{"id":102958,"date":"2024-04-02T14:48:33","date_gmt":"2024-04-02T18:48:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=102958"},"modified":"2024-04-12T15:59:32","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T19:59:32","slug":"preview-amici-chamber-ensemble-co-artistic-director-serouj-kradjian-talks-diasporic-bridges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2024\/04\/02\/preview-amici-chamber-ensemble-co-artistic-director-serouj-kradjian-talks-diasporic-bridges\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | Amici Chamber Ensemble Co-Artistic Director Serouj Kradjian Talks About Diasporic Bridges"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_102960\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-102960\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-102960\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/04\/Copy-of-PREVIEW-26.jpg\" alt=\"Pianist and Amici Chamber Ensemble co-artistic director Serouj Kradjian (Photo courtesy of Amici)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/04\/Copy-of-PREVIEW-26.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/04\/Copy-of-PREVIEW-26-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/04\/Copy-of-PREVIEW-26-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/04\/Copy-of-PREVIEW-26-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-102960\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pianist and Amici Chamber Ensemble co-artistic director Serouj Kradjian (Photo courtesy of Amici)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Co-artistic director of Amici Chamber Ensemble, composer of two of the pieces on the program, and pianist, you could say Serouj Kradjian\u2019s music practice is at the heart of the program for the upcoming concert titled Diasporic Bridges. It takes place April 28.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMay I add on those duties, the fact that I\u2019m directing the film.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Along with the remaining members of Amici, Joaquin Valdepe\u00f1as, clarinet, and David Hetherington, cello, performers for the concert include mezzo-soprano Rebecca Cuddy, soprano Aline Morales, violinists Erika Raum and Tiffany Yeung, violists Barry Shiffman and Steven Dann, guitarist Rob MacDonald, and percussionist Naghmeh Farahmand<\/p>\n<h2>DIASPORIC BRIDGES: A celebration of Toronto&#8217;s cultural diversity<\/h2>\n<p>As an artist, Serouj blurs the boundaries between genres and cultural traditions, a central thread in the program, which includes music and an original film.<\/p>\n<p>Music is the bridge that weaves traditions together to create something new. Toronto\u2019s diverse multicultural communities serve as the inspiration for the concert.<\/p>\n<p>On the program:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Christos Hatzis \u2014 Anaktoria<\/li>\n<li>Serouj Kradjian \u2014 Bachianas Bossa-Tangos<\/li>\n<li>Gideon Klein \u2014 String Trio<\/li>\n<li>W.A. Mozart (arr. Kradjian) \u2014 Rondo Alla Libanesa<\/li>\n<li>Alexina Louie \u2014 Bringing Down The Tiger From The Mountain<\/li>\n<li>Paco de Lucia (arr. Kradjian) \u2014 Zyryab<\/li>\n<li>Roberto Sierra \u2014 Songs From The Diaspora<\/li>\n<li>Ana Sokolovic \u2014 Serbian Tango<\/li>\n<li>Florence B. Price \u2014 Adoration<\/li>\n<li>Antoine Gerin-Lajoie \u2014 Un Canadien Errant<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The themes of cultures coming together as a musical community is one that Serouj has been developing for a while. \u201cIt has preoccupied me for a long time,\u201d he said. \u201cOne thing that I do very well is mixing different styles.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With a background and education steeped in Western classical music, he views the repertoire as part of a common well of creativity, one without borders to style or ethnicity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[There are] no borders between the different types of music that I\u2019ve heard,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>The pieces he\u2019s composed that appear in the program are evidence of his aesthetic. Bachianas Bossa-Tangos is based on the Bachianas Brasileiras suites by Villa-Lobos. \u201cIt\u2019s usually done with eight celli and the voice,\u201d he notes. \u201cI put the Bossa Nova twist to it, and the tango rhythm.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Into it is mixed \u201ca little toccata and fugue by Bach\u201d, and a vocalist singing what he\u2019s calling gibberish, along with an accordion, and the tone is unexpected and new. But, it\u2019s background and pedigree don\u2019t need to be known in advance. \u201cIn a way, I want to transmit this message, that you don\u2019t need to understand the language for you to feel moved by the music that you hear.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His Rondo Alla Libanesa is based on the music of his childhood. Born in Lebanon into an Armenian family, he grew up during the civil war period.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere were two things which, as a kid, made me forget what was happening outside,\u201d he says. \u201cOne was Mozart, and the other was Fairuz.