Chidem Inch: A Night of Armenian Composers

Brand Ridenour and Barbara Schubert

     I am always amazed when there are Armenian history, cultural, or arts events sponsored by non-Armenian individuals and organizations. Perhaps it is a bit of an inferiority complex but, really, that is not the case. I am proud of our culture and arts. I wish our history was different certainly in terms of the calamities we have faced as a nation. But it is our history and those calamities that define us and have made us more resilient. That theme is certainly reflected in our artistic ethos.
     The reason I am amazed when a program is put together without Armenian involvement is more because we are not a large population relative to other cultures. We are therefore not a defining or dominant culture in the world. Yet, for our size, I want to say, with full Armenian bravado, that we have contributed both sciences and arts beyond our proportions.
     On Saturday, April 27, 2019, we awoke to a mid-spring winter storm. We received an email informing us that an April 24thcommemoration planned by all the Chicagoland Armenian Churches was cancelled due to the weather. We were wondering if the snow was going to accumulate and create treacherous driving conditions? This was certainly a rare event so late in April? As we were digesting this, we got another email. It was from our friend Zaven Tokatlian who forwarded a flyer about an all Armenian concert presented by

It was a serious Spring snow.

the University of Chicago Symphony Orchestra that very evening.
     As we contemplated attending the concert, the snow started and soon was accumulating. It was a very wet and heavy snow accompanied by howling winds and the temperatures well below the April 27thaverage. None the less, we decided to venture down to Hyde Park to attend this concert. We called another Armenian couple and asked if they wanted to go. They were debating the same thing we were, and our calling tipped them towards attending. We all piled in my 4Runner and we headed south. We ate first at The Cedars, a great Lebanese restaurant just north of the University. We then ventured our way to the beautiful Mandel Concert Hall.
     The program was indeed all Armenian:

• Masquerade Suite by Aram Khachaturian
• Mysterious Mountain (Symphony #2) by Alan Hovhaness
• Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra in A-flat Major by Alexander Arutiunian
• Lezghinka from Gyaneh Suite by Aram Khachaturian

     The orchestra was amazing! With 102 musicians, they were large and lush. It was mostly students and some faculty under the expert direction of Conductor Barbara Schubert. They performed each piece very well and sounded as good as any professional orchestra to me. And with the suggestion donation of $10 per ticket, it was truly a fine art value worth drive.
     The featured artist, on trumpet, was Brandon Ridenour. This 2006 graduate of Julliard is considered one of the best young trumpet virtuosos in the US and he was fantastic. We learned from the program notes by Andrew Malilay White, a PhD candidate in Music History, that “Brandon has quickly established a prominent career through his wide-ranging activities as a soloist and chamber musician, as well as composer and arranger, offering versatile performances and unique repertoire to his audiences.” He addressed the audience before and after the Arutiunian Concerto as if he were talking to us as friends. Barbara Schubert did the same before the other piece and did so in the same casual style. Their comments set a tone of warmth for the whole concert.
     We were familiar with the two Khachaturian and Hovhaness selections. It was the first time we had experienced Arutiunian’s Trumpet Concerto. Again, per the program notes: “Arutiunian’s name might not be familiar to the average concertgoer, but it is a very familiar

name for trumpet players. His trumpet concerto, composed in 1949 and 1950, is a warhorse of that instrument’s twentieth century repertoire.” The Concerto was in six movements was wonderful. It ranged from soulful and emotional to lively and energetic. It was a great delight to hear Brandon Ridenour expertly perform this wonderful piece.
     After the concert, they had a soft-drink and cookie reception. We had a chance to congratulate and chat with all the musicians and Barbara Schubert. I asked how she came to have an all Armenian composer program. She was quite matter of fact in stating that it started with her delight in booking Brandon Ridenour to perform the Arutiunian. Then as she contemplated the remainder of the program the Masquerade Suite seemed to fit nicely and then “I thought, why not just make it a program of Armenian composers.” There you have it. A very special engaging evening of symphonic music of Armenian composers was put together without one Armenian advocating for it or funding it.