Jasper Moss’ his duty to and music ‘Renaissance’

By Arman Ghaloosian

him, beginning his love for classical music and a new life trajectory. He knew he wanted to be a conductor as well as a composer by his early 20s, so he began doing extensive research on all forms of Armenian music as a seasoned musician.

Fast forward several years later, and Moss is giving an interview on that same radio station that sparked his interest in classical music as a child, promoting an evening of Armenian classical music.

In the interview, the young conductor emphasized his duty to enrich and expand the scope of Armenian music, picking up where greats such as Komitas left off—continuing the trajectory of Armenian folk music being orchestrated and arranged for the classical stage, thereby widening the audience and its global outreach. In 2015, Moss participated in the AGBU’s Musical Armenia Program,

There is an “inherent connection” to your homeland when listening to Armenian folk music. Growing up in an Armenian household in Toronto, while attending Saturday school and playing basketball at AGBU, his appreciation for the culture was always there. A deep love for music makes it all the more special, as he is able to leave his own mark on the world of Armenian music.

The “Renaissance" concert took place on Feb. 18, at Toronto’s Trinity St. Paul Centre, to a packed house eager to hear what he had put together. The performance was organized by the young Canadian-Armenian composer, who also serves as the Music Director of the Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra. Jasper also arranged all the pieces performed and conducted the orchestra. Fellow Toronto-Armenians Lynn Isnar and Vartan Gabrielian performed alongside the orchestra as the soprano and bass-baritone, respectively. The concert featured the music of Komitas, Sayat Nova, Parsegh Ganatchian, Alexander Spendiaryan,

Moss emphasized the importance of this event, as many of these pieces transcribed for an orchestral performance were being heard for the first time. The first piece to introduce this historical event was the hymn or "Oor es, mayr eem." This piece was performed with an orchestra, although a solo vocalist traditionally performs it. Komitas was next in the repertoire for the evening, with astonishing performances with the familiar "Keler, Tsoler," and "Hoy Nazan." Sayat Nova was performed as well, but instead of traditional folk instruments, "Nazani," "Blbololi hit," and "Kamancha" were arranged for orchestra and did justice to the music of the 18th-century troubadour.

The concert also featured the Canadian premiere of Parsegh Ganatachian and Alexander Spendiaryan’s wonderful compositions. Most people will know Ganatchian as the composer of the Armenian national anthem, yet his lullaby

"Oror, eem balas" accompanied by the duet Isnar and Gabrielian was truly spectacular. Audience members were deeply moved by this piece arranged by Moss, which was one of the standouts of the evening.

The audience was also privileged to be present for the world premiere of Moss’s own composition titled Cello Concerto in D Minor. An original composition, this piece exemplified the energetic spirit of the up-and-coming composer while also paying respects to another great Armenian composer, Khachatur Avetisyan. During the performance, snippets from Avetisyan’s "Vagharshapati Par" wereheard, with a unique and fresh orchestral arrangement. Moss noted that to write a musical composition, one must pick up the skeleton of the piece, decide on the central theme, process the transition, and fill in the rest with the orchestra.

Instead of performing Aram Khachaturian's prominent pieces (like the "Sabre Dance"), the less-often-heard Children’s Album One and Two arranged for orchestra, mesmerized the audience. Moss said he decided to do so with the hope of popularizing other works by Khachaturian rather than simply focusing on compositions performed many times over. Before beginning, Moss humorously reminded the enthusiastic crowd to save their applause for the end, as he knew audience members would be eager to applaud in between each of the 20 works that make up the two albums. The monumental performance ended with two standing ovations, with the audience aching for more.

Following the final bows, the young conductor greeted the crowd along with the other soloists, and everyone was eager to congratulate the young CanadianArmenian musicians on this historic event.

Ultimately, Moss' main goal is to create something for people to enjoy and keep music in their lives. He hopes to organize more concerts to showcase Armenian classical music to a broader audience. The young Torontonian acknowledges the rarity of being an Armenian composer these days, especially one who lives and works in the diaspora. Regardless, he is successfully revamping Armenian classical music for the world to witness. The duty to enrich comes with its challenges, which the talented composer is prepared to face and will undoubtedly overcome. His dedication to Armenian music is truly inspiring and something any concertgoer will immediately recognize during one of his shows. Bravo Jasper!

ԵՒ ՄՇԱԿՈՅԹ

Կեանքը լաւ էր հոն մինչեւ պատերազմը մեկնարկեց…

Երբ պատերազմը սկսաւ, քիչս գնաց Լիբանան, շատս՝ Գանատա, Գերմանիա…

Մի քանիս հասանք Հայաստան… Ամերիկա, Ֆրանսա, Պելճիքա եւ այլ… Գանատա գացողը ինքզինքը համարեց յաղթական, Գերմանիա հասնողը դարձաւ գիտնական, Ամերիկա ու Ֆրանսա գտնուողը վերջապէս եղաւ զարգացած աշխարհին անդամ…

Հայաստան գացողն ալ սպասեց այնտեղ իբր հանգրուան Մինչեւ առաջին աշխարհին մէջ գտաւ ապաստան… Սուրիան մնաց միս-մինակ, Շատերը սկսան նոյնիսկ չյիշել զայն, Սուրիոյ մէջ տասնեակ տարիները սուրիահայ երիտասարդին անցեալ ու խուսափելի… Կրնա՞մ արդեօք իմ նոր անցագիրիս մէջ յօրինել նոր ծննդավայր… ուզեր Սուրիան, ապրեցանք այնտեղ գրեթէ մէկ դար… Հիմա մեր ալ իրաւունքն է դառնալ Առաջին աշխարհի պատուաւոր հայ, Ո՛չ Միջին Արեւելքի հայ, ո՛չ ալ Հայաստանի հայ… Instagram-ին վրայ դրինք Հայաստանի դրօշակ մը, Ցոյց տալու համար մեր հեռուէն հայ ըլլալը….

Ամառը մէկ հատ կ’երթանք Երեւան…

Ու կը դառնանք առաջին աշխարհ, օթեւան…

Հայաստանցի՛ն, տունն է հոն, միայն գաղթի մասին կը մտածէ, Ինծի՞ մնաց որ մնամ հոն, չէ, ես ալ պիտի երթամ Պրիւքսէլ, Թորոնթօ եւ կամ Լոնտոն…

Սուրիա՞… չէ մոռցանք, հետն ալ կ’ուզենք մոռնալ մեր ուսման լեզուն… խայտառակ արաբերէնը…

Սորվեցանք այլ լեզուներ, Յակոբը եղաւ Jack ու Նայիրին՝ Nancy… գերմաներէնով stress /շթղես/ ապրեցանք, Հայերէնն ալ եթէ յիշենք, պիտի գրենք լատինատառ…

Եթէ պէտք չըլլայ, չենք ըսեր որ Սուրիայէն ենք, մենք հա՛յ ենք… հա՛յ… Այս ո՞ւր հասանք եւ ինչու՞… Ես այստեղ դատախազ չեմ… ոչ ալ վերակացու… ցաւս կը կիսուիմ…

Հարազատներ էինք անցեալին,

Տարօն Պարոյր

Թառամած յուշեր՝ Պայծառ օրերու, Լերկ ծառեր՝ աշնան օդերու, Լոկ, միայնակ, ցուրտ գիշերներ, Սուլիչ հովին Դատարկ փողոցներ։

Տան հոգին` աննշմար մեղեդին, ուկ մը հազիւ

Auditions for new film to be held in at AYC Toronto

Scan For Full Casting Call

→ տէրերը, Արսլանեանները, որոնք Լիբանան կը մնան։ Կը նկարէ եւ կ՚ուղարկէ անոնց։ Քիչ ժամանակ վերջ, Պարոն Արսլանեանը կը հեռաձայնէ եւ կ’ըսէ «Արմէն, գիտես ուրկէ կը խօսիմ, հօրենական տուներուս բակէն»։ Այս պատմութիւնը պատմած ժամանակս Շողերը ընդհատեց, տեղէն ցատկեց եւ ըսաւ․ «Այդ մեր տուննէ, միջեւ նոր կապ մը պիտի ստեղծուէր։ Սիրելի Շողեր, մեր ջերմ, անկեղծ եւ կարօտի բարեւները փոխանցէ մեր սիրելի ընկեր Ռոստոմին։ Կը խնդրենք ձեր երկուքէն, որ հսկէք մեր վրա, որպէսզի գրատարածի գործը ընդլայնուի, «Գուսան» երգչախումբը պահէ եւ պահպանէ հայ երգը, դպրաց դասը շարունակէ պատարագի իր կարեւոր մասը, ՀՕՄ-ի «Տոհմիկ օր»-երու հսկայ ձեռնարկները պեղեն մեր տոհմական գանձերը, ՀՕՄ-ի ընկերային ծառայութիւնը շարունակէ

Are you an aspiring actor looking for your big break? Do you want to be a part of a unique and engaging short film project? Look no further than “Before They Joined Us,” a short film directed by Arshile Egoyan. “Before They Joined Us” tells the story of two Armenian sisters and their parents as they leave behind their life in Beirut and start anew in Montreal. As the girls struggle to reconcile their new life together, they are faced with the impending threat of the end of the world.

The creative team is currently seeking actors for several key roles, including Taline (the older sister), Gariné (the younger sister), Maral (the mother), Ashod (the father), and a fighter. The ideal candidates must be able to speak Western Armenian and/or Arabic, depending on the role. Scan the QR code above for the full casting call. Auditions for the adult roles (Maral, Ashod, and the fighter) will take place on April 15 and 16, while auditions for the youth roles (Taline and Gariné) will take place on April 1, 2, 22, and 23. Auditions will be held at the Armenian Youth Centre of Toronto (50 Hallcrown Place).

Successful candidates will be paid the higher of the ACTRA Independent Production minimum or $200/shooting day. The shoot dates are from July 14 to July 17, 2023.

Before applying, please read the full casting call (QR code above). To apply, email btjufilm@gmail.com with “BTJU Casting Call – [name of character you’d like to audition for]” as the subject line. In the email, include your name and age, the character you’ll be auditioning for, the date you plan to audition, and the time you’d prefer to audition.

This is a unique opportunity for aspiring actors to work with a talented creative team and be a part of an impactful and engaging project. Don’t miss your chance to apply and showcase your talent in “Before They Joined Us.”