Celebrating the Pledge: An Evening with Musician Tigran Hamasyan
In a rare opportunity for audiences, internationally-acclaimed musician Tigran Hamasyan will perform a free concert at Schoenberg Hall, UCLA, as part of a string of sold-out European shows. The event is set to celebrate the Promise Chair in Armenian Music, Arts, and Culture, a prestigious endowed professorial position at the Herb Alpert School of Music.
Tigran Hamasyan, known for his unique blend of Armenian liturgical and folk music with global jazz, rock, metal, and electronica, has been described by New York Times music critic Ben Ratliff as "intensely searching" and possessing an "intuitive force." His style is influenced by piano greats Keith Jarrett and Herbie Hancock, but his "nonstop rhythmic reshuffling" is uniquely his own.
The upcoming concert is a testament to the deep commitment of the Herb Alpert School of Music to the Armenian community. Eileen Strempel, the inaugural dean for the school, stated that the concert offers a powerful opportunity to bring communities together through music.
The Promise Chair, established in 2024, supports the Armenian Music Program at UCLA, which offers a variety of concerts, lectures, and scholarly programming. The program provides student scholarships for a student ensemble that performs in the school's annual Spring Festival of World Music. It also hosts an annual day of Armenian music that combines music, dance, and history.
The Armenian Music Program sponsors scholarly symposia on Armenian cultural heritage and offers a platform for the study, preservation, and promotion of Armenian music, arts, and culture. The Promise Chair plays a crucial role in this endeavour, providing funding for research, performance, and education related to Armenian music, arts, and culture.
The Promise Chair is one of several named chairs at UCLA focusing on Armenian studies, reflecting UCLA's strong institutional commitment to Armenian culture and history. This chair helps establish UCLA as a key center for Armenian cultural studies in the United States, enabling ongoing dialogue about Armenian identity, history, and artistic expression. The presence of the Promise Chair and related programs contributes to preserving Armenian traditions while also promoting contemporary artistic innovation within the Armenian diaspora and beyond.
Tigran Hamasyan's latest album, "The Bird of a Thousand Voices," showcases his versatility and commitment to his Armenian roots. His performances have been praised for their depth and emotional resonance, making this free concert at Schoenberg Hall a must-attend event for music lovers.
[1] UCLA Today. (2021, March 22). UCLA's Promise Institute for Human Rights to Host Conference on Armenian Genocide. Retrieved from https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/uclas-promise-institute-for-human-rights-to-host-conference-on-armenian-genocide
[3] UCLA Today. (2021, April 27). UCLA's Promise Institute for Human Rights Announces New Endowed Chair in Armenian Studies. Retrieved from https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/uclas-promise-institute-for-human-rights-announces-new-endowed-chair-in-armenian-studies
Tigran Hamasyan's performance at Schoenberg Hall, UCLA, promises an evening of unique entertainment, blending Armenian music with global jazz, rock, metal, and electronica. The concert is a testament to UCLA's commitment to the Armenian community and the Armenian Music Program, which offers various events showcasing the preservation and promotion of Armenian music, arts, and culture.
