VERY REV. FR. MESROP PARSAMYAN
"Shnorhali:Singer of Light"
Presentation on Saturday, September  at 9:30 AM

 Immediately prior to his election as the 13th Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, Fr. Mesrop   Parsamyan served the Diocese as its Director of Ministries.

  A native of Yerevan, Fr. Mesrop attended Gevorgian Theological Seminary of Holy Etchmiadzin, where he received his       Bachelor’s degree in Theology in 2003. He was ordained into the holy priesthood that same year, and thereafter served until     2004 as the staff-bearer for His Holiness Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians.

 He earned hold a Master’s degree in Theology and Religious Sciences from the University of Strasbourg, France, and studied   in Dublin, Ireland, at the International Study Centre. In 2011 he received his Archimandrite (Vardapet) rank: the Doctoral   degree of the Armenian Church.

 As a professor at Gevorgian Theological Seminary from 2007 to 2011, Fr. Mesrop taught Christian Ethics, and simultaneously served as deputy-chancellor of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. During this period, he had two pastoral stays in Brussels, Belgium, and in Nice, France.

He went on to serve the Armenian Church Diocese in Geneva, Switzerland, as its Locum Tenens Primate. He was Vicar General of the Armenian Diocese in Marseille, France, from 2012 to 2013, and the following year served in Paris as Locum Tenens Primate of the Armenian Diocese of France.

Throughout his ministry in Europe (2007-2014), Fr. Mesrop was member of the Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches.

Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan came to the United States in 2015, and took up the pastorship of Holy Shoghagat Church in Belleville, IL, for a period of two years. In 2017 he took up a position at the Diocesan Center in New York City as its director of Ministries. He was appointed as Vicar of St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral in 2018.

In the autumn of 2019, Fr. Parsamyan answered the call of His Holiness Karekin II, to return to the Mother See and take up a new role as Dean of Gevorgian Seminary. He led the seminary through Armenia’s ensuing years of trial and affliction, before completing his mission for His Holiness, returning to the U.S. in 2021.

His election as Primate took place during the 120th Diocesan Assembly, meeting in New York City and online, on Friday, May 6, 2022. With the blessing and confirmation of His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, Fr. Parsamyan assumed the office of the 13th Diocesan Primate on May 17, 2022.

VERY REV. FR. MAMIGON KILEDJIAN
Workshop for organists- Saturday, September 23 at 10:30 am
Shnorhali Hymns - Saturday, September 23  at 2:30 pm

 Very Rev. Fr. Mamigon Kiledjian received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees, majoring in Organ Performance from   Manhattan School of Music, NYC.

 From 1989–1994, he was a teacher of ecclesiastical music at Holy Etchmiadzin Theological Seminary. In 1992 he performed   at the Yerevan Philharmonic Hall and The Concert Hall in Sydney, Australia. In 1998, he participated at the World Organ   Competition at St. Mark’s Basilica and the Conservatory of Music Benedetto Marcello in Venice, Italy and was ranked the fifth   place out of 200 participants.

  From 1994-2000, he developed and conducted a youth choir at St. Vartan Cathedral, NY. Under his direction, this group grew from a handful to 80 young voices and performed many major liturgical services such as Christmas, Easter, Vartanantz and Holy Translators. In 1997, he conducted St. Vartan Youth Choir at Disneyworld, Orlando, FL.

Pastor of St. Stepanos Armenian Church in Elberon, NJ, where aside from his pastoral duties, he taught piano, voice training and organ lessons.Since 1995, he is an adjunct Professor at St. Nersess Armenian Theological Seminary. From 2000-2012, he was the

From 2012-2018, he has served as the Dean of St. Vartan Cathedral in New York, and currently he is the Diocesan Instructor of Sacred Music.

In this position, Hayr Mamigon is visiting parishes to work with priests, choirs, altar servers, choir directors, and organists, according to the particular needs of the parishes. Hayr Sourp’s hands-on methodology (non-lecture format) has proven to be most effective.

To the date Hayr Mamigon directed more than 20 parish workshops. He also conducts "long-distance" personal training via Skype or Face Time for altar servers and organists.

REV. FR. HOVHAN KHOJA-EYNATYAN
Church Music and 21st century technology
Saturday, September 23 at 1:30 pm

 Rev. Fr. Hovhan Khoja-Eynatyan was born in Yerevan, Armenia, where he pursued a career in music. He holds bachelors and   master’s degrees in music from the Komitas State Conservatory in Yerevan, and the Maimonides State Conservatory of   Moscow, Russia. Fr. Hovhan has been a member of the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Pekarsky Percussion   Ensemble, and the Moscow Modern Music Ensemble, and has taught at the Yerevan conservatory and the Spendiarov School   of Music.

 In 1999, he moved with his family to the United States. He served for many years as an organist and conductor at St. Mary   Armenian Church in Washington, DC, and in 2000 he founded the church’s well-known Narek Bell Choir.

 It was during his time at St. Mary Church that Fr. Hovhan first heard God’s call to serve the church as an ordained priest. At the  encouragement of Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, he began taking courses at Catholic University of America in Washington, and in 2008 he enrolled at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary in New Rochelle, N.Y.

He was ordained to the diaconate in August 2008. In May 2010 Fr. Hovhan graduated from the Medzn Nersess (St. Nersess the Great) Program of St. Nersess Seminary- two-year program specially designed for students who enter seminary with advanced standing, and was ordained to the Holy Priesthood on July 11, the Feast of Transfiguration of our Lord.

In January 2011 Archbishop Khajag Barsamian assigned Fr. Hovhan as pastor of St. James Armenian Church (Evanston, IL).

Fr. Hovhan is the Chairman of the Sacred Music Council.

In December 2021 with pontifical blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, Fr. Hovhan has been bestowed the privilege of wearing a Pectoral Cross (lanchakhach).

Fr. Hovhan is married to Yn. Narine. They are blessed with two children, Tatevik and Alexander, and two grandchildren Lilit and Davit.

DN. HOVANNES KHOSDEGHIAN
"Nersess Shnorhali: Musician"
Lecture-recital on Friday, September 22 at 7:00 PM

 Hovannes Khosdeghian studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Gregorian and St. Thomas Aquinas Universities,   both in Rome, Italy, specializing in Pedagogy, Marxism. His graduate work is in Biblical studies and Systematic Theology.
 Between 1980 and 1983, he served as editor of Hye Endanik, a magazine published by the Mekhitarist Fathers of Venice.   During the same period he was Assistant Rector and Academic Dean of the Seminary of St. Lazarus, where he also taught   Classical Armenian, Classical Greek, History of Philosophy and History of Religion. Concurrently he was Secretary of the   Academia Armena Sancti Lazari. In 1982, he became Assistant Superior of the Novitiate of the Order until December 1983,   when he left the Order and settled in the United States.

 He was Assistant Pastor in St. Mark's Armenian Catholic Church in Wynnewood, Penna., until the appointment of Rev. Msgr.   Sarkis Gabadian. Later, as Assistant Pastor at St. Ann's Armenian Catholic Cathedral he served as Editor of the Eternal Flame,  the periodical of the Armenian Catholic Exarchate.

Between 1988 and 1992, he taught Classical Armenian language and Canon Law at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary in New Rochelle, New York, and was a Research Fellow at the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center at the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America.

He dedicates his free time to community service and three projects: a history atlas of the Armenian Highlands, an English-Armenian dictionary, and developing a farm in Zoravan, Armenia.

He is married to Arpi Lajinian and they have two children, Talar and Kegham.

DN. RUBIK MAILIAN
Workshop for Choir Directors 
Saturday, September 23 at 10:30 am

Aging Voice. Signs of aging voice and exercises to help maintaining a healthy vocal production.
Saturday, September 23 at 1:30 pm

Masterclass for Armenian Church Choir/Solo Singers
Saturday, September 23 at 2:30 pm

 Rubik Mailian is the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Detroit Armenian Chorale, and the Komitas Choir at St. John   Armenian Church in Southfield, Michigan. He holds graduate level music and theology degrees from the University of   Houston, St. Nersess Seminary, and St. Vladimir’s Seminary. An accomplished vocalist, he has performed with numerous   nationally recognized opera theaters and symphony orchestras. Rubik has presented many articles and lectures on the   subject of Armenian Music especially history, practice and the performance of early Armenian Church Music in the Eastern   and Western Diocese of Armenian church in the United States and in Europe. He is an active member of American Choral Directors Association, and has served on the Diocesan Liturgical committees for the publication of new books, and as a Chairman of the Sacred Music Council at the Eastern Diocese in New York for many years.

DN. ASATUR BALJYAN
Vocal Workshop
Saturday, September 23 at 10:30 am

 Asatur Baljyan is a native of Etchmiadzin, Armenia. He began his musical studies at the Komitas State Conservatory in   Yerevan, Armenia, receiving a Bachelor Degree in classical vocal performance. He continued his education in Artists   Programs in Berlin and Tel Aviv, and he also attended Master Classes in Switzerland, Israel, Armenia and other countries.   Deacon Asatur from 1995-2002 spent seven years studying at the Seminary at the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem, later   served as conductor of the choir at the St. James Cathedral from 2008-2012. He also served as a choir member and soloist at   the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and was a member of the National Opera Theater of Armenia. Asatur has performed in     numerous concerts and festivals throughout the world. He was the Republic of Armenia’s Presidential Prize Laureate in 2008,   and in 2012 he was recognized as the winner of the Annual Wittenberg Music Games in Germany. Most recently, he served as   the creative projects manager for the Armenian State Philharmonic Society in Yerevan before moving to the Boston area last   year. Dn. Asatur is the Choir Director of St. James Armenian Church in Watertown, MA.