and manages to juggle both passions.
Bagratuni has even been to Carnegie Hall before: In November, she
traveled there to play with the New York Women's Ensemble.
She says that it's a different experience playing solo, though, and
the concert, which will be held at 8 p.m. Friday at the Weill Theater
will be her first solo performance at Carnegie Hall. Her accompaniment
will be provided by pianist and fellow MSU student Zhao Zhao Yang.
They will perform selections by Adam Khudoyan, Robert Schumann,
Sulkhan Tsintsadze and Vache Sharafyan.
Bagratuni would like to move to New York eventually. "Once you get into
the scene, there are so many opportunities for musicians," she said,
as well as greater opportunity to be part of the classical music elite.
After her Carnegie performance, Bagratuni plans to get right back to
work. "You can't just get comfortable," she said. "I have to come
back and prepare for my graduate recital and send in a couple of
competition tapes. You have to keep finding more things to do and
more opportunities."
She would like to record a cello album at some point and hopes that
she can raise enough money to produce and distribute a record as
widely as possible. "When I have concerts, it's important to be able
to give out my CD," she said.
Bagratuni welcomes the challenge that the Carnegie performance
provides, but she is also looking toward the future.
"It's going to feel great, and then it's going to be over," she said
of her Friday concert. "And then - what now? I need to do more."
PanARMENIAN.Net
March 28, 2012 - 14:47 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian Prelacy has sponsored the "Musical
Armenia Concert" for 29 seasons, choosing the best among Armenian
musicians. The winners go through an application process for the
opportunity to play at New York's Carnegie Hall.
This year, the Prelacy chose Marta Bagratuni, a graduate of Okemos
High School and a graduate student at Michigan State University,
City Pulse reports.
Bagratuni started playing cello when she was 4 years old and has been
playing for almost 20 years. Both her parents are also cellists:
Her father played at "Musical Armenia" 15 years agoand her mother
has also played at Carnegie Hall.
"I guess it's my turn," Bagratuni said. "It's a really good start,
to play at Carnegie Hall," she added, even though she is anything
but a beginner.
In addition to MSU performances, she has performed in concerts
throughout the United States and abroad. She also sings opera (that
runs in the family, too) and manages to juggle both passions.
Bagratuni has even been to Carnegie Hall before: In November, she
traveled there to play with the New York Women's Ensemble.
She says that it's a different experience playing solo, though, and
the concert, which will be held at 8 p.m. Friday at the Weill Theater
will be her first solo performance at Carnegie Hall. Her accompaniment
will be provided by pianist and fellow MSU student Zhao Zhao Yang.
They will perform selections by Adam Khudoyan, Robert Schumann,
Sulkhan Tsintsadze and Vache Sharafyan.
Bagratuni would like to move to New York eventually. "Once you get into
the scene, there are so many opportunities for musicians," she said,
as well as greater opportunity to be part of the classical music elite.
After her Carnegie performance, Bagratuni plans to get right back to
work. "You can't just get comfortable," she said. "I have to come
back and prepare for my graduate recital and send in a couple of
competition tapes. You have to keep finding more things to do and
more opportunities."
She would like to record a cello album at some point and hopes that
she can raise enough money to produce and distribute a record as
widely as possible. "When I have concerts, it's important to be able
to give out my CD," she said.
Bagratuni welcomes the challenge that the Carnegie performance
provides, but she is also looking toward the future.
"It's going to feel great, and then it's going to be over," she said
of her Friday concert. "And then - what now? I need to do more."