Symphony Written by Alan Hovaness Donated to Lark Musical Society’s Museum of Armenian Culture

GLENDALE — On August 3, 2016, Lark Musical Society, a nonprofit based in Glendale, organized a luncheon to honor the former Majority Leader of the California State Assembly, Walter Karabian. In attendance were Lark’s Board of Directors and other dedicated members of the Armenian American community.

The Karabians have been longtime collectors of rare Armenian artifacts and antiquities. Through Walter and Laurel Karabian’s generosity, many of these treasures of Armenian heritage are on prominent display in schools, churches, libraries, and repositories across the country, from Lark’s own library to the Armenian library and Museum of America in Boston.

During the luncheon, Mr. Karabian shared with those in attendance the lessons, experience, and insight he has derived from his decades-long relationship with the law and the people of California, and of the importance of cultural preservation. Mr. Karabian endorsed the mission of Lark in preserving its cultural riches and adding to our legacy through education, performance, and research.

Those present were also touched to hear Mr. Karabian’s loving testament to the memory of his wife Laurel, whose devastating and untimely passing in 2014 was truly a loss for the Los Angeles Armenian Community. In the memory of his wife, Walter donated an original Alan Hovaness Symphony no. 28 manuscript for Lark’s Armenian Cultural Museum. The manuscript is Hovaness’ historic symphony composed and performed at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in 1976, under the baton of Maestro Ohan Durian. In addition to this timeless contemporary work, Karabian gifted Lark with the original program book of premiere designed by Mr. George Mandossian.

Lark is honored to be supported by passionate and committed cultural benefactors like Walter Karabian, whose life and deeds serve as example to the community at large.