GLENDALE, CA – On April 21st, the City of Glendale hosted its 24th Annual Armenian Genocide Commemoration Event at the Alex Theatre, an emotional and artistically rich program honoring the memory of the 1.5 million+ Armenians who perished during the Genocide.
The evening opened with a touching video featuring Glendale City Councilmembers reflecting on what genocide awareness means to them, setting the tone for a night that blended remembrance with artistic expression and cultural pride.
The Haikian Chamber Choir delivered a performance of Fragments from Oratorio in Memory of Victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide, composed by Khachatur Avetisyan and Ludvig Duryan. Under the direction of Artistic Director and Conductor Gayane Baghdasaryan, and with orchestra conducted by Mikayel Avetisyan, the choir was joined by soloists Gayane Sahakyan and Gegham Manukyan and dancer/choreographer Aida Amirkhanian. Together, they offered an unforgettable tribute through music, voice, and movement.
Internationally acclaimed pianist and composer Joel A. Martin brought his Jazzical Komitas project to the stage, blending jazz improvisation with classical Armenian melodies in tribute to the legendary Komitas Vartabed. Martin’s performance captivated the audience with its emotional depth.
The Lernazang Ensemble, under the direction of co-founders Armen Adamian and Natalie Kamajian, energized the crowd with traditional folk music and dance, honoring the endurance of Armenian cultural traditions passed down through generations.
Glendale’s inaugural Poet Laureate Raffi Joe Wartanian presented two original works centered on memory, displacement, and resilience. ERASURE: Aliyev reimagined the Azerbaijani president’s remarks at COP29, erasing the rhetoric to expose deeper truths about state-sponsored violence. Phantom Tongue offered a personal reflection on genocide, migration, and language, drawn from Wartanian’s own ancestral ties to Kharpert, Zara, Adana, and Hajin. The poem referenced his 2018 visit to indigenous Armenian lands and the destruction of sacred Armenian stone crosses, known as “khachkars”.
Newly selected Mayor Ara Najarian delivered closing remarks, reiterating Glendale’s commitment to remembrance and justice. Citing recent City Council resolutions condemning ethnic cleansing in Artsakh and advocating for the release of Armenian hostages and POWs, he emphasized that Glendale “will not remain silent in the face of injustice.”
The evening concluded with an invitation to explore genocide exhibit panels on display in the courtyard developed by the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute and made available through the partnership of the Armenian Bar Association. The powerful visuals “documenting the crime of genocide” underscored the night’s message: to remember, and to act.
