LOS ANGELES, CA. (Top40 Charts/ KOHAR Symphony Orchestra & Choir) - KOHAR, an internationally acclaimed symphony orchestra and choir based in Gyumri, Armenia, will grace the U.S. and Canada for the first time in an eight-city North American tour, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit, Chicago, Boston, Toronto, Montreal and New York. (Details listed below.)
KOHAR is comprised of 150 performing artists, musicians, choral singers, soloists, dancers, and a pantomime, fusing the sounds of Armenian culture and heritage with classical music. KOHAR Symphony Orchestra & Choir is the only symphony orchestra that integrates jazz music with traditional Armenian instruments to generate classical sound.
With audiences throughout the Near East and Europe and fans worldwide, KOHAR Symphony Orchestra and Choir of Gyumri has performed in Beirut, Lebanon; Nicosia, Cyprus; Istanbul, Turkey; and Moscow, Russia.
KOHAR Symphony Orchestra & Choir's DVD was bestowed the Anoush Achievement Award during the seventh annual Armenian Music Awards, held at the Hollywood Palladium in California in May 2005. The award was presented to KOHAR for its contribution to Armenian culture, which is exemplified in the All Time Armenian Favourites DVD.
Less than 20 years ago, on December 7, 1988, eighty percent of Gyumri lay under rubble, as a devastating earthquake hit Armenia, nearly demolishing the city of Gyumri and killing 10,000 inhabitants. The brothers Khatchadourian of Lebanon - Harout, Shahe, and Nar - prompted by their hearts and able to give generously, provided much-needed assistance to a city that still lacked permanent housing and employment opportunities.
The brothers did more than revive a shattered economy, they nurtured talent and excellence as well, and in the process helped to revive a downtrodden city's spirit, as they established the KOHAR Music School for gifted children, founded in 1997, in honor of their parents Kohar and Aram, and named after their mother. The school was built in an old factory where the finest musicians were hired as instructors, using top-of-the-line instruments and classrooms furnished with the most modern equipment. In only three years, the school gave birth to a symphony orchestra and choir, under the artistic direction of Maestro Sebouh Abkarian of Cyprus.
CITIES, DATES AND LOCATIONS OF KOHAR'S AMERICAS TOUR INCLUDE:
Los Angeles
Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 8:15 PM
Gibson Amphitheatre Universal CityWalk
Universal City, CA 91608
San Francisco
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 8:15 PM
Nob Hill Masonic Center
San Francisco, CA 94108
Detroit
Tuesday, October 30, 2007 at 8:15 PM
Max M. Fisher Music Center
Detroit, Michigan 48201
Chicago
Thursday, November 1, 2007 8:15 PM
Harris Theater
Chicago, Illinois 60601
Boston
Saturday, November 10, 2007 at 8:15 PM
Colonial Theatre
Boston, Massachusetts 02116
Toronto
Friday, November 16, 2007 8:15 PM
Toronto Centre for the Arts – Main Stage
Toronto, Ontario, CANADA M2N 6R8
Montreal
Sunday, November 18, 2007 at 8:00 PM
Place des Arts – Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier
Montreal, Quebec, CANADA H2X 1Y9
New York
Tuesday, November 20, 2007 8:15 PM
Carnegie Hall – Isaac Stern Auditorium
New York, NY 10019
Tickets ($25 - $150) are on sale now at each venue box office, via Ticketmaster and KoharConcert.com. Groups of 100+ may be eligible for a 10% discount, subject to availability. For details, visit www.KoharConcert.com or call 323-469-7356.