\u201d The latter was known as the Queen of Lebanese song. He took one of her songs, and mixed it with Mozart\u2019s Rondo alla Turca \u2014 a late 18th century example of genre blending.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe mixture became Rondo Alla Libanesa.\u201d Both styles of music weave into each other, beginning with Mozart\u2019s classicism, then introducing Arabic melodies, rhythms, and harmonies. \u201cIt weaves both styles.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_102961\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-102961\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-102961\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/04\/Amici-Chamber-Ensemble.jpg\" alt=\"The Amici Chamber Ensemble: Serouj Kradjian, piano, Joaquin Valdepe\u00f1as, clarinet, and David Hetherington, cello (Photo courtesy of Amici)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"798\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/04\/Amici-Chamber-Ensemble.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/04\/Amici-Chamber-Ensemble-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/04\/Amici-Chamber-Ensemble-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/04\/Amici-Chamber-Ensemble-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-102961\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Amici Chamber Ensemble: Serouj Kradjian, piano, Joaquin Valdepe\u00f1as, clarinet, and David Hetherington, cello (Photo courtesy of Amici)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The world of Western art music is no stranger to the blurring of genre boundaries, from Mendelssohn\u2019s Scottish Symphony to Liszt and his Romani music. Madama Butterfly was lauded at its premiere for the influence of the far east. \u201cIt\u2019s always been there. It\u2019s stayed in the European tradition [&#8230;] but now we have a chance to spread our wings even more.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There is a responsibility to use authentic sources for inspiration, but Serouj rejects any calls for strict adherence to traditions or techniques. \u201cI am kind of over that. My passion is really re-imagining and building bridges.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>short film<\/strong> that will premiere at the concert begins with his own experience. \u201cI have two identities, the Armenian one and the Lebanese one,\u201d he says, \u201cneither here, nor there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As an immigrant to Canada, now a third identity, he notes a preoccupation with keeping the traditions of the homeland alive. Music fills that need as something that can be transmitted from generation to generation. The film explores those ideas, using Toronto\u2019s famously diverse neighbourhoods \u2014 Little Italy, Greektown, Chinatown, and so on \u2014 as inspiration. He was also struck by the role of women in preserving traditions and culture.<\/p>\n<p>Larysa Kuzmenko\u2019s piece Tetiana\u2019s Journey to a New World is a personal story in music. The new work is inspired by the tragedy that is occurring in Ukraine, about a woman who escapes to Canada with her children. The titular Tetiana is now a music teacher in Toronto. \u201cIt\u2019s a journey to a new life,\u201d he says. \u201cIt was amazing to see that coming to life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes, blending musical traditions involves some creative thought. The sitar, in Indian music, comes from a tradition of largely improvised music, in contrast with contemporary classical music, which has virtually eliminated improvising. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t read Western notation, and I don\u2019t read Indian notation&#8230; that was a challenge,\u201d he says. Serouj found a way for it to work. \u201cGive me your improvisation, and based on the structure, I will write something down,\u201d he recalls. \u201cIt was perfect, because no one depended on the other to react.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alexina Louie\u2019s piece creates music based on Chinese Tai Chi moves, with Ana Sokolovic\u2019s Serbian Tango, and Adoration by Florence B. Price, incorporating African-American musical elements. Christos Hatzis Anaktoria uses lyrics based on the words of Greek poet Sappho. There are Armenian songs, and a piece about the displacement of the Acadians.<\/p>\n<p>They come from different experiences \u2014 those who immigrated by choice, vs. those who escaped a bad situation vs. Indigenous people who were essentially displaced in their own country.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe film is about all these different ways of looking at the diaspora.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find more information about the concert on April 28, and tickets, [<a href=\"https:\/\/amiciensemble.com\/diasporic-bridges\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>HERE<\/strong><\/a>].<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>Are you looking to promote an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/advertising\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0e101a\"><u>event<\/u><\/span><\/a>? Have a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/masthead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>news tip<\/u><\/a>? 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