The Armenian Cultural Association of British Columbia (ACA) will be hosting a benefit concert on April 8 at Performance Works for Syrian-Armenian refugees arriving in Vancouver. The event is raising funds for 30 families, and will feature pieces by composers such as Khachaturian, Babajanian, and Gomidas.
As the Syrian refugee crisis continues to escalate, various communities and groups are taking action in their own way. These range from raising awareness, fundraising, and privately sponsoring families to start a new life in Canada.
The Benefit Concert for Syrian Refugees put on by the ACA is arguably a mix of those three. Arto Tavukciyan, events director of the ACA, notes that it is one of the biggest events that the association has been involved in for some time:
“The ACA usually hosts two or three cultural events a year, either concerts or seminars,” says Tavukciyan. “Due to the seriousness of the refugees’ plight, this is one of the largest events the ACA has sponsored in years.”
The ties between Armenia and Syria are close and many Syrian-Armenians descend from survivors of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. As the April 24 day of remembrance for the Armenian Genocide approaches, Tavukciyan notes the unfortunate resemblance of the current crisis with those events a century past:
“Tragically they are experiencing the same trauma their great-grandparents endured 100 years ago,” says Tavukciyan.
Because of this, two years ago the Vancouver Armenian community started working with St. Gregory’s Church in Richmond for the ACA to become a private refugee sponsor.
Since then, Tavukciyan and the ACA have worked with pianist Takuhi Sedefci and vocalist Alice Antranikian, among others, to create the benefit concert helping to fund the 30 Syrian-Armenian families that have been sponsored.
Sharing her music
Takuhi Sedefci practises her craft. | hoto courtesy of Takuhi Sedefci
One performer who will be playing piano at the benefit concert, Takuhi Sedefci, is the musical director for the ACA. This is far from her first concert though, having learned piano from a very young age:
“I was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and my interest in playing the piano began when I was three and a half years old,” says Sedefci, “Before I knew the alphabet I started reading music … my first concert was at age four.”
Sedefci has performed at numerous festivals and concerts. She studied at conservatories from Istanbul to Philadelphia before moving to Montreal to be with family and to attain a Bachelor of Performance at McGill University.
Having learned from a handful of inspiring music teachers along the way, she aims to share her passion for music as a teacher herself:
“I teach all levels and ages. The most important aspect in being a musician is to pass the love of music on to my students just as I gained mine from my teachers through my own studies,” says Sedefci.
Alongside Sedefci is soprano vocalist Alice Antranikian, member of the board of ACA for two years. Having studied in Paris at the École normale de musique and toured across Europe with an opera company, Antranikian is no stranger to the stage or in performing alongside Sedefci:
“We collaborated last year for a festival and had a great time doing so,” says Antranikian, “It is a fantastic feeling when all the parts come together in perfect harmony. It is not an easy task for both instrumentalists to come up with the perfect arrangements for every trio piece.”
With both Sedefci and Antranikian having been a part of the ACA for a number of years and having performed with each other in the past, they hope to put in work for an important cause and share their passion for music while doing it.
“One of the things that is very close to my heart is to make the general public aware of the beauty and intricacies of Armenian music. It is usually in the minor mode and is hauntingly beautiful,” says Antranikian.
For more information on the event, visit www.acaofbc.ca.
