News

By Crissi Jelladian In the Fall 1996 and Spring 1997 semesters, the Armenian Students Organization was invited to assist the staff at the Armenian Community School of Fresno. This school is responsible for educating children grades K-6, and will soon be expanding to the 7th grade. Seth Atamian, principal of the Armenian Community School, had a need for college students ...

Staff Report The Armenian Studies Program, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (Fresno Chapter) and the Fresno Art Museum present a reading by Peter Balakian from his new book Black Dog of Fate, on Sunday, June 1, 1997 at 3:00 PM in the Bonner Auditorium of the Fresno Art Museum. A reception and book signing will follow the reading. Black Dog ...

By Crissi Jelladian The Armenian Students Organization (ASO) worked actively with AYF and Homenetmen in planning of events for April 24th Armenian Genocide Day. The Candlelight Vigil, on the evening of April 23rd and the Commemoration Rally, on April 24th were two events held on the Fresno State Campus. On the 23rd, Armenian Youth from the community gathered at 9 ...

By Barlow Der Mugrdechian Volume five of the six volume series The Music of Armenia has recently been released by Celestial Harmonies. Composer David Parsons has continued his exploration into the sacred and folk traditions of Eastern Armenians with this double CD devoted to the folk music of Armenia. In this latest production, listeners enjoy the traditional music of Armenia: ...

Staff Report CSU Fresno President Dr. John Welty hosted a reception for a group of academics and professors from Armenia at the University Home on Wednesday, January 22.As part of the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Assistance Project, a fifteen person group from Armenia arrived January 16 for a two week program at California State University, Fresno. The ...

Within a week during the last days of February and the first days of March death came to Isabel Berberian and Melin* Kalfayan. Their names were familiar to hundreds of students and supporters of the Armenian Studies Program. The first endowed chair in Armenian Studies and the first chair to become operative on the campus of California State University, Fresno ...

by Dickran Kouymjian What was it like to teach at Berkeley? I have been asked that many times since returning to Fresno. Not much different than teaching at Fresno State. The best students in my classes at the University of California were about the same as the best students at Fresno State, except that there were proportionately more of them ...

Staff Report Born into a musical family in Yerevan, Armenia , Vardan Mamikonian began studying the piano at the age of seven and quickly showed exceptional talent. After completing studies in Armenia, Mamikonian continued at the Moscow Conservatory for two years and then moved on to the prestigious Tchaikovsky Conservatory where he became a pupil of Valery Kastelsky, himself the ...

By Dickran Kouymjian Archbishop Vatche, Very Reverend Mushegh, Father Raphael, Reverend Minassian, Mr. Consul General and Mrs. Baibourtian, distinguished clergy and guests, ladies and gentlemen. What a wonderful occasion! Many of us have mixed memories of getting a visa for Armenia, arriving at the Soviet Consulate in San Francisco or another city to get a visa for Armenia, wondering if ...

By Jacqueline Arikian Hidden in the special collections section of the Henry Madden Library at Fresno State, exists a display of Armenians in America: Fresno as “Refuge.” It is in the side room of the fourth floor where one can walk through Little Armenia and grasp a taste of Armenian life. In this exhibit lies the stories of those who ...