Our Blog
An Armenian Trilogy – The Origins
In 2014 I sat down at my piano and started writing the beginnings of what would become “An Armenian Trilogy”. The centennial of the Armenian Genocide was approaching fast and I was inspired by Father Garabed Kochakian’s vision of a musical commemoration as a tribute....
Armenian Name Game
What’s in a name? I’ve been asked why Armenian surnames all seem to end in “-ian” or “-yan”...Did you know that is actually a suffix, meaning “of”? It can mean “son of”, “descendant of”, or it could indicate a geographic origin, and it could even be a an occupation. A...
Honoring the Life of Simon Javizian
I’m very saddened to report that my good friend Simon Javizian has recently passed. Simon was a corner stone of the Armenian community. Not only was he a funeral director for many years but he was also a great musician. When Simon decided to retire from the band he...
Your Generosity Helped Build a Studio & Confidence For Kids in Armenia
Last May, I organized a live event as a fundraiser for the Children Of Armenia Fund. It featured live music by decorated singers Kenny Watson, Nancy Ingles, and Justin Noroyan, as well as a special performance of “The Faith,” the third movement from An Armenian...
Kenny Watson Sings ‘I See Wings’ at An Armenian Trilogy Live Event
This past May 14th I hosted An Armenian Trilogy Live, wherein we featured a showing of the documentary film followed by live music from some of Detroit’s most esteemed musical talent. The film concludes with “I See Wings”, a very special song which I co-wrote with...
$45,000 Raised for the Children of Armenia Fund
Words can’t properly express the gratitude that I feel. We were honored to have a packed house on May 14 at the Steinway Piano Gallery for An Armenian Trilogy Live. It was incredible to see all of you come out and support our fundraiser for the Children of Armenia...
Children of Armenia Fund – Upcoming Concert on May 14th
We’re happy to announce that we’ve exceeded our goal raising funds for the Children of Armenia Fund. I want to thank everybody who has contributed to this great cause, and supporting me in my mission providing Armenian children with musical education. As of now, we’ve...
Father Garabed and Support for the Children of Armenia Fund
We’re honored to feature Father Garabed Kochakian - Pastor Emeritus of St John Armenian Church - who will be in attendance at An Armenian Trilogy, Live on May 14. In 2014 a conversation between Father Garabed and Dan Yessian sparked what would become An Armenian...
The Inspiration Behind An Armenian Trilogy
People often ask me why I do what I do, and about my motivation behind An Armenian Trilogy and our upcoming event this May 14th. It’s a difficult question to answer, and it’s influenced by all of my life experiences. If you’re curious, I would encourage you to check...
Joins Us on May 14 for Live Music, Film, and Culture
We are honored to feature Kimberly Kennedy, Associate Concertmaster of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Join us on May 14 for an evening of live music, film, and culture. Click here for your reservation or sponsorship! Help us fundraise for our partnership with the...
We Surpassed Our Goal for Supporting the Children of Armenia Fund
We’re very proud to announce that we’ve exceeded $20k in sponsorships and ticket sales for our upcoming event, this May 14th at the Steinway Piano Gallery. Check out this very nice article from the Armenian Weekly! I can’t thank everybody enough for all of the support...
Don’t Miss Nancy Ingles At Our Event in Commerce MI
Nancy Ingles will be a featured performer at our live event this coming May 14th at the Steinway Piano Gallery in Commerce, MI. Make sure you purchase your tickets soon, or make your donation and become a sponsor for this great cause. Here Nancy shares her thoughts...
We’ve Partnered with the Children of Armenia Fund
I want to thank everybody who has donated and become a sponsor of our upcoming event, this May 14 at the Steinway Piano Gallery in Commerce, MI. We’ve partnered with the Children of Armenia Fund to raise funds for musical education programs for kids aged 3-6 in rural...
Chuck Gaidica will be a Keynote Speaker at Our Event
Detroit’s iconic journalist and TV personality, Chuck Gaidica will be a keynote speaker at our event, this upcoming May 14th at the Steinway Piano Gallery. Join us for an evening of live music, culture, and inspiration…and help us fund raise for our partnership with...
Buried Truths and Timeless Lessons
We like to think that we are evolved, that humans are civilized beyond our animal instincts. We often look at history and think, “That was then.” But what’s really changed? Do we really learn from the events of our past as we build the future? Does time reveal the...
Lessons in History and Music: TedED’s ‘Ugly History’ Project
Those of you who know me are well aware of my fondness for educational programming. In the past, I had written music for shows like Sesame Street and The Electric Company…among others. Our collaboration with TedED has garnered the interest of thousands of viewers,...
A Collaboration Between An Armenian Trilogy and TED Talk
I’m excited to finally reveal something that has been in the works for a while now. This past summer I was asked to collaborate with the TED organization, of TED Talk fame. Their subsidiary TEDEd produces fantastic short films centered primarily around educational...
Special Feature in The Armenian Mirror-Spectator
I’m honored to be featured in a recent article of The Armenian Mirror-Spectator! This newspaper has been in weekly circulation since the 1930s, and it’s a truly special privilege to be mentioned in their publication. Read all about An Armenian Trilogy, my admiration...
From July 4th to Armenia: Celebrating Freedom Amid Struggle
Hello everyone, I hope you had a nice Fourth with family and friends. July 4th represents America’s desire for freedom and independence from tyranny, and as we celebrate, we remember that not everyone is always so fortunate. My homeland of Armenia, is one of those...
Armenian Trailblazer James Phillip and His Voyage to Space
If I ever told my wife that I was interested in taking a trip to space, she’d probably say that I was off my rocker. As I think about it, she probably thinks so regardless. I would have never known that a fellow Armenian did just that. In 1989 and 1991, James Phillip...