At the initiative of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the United States, a concert-reception was held at St. Leon (Ghevontiants) Armenian Cathedral in honor of the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United States, H.E. Narek Mkrtchyan.
During the event, works by renowned Armenian-American composer Alan Hovhaness were performed by Armenian and American musicians.
Opening remarks were delivered by Archbishop Hovnan Derderian and Derik Ghookasian, Chairman of the Diocesan Council. In his address, Ambassador Mkrtchyan expressed his gratitude to His Eminence for the warm reception and the honor bestowed upon him, stating in particular:
“As Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia, it is a great honor and blessing for me to receive such a reception on Palm Sunday and to listen to the works of Alan Hovhaness.
According to his contemporaries, Hovhaness’s life was a journey of self-discovery, and this idea remains relevant today. As a nation, we are in search of self-understanding; as a state, we are engaged in a process of renewal; and as a Church, we are facing the challenge of revitalization. Yet one thing is clear—we will succeed in all these endeavors.”
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The event was attended by community leaders, members of Alan Hovhaness’s family, parish council representatives, and faithful.
Embassy of Armenia to the United States