I first met Krikor in 1967. He was the Camp Director, the Baron in Armenian, of Camp Haiastan in Franklin, MA the one and only year I attended that revered Armenian summer camp. He was one of the nicest and sweetest men I have ever met. He was always upbeat and he loved life.
He was 32 and I as 14. He was the Baron and I was a camper. Yet, he was the easiest adult to become friends with I had met up to that point. He valued people and took joy in getting to know them. He was like this with everyone. Clearly, I am writing a post upon learning of his passing. At the same time, my Cypriot Armenian friend from Prague, Haig Utidjian, posted a lengthy tribute on Facebook. This is the kind of impact Krikor Pidedjian had everyone he met.
I learned that summer at Camp Haiastan that he had been ordained a celibate priest and left the priesthood to marry and start a family. His love and devotion to the church never ceased. He conducted choirs. He formed and conducted cultural choirs. He went to school and became a musicologist and he written several books on the subject of Armenian music in general and Armenian Church music in particular. Per the Armenian Prelacy Facebook Page:
I learned from Haig Utidjian’s Facebook eulogy that Krikor was distantly related to the famed musician and composer Sebouh Efendi who composed the well-known Kurdili Hicazkar Longa. I learned from the Prelacy Facebook Page Krikor was born in Alexandria, Egypt. He went to Beirut to study at the Theological Seminary of the Holy See of the Great House of Cilicia. He later went for a bachelor’s and master’s in music.
I have three memories of Krikor that stand-out in my memory. The oldest is from Camp Haiastan. After dinner one evening, Baron outlined the evening activities ending with “Boys go to Mess Hall and girls go to Rec Hall. Everyone have good time.” To the teenage campers, this hardly was the formula for a good time. There were budding puppy-love romances that had us all looking forward to the evening social activities. Ever since I heard him say it, I have been quoting him whenever anybody suggested a good time idea that didn’t sound like all that good a time. For the life of me, I cannot recall what the activities were that evening but, the Baron’s charge has sure stayed with me.
The second memory we while we were living in CT. We were playing for a baptism, the weather was great, and we were set-up outside. I wrote about it in a post called The April 2010 Letter Continuation:
The third? It happened this year a few months ago. I lead an International Experience tour of students to Prague. I had the great honor of meeting the esteemed Maestro Haig Utidjian there. I carried copies of three books Haig authored back to the states. I was to send one set to Krikor. I did have an entry for Krikor in my phone address book but as I had not seen or talked to him in over ten years, I thought I would call to verify the address, let him know what books I was going to send him, and, of course, to catch-up. Krikor answered the phone and, as Haig had warned me, he sounded very frail. I told him it was me, he paused and said “Oh, Mark how wonderful of you to call.” He told me his health was failing. But, as we talked, he went gradually from frail to enthusiastic asking questions and answering questions I asked him. We talked for about an hour. It was indeed wonderful and I am so thankful for that call.
My deepest condolences to his wife Berjuhi and his sons Artovk and Datev and their families.
Աստուածհոգինլուսաւորէ:
May God illuminate his soul.
He was 32 and I as 14. He was the Baron and I was a camper. Yet, he was the easiest adult to become friends with I had met up to that point. He valued people and took joy in getting to know them. He was like this with everyone. Clearly, I am writing a post upon learning of his passing. At the same time, my Cypriot Armenian friend from Prague, Haig Utidjian, posted a lengthy tribute on Facebook. This is the kind of impact Krikor Pidedjian had everyone he met.
I learned that summer at Camp Haiastan that he had been ordained a celibate priest and left the priesthood to marry and start a family. His love and devotion to the church never ceased. He conducted choirs. He formed and conducted cultural choirs. He went to school and became a musicologist and he written several books on the subject of Armenian music in general and Armenian Church music in particular. Per the Armenian Prelacy Facebook Page:
He wrote scholarly monographs, as well as books in Armenian and English, including Anzink Nuviryalk (Devoted Persons); Armenian Songs of Exile; The Place of Armenian Revolutionary Songs in Armenian Music; Armenian Diction; The Chants of the Armenian Church; Was Krikor Narekatzi a Composer of Hymns?; and Kristapor Kara-Murza.I need to get a few of his books.
I learned from Haig Utidjian’s Facebook eulogy that Krikor was distantly related to the famed musician and composer Sebouh Efendi who composed the well-known Kurdili Hicazkar Longa. I learned from the Prelacy Facebook Page Krikor was born in Alexandria, Egypt. He went to Beirut to study at the Theological Seminary of the Holy See of the Great House of Cilicia. He later went for a bachelor’s and master’s in music.
I have three memories of Krikor that stand-out in my memory. The oldest is from Camp Haiastan. After dinner one evening, Baron outlined the evening activities ending with “Boys go to Mess Hall and girls go to Rec Hall. Everyone have good time.” To the teenage campers, this hardly was the formula for a good time. There were budding puppy-love romances that had us all looking forward to the evening social activities. Ever since I heard him say it, I have been quoting him whenever anybody suggested a good time idea that didn’t sound like all that good a time. For the life of me, I cannot recall what the activities were that evening but, the Baron’s charge has sure stayed with me.
The second memory we while we were living in CT. We were playing for a baptism, the weather was great, and we were set-up outside. I wrote about it in a post called The April 2010 Letter Continuation:
I recall once playing an old Armenian Vanetsi folk song, Aghchigan Yerdasart. Vigen Babayan pulled me aside later and told me it was a Turkish song. He did not tell me never to play it but said it was a Turkish song. Years later played the same song, Krikor Pidedjian, an equally ardent Armenian, came up to me asking where I learned that song. I thought, "oh here we go again." But, Krikor went on to say that his mother used to sing that song to him when he was a child. He had not heard it in years and thanked me for bring back such a great memory.Krikor was delighted to hear this wonderfully whimsical folk song being performed anew. I was delighted by his enthusiasm. The song is about a family of three. The song talks about the daughter getting a diamond ring and the mother getting gold. But, alas, the poor father only got a ‘tuchè khakha’ that kept falling off his finger. I never knew what a tuchè khakha was but Krikor did. It was a kind of simit or bagel popular in Van when Armenians lived there. It was another unforgettable moment.
The third? It happened this year a few months ago. I lead an International Experience tour of students to Prague. I had the great honor of meeting the esteemed Maestro Haig Utidjian there. I carried copies of three books Haig authored back to the states. I was to send one set to Krikor. I did have an entry for Krikor in my phone address book but as I had not seen or talked to him in over ten years, I thought I would call to verify the address, let him know what books I was going to send him, and, of course, to catch-up. Krikor answered the phone and, as Haig had warned me, he sounded very frail. I told him it was me, he paused and said “Oh, Mark how wonderful of you to call.” He told me his health was failing. But, as we talked, he went gradually from frail to enthusiastic asking questions and answering questions I asked him. We talked for about an hour. It was indeed wonderful and I am so thankful for that call.
My deepest condolences to his wife Berjuhi and his sons Artovk and Datev and their families.
Աստուածհոգինլուսաւորէ:
May God illuminate his soul.
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