BELMONT, MA — The National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) will host a hybrid (in-person and online) lecture by Dr. Nuné Melikian titled “Arno Babadjanian: An Armenian Beat in Soviet Time,” on Thursday, March 6, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. (Eastern) / 4:30 (Pacific), at the NAASR Vartan Gregorian Building, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA.
The program is co-sponsored by the Mashtots Chair in Armenian Studies at Harvard University, Friends of Armenian Culture Society (FACS), and Tekeyan Cultural Association—Boston Chapter. It is open to all free of charge, and a reception and book signing will follow the program.
This will be an in-person event and also presented online live via Zoom (Registration: https://bit.ly/42VyL0J) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/c/ArmenianStudies).
Arno Babadjanian, born in 1921 in Yerevan, was one of the most influential musical figures of the Soviet Union. Despite the constraints of composing within the Soviet musical landscape, Babadjanian’s works are deeply infused with a distinctively Armenian spirit, making his compositions resonate with a unique cultural essence. Though he is well-known in Russia and the former Soviet republics and revered in Armenia, Babadjanian’s music remains relatively unknown in the Western world.
Melikian’s Arno Babadjanian: An Armenian Beat in Soviet Time is the first English-language book on this remarkable composer, aiming to introduce his genius to a broader audience. It features never-seen-before archival photos, musical analysis of his most notable works, first-hand recollections by his contemporaries, and a full list of his works.
This special program will include the performance of selected pieces as part of the presentation.
Dr. Nuné Melikian is an acclaimed violinist, scholar, and educator. A prize-winner of numerous competitions and audience awards, Nuné has performed at the Stern Auditorium and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall at Lincoln Center, and many other prestigious venues. Nuné graduated from the Gnessin Music College, studied at the Moscow State Conservatory, and holds a Masters from the University of Montreal and a PhD from McGill University.
