The tour is sponsored by a Boston-based organization called YerazArt.

YerazArt

The musicians are teenagers.

They are classically-trained, on voice, trumpet, cello, violin, and piano. Some play Armenian folk instruments like the kanoon, a kind of zither, or the duduk, a distant relative of the oboe. Harutyun Chkolyan is 15 years old, and plays the duduk in the YerazArt group.

YerazArt in The World's studios in Boston with Marco Werman

Raffi Meneshian is the executive director of YerazArt. He says the goal of YerazArt is to give an opportunity to young musicians to showcase their talent around the world and connect audiences to the music and culture of Armenia, through concerts, master classes and recordings.

14-year-old Pianist Nara Avetisyan says Yerazart has given her an opportunity to perform in the US and develop her skills. She recently played a Rachmaninov piano concerto with the Armenian National Orchestra.

The music selected on the new CD comes from Armenian composers from the early 20th century. Meneshian says theose composers were trained in the Soviet school of composition and incorporated folk elements into their music.

16-year-old Anahit Dilbaryan plays the piano and the kanoon. It's a stringed instrument played with a plectrum. It is found in the Transcaucasus region, from Armenia all the way to Iran.

YerazArt's musicians are on a 9 day tour of the United States.

Listen to audio clips:
Kanoon Solo
Duduk Solo

Web resources:
YerazArt

YerazArt Upcoming Performances

For information on the YerazArt CD