PostClassical Ensemble Annual Gala 2019
Join us for an evening celebrating Armenian art & music. Tchaikovsky International Competition winner Narek Hakhnazaryan will perform works by Bach, Ligeti, and Khudoyan. And he’ll partner with PCE Concertmaster Netanel Draiblate in the sizzling finale of Kodaly’s Duo for Violin and Cello.
The Color of Pomegranates: An Armenian Odyssey
For fifteen years, PostClassical Ensemble – now Ensemble-in-Residence at the Washington National Cathedral – has singularly pursued music as an instrument for mutual understanding. This has taken the form of festivals illuminating the interface between cultures; a typical example is our ongoing exploration of the impact of Indonesian gamelan and dance on the Western tradition. As frequently, we have undertaken cross-disciplinary inquiries into the cultural history of a nation; a typical example is our ongoing “Iberian Mystics” project, tracking the confluence of Catholic, Jewish, and Islamic influences on Spanish music, literature, and visual art.
With its long and distinguished cultural heritage, and its heroic national saga of struggle and resilience, Armenia offers a rich opportunity for the kind of programming we do. Our Spring 2020 Armenian festival, The Color of Pomegranates, takes its title from Sergei Parajanov’s classic 1968 film, inspired by the iconic Armenian bard Sayat-Nova.
A poetic meditation saturated with music, dance, and religious iconography, it will celebrate the endurance of Armenian culture in the teeth of oppression and persecution. The festival will comprise film events at the National Gallery of Art and a multi-media Armenian immersion experience at the Washington National Cathedral, featuring Narek Hakhnazaryan and the Armenian artist Kevork Mourad.
This Dinner & Concert Gala event at the Armenian Embassy is hosted by Ambassador Varoujan Nersesyan and the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Washington, D.C.
His playing was like a perfectly honed signature, every flourish and curl executed with elegant ease.
The Times (UK) on Narek Hakhnazaryan
Program
- Bach: Suite No. 1 for solo cello: Prelude, Sarabande, Gigue
- Ligeti: Sonata for cello solo
- Khodoyan: Sonata No. 1 for cello solo
- Kodaly: Duo for violin and cello: Finale
Artists
- Narek Hakhnazaryan, cello
- Netanel Draiblate, violin
- PCE players
Practical information
- Phone: (240) 630-4322
- Venue: Embassy of Armenia, 2225 R St NW, Washington, DC 20008
- Reception at 6:30 pm, concert at 7:15 pm and dinner at 8:15 pm. For information about table purchase, please contact Matthew Gardner at [email protected] or (240) 630-4322.
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