It was standing room only on Friday evening, January 23 at the AGBU Armenian Center in Pasadena for Celebration of Survival – Part I: Chamber Music Concert, featuring works by Dvorák, Mirzoyan and Komitas. This free concert was the first in a series of events scheduled for 2015 by the AGBU Pasadena-Glendale Chapter to commemorate the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide. There literally wasn’t an empty seat in the auditorium, as the quartet of Armen Derkevorkian and Sarpouhi Pantikian on violins, Ben Bartelt on viola and Garik Terzian on cello, struck a soothing chord with everyone in attendance, clearly evidenced throughout the evening by the countless smiles and endless toe-tapping.

According to Hrant Vartzbedian, Chairman of the AGBU Pasadena-Glendale Chapter, “The response to the concert has been overwhelmingly positive. Initially we expected about 200 attendees, and we were delighted to welcome upwards of 370 people. Plus, the performance itself was especially rewarding as it brought together 4 accomplished musicians who typically play completely different genres of music, and were able to seamlessly meld all of their musical talents and experiences into one perfect evening. We’re so happy to see so many Armenian Americans enjoying this wonderful evening, and are excited about our upcoming slate of events leading up to the 100th Anniversary commemorating the Armenian Genocide on April 24, 2015.”

Lead violinist and member of the AGBU Pasadena/Glendale Chapter, Armen Derkevorkian, was integral in the planning and execution of the evening’s musical event.  Since graduation from the USC Thornton School of Music in 2010, Armen has been enjoying an international career both as an orchestral and a chamber musician, performing extensively in the US, Europe, and Asia.  He is a winner of the New World Symphony 2011 National Auditions and most recently served as the principal second-violin during Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra European Tour, as well as a concertmaster during their annual residency in Germany.