CMASH to Honor Dr. Vartan Aghababian During 2014-15 Season

For the 2014-2015 season, CMASH presents a series of concert events marking the fiftieth birthday of Dr. Vartan Aghababian, a founding core collaborator of CMASH.

"This is an important exciting milestone in our collaborative community," says Ann Moss, soprano and Artistic Director of CMASH. "I have enjoyed a meaningful professional relationship with Vartan for over thirteen years, and I have had the honor of premiering and recording several works he has composed specifically for me."

In April 2014, One Art Ensemble launched a year-long series of celebratory concert events, giving west coast premieres of Aghababian's Three Dickinson Songs (2012) and selections from Songs of a Second April (2007). CMASH members Ann Moss, Steven Bailey, Cheryl Cellon Lindquist, Hillary Nordwell, Justin Ouellet and the Hausmann Quartet continue the celebration this season with concerts across the country.

During his long and prolific career, Boston-based composer Dr. Vartan Aghababian has written over 100 art songs as well as music for choir, chamber ensembles, orchestra, and opera. Currently, Dr. Aghababian is a member of the music theory and composition faculties at Boston University (Boston, MA), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA), the South Shore Conservatory (