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IN DETROIT, DOCUMENTING MUSIC THAT LIVES IN MINDS AND MEMORIES
US Official News
March 11, 2015 Wednesday
Washington
The Knight Foundation has issued the following news release:
One of the greatest challenges of creating a documentary on Armenian
music is that so much exists only in the minds and memories of the
people who play it. The music, from ballads that describe centuries
of village life to upbeat songs performed at weddings and dances,
wasn't notated. There is no sheet music. What we know is what we
play live for audiences and listen to on recordings. We also most
certainly lost music due to the atrocities of the Armenian Genocide
of 1915, where 1.5 million Armenians were massacred at the hands of
the Ottoman Turkish government.
Creating Guardians of Music: A History of Armenian Music in Detroit,
I had a newfound appreciation and respect for the music and culture
I grew up in, something renewed each time I interviewed people and
had them tell their story for preservation. It was so important to me
to capture their stories on camera, I felt a sense of accomplishment
each time I did, as we were preserving history and giving the audience
the opportunity to be part of such an important period of Detroit's
history.
Interviewing was not an easy task. In many cases I was interviewing
older adults and asking them to relive their youth and tell me their
story. Memories had faded, or been erased by disease. Piecing together
information became difficult. There was one constant, though, while
conducting the interviews: the love for the music and the times in
which they listened and played. In some cases, I brought tears to
their eyes as they recalled the enjoyment they once had in listening
and performing Armenian music. This, they would never forget.
I have special memories from each person I interviewed, but probably
most memorable to me was my interview with Art Melkonian. He was
the only musician I interviewed that I did not have a previous
relationship with. Talking to him in person was a special treat for
me. I had always hear of Art, but never met him, nor was I aware of
his whereabouts until one of the other musicians, Simon Javizian,
informed me that he lived ten minutes from my own house!
In talking to Art, it was amazing to watch his mind as he reflected on
the past. You felt the sense of joy and how he still loved the music
and missed the "good ole days" of playing for the crowds. He was part
of a hit record called the Harem Dance (it was even on the Billboard
charts of 1957). Listening to him describe what it was like to play
Armenian music to a sea of people at the different venues they played,
you felt you were right with him.
Even though the documentary is produced and ready to be aired,
I still find myself from time to time reviewing the raw footage
from the interviews. I am captivated by the facial expressions,
the stories, and their respect of the music. These were not popular
musicians playing to sellout crowds. They were average, blue collar,
hardworking Armenians playing for fun.
My only regret is that I couldn't cover every musician that played
Armenian music in Detroit. Since many of those musicians performed
from the turn of the last century, finding information, photos
or even living relatives was very difficult. Since Armenian music
isn't mainstream, one must rely on others to tell their story. This
documentary is so much more than about the people I interviewed. It is
about anyone who touched an instrument and entertained the Armenian
community in Detroit. This is in the memory of the unsung hero of
Armenian music that learned music by ear and played for the audiences
during their leisure time. Many of them played for free or for tips.
They truly loved the music.
There is a concern that Armenian village music may become lost forever
in the near future as newer generations listen less to this form
of music. That would be a shame and I think we have a duty to teach
our youth all we know about folk music - from every culture. Music
is a major identifier for our history. Losing it is like burning
history books.
From: A. Papazian
US Official News
March 11, 2015 Wednesday
Washington
The Knight Foundation has issued the following news release:
One of the greatest challenges of creating a documentary on Armenian
music is that so much exists only in the minds and memories of the
people who play it. The music, from ballads that describe centuries
of village life to upbeat songs performed at weddings and dances,
wasn't notated. There is no sheet music. What we know is what we
play live for audiences and listen to on recordings. We also most
certainly lost music due to the atrocities of the Armenian Genocide
of 1915, where 1.5 million Armenians were massacred at the hands of
the Ottoman Turkish government.
Creating Guardians of Music: A History of Armenian Music in Detroit,
I had a newfound appreciation and respect for the music and culture
I grew up in, something renewed each time I interviewed people and
had them tell their story for preservation. It was so important to me
to capture their stories on camera, I felt a sense of accomplishment
each time I did, as we were preserving history and giving the audience
the opportunity to be part of such an important period of Detroit's
history.
Interviewing was not an easy task. In many cases I was interviewing
older adults and asking them to relive their youth and tell me their
story. Memories had faded, or been erased by disease. Piecing together
information became difficult. There was one constant, though, while
conducting the interviews: the love for the music and the times in
which they listened and played. In some cases, I brought tears to
their eyes as they recalled the enjoyment they once had in listening
and performing Armenian music. This, they would never forget.
I have special memories from each person I interviewed, but probably
most memorable to me was my interview with Art Melkonian. He was
the only musician I interviewed that I did not have a previous
relationship with. Talking to him in person was a special treat for
me. I had always hear of Art, but never met him, nor was I aware of
his whereabouts until one of the other musicians, Simon Javizian,
informed me that he lived ten minutes from my own house!
In talking to Art, it was amazing to watch his mind as he reflected on
the past. You felt the sense of joy and how he still loved the music
and missed the "good ole days" of playing for the crowds. He was part
of a hit record called the Harem Dance (it was even on the Billboard
charts of 1957). Listening to him describe what it was like to play
Armenian music to a sea of people at the different venues they played,
you felt you were right with him.
Even though the documentary is produced and ready to be aired,
I still find myself from time to time reviewing the raw footage
from the interviews. I am captivated by the facial expressions,
the stories, and their respect of the music. These were not popular
musicians playing to sellout crowds. They were average, blue collar,
hardworking Armenians playing for fun.
My only regret is that I couldn't cover every musician that played
Armenian music in Detroit. Since many of those musicians performed
from the turn of the last century, finding information, photos
or even living relatives was very difficult. Since Armenian music
isn't mainstream, one must rely on others to tell their story. This
documentary is so much more than about the people I interviewed. It is
about anyone who touched an instrument and entertained the Armenian
community in Detroit. This is in the memory of the unsung hero of
Armenian music that learned music by ear and played for the audiences
during their leisure time. Many of them played for free or for tips.
They truly loved the music.
There is a concern that Armenian village music may become lost forever
in the near future as newer generations listen less to this form
of music. That would be a shame and I think we have a duty to teach
our youth all we know about folk music - from every culture. Music
is a major identifier for our history. Losing it is like burning
history books.
From: A. Papazian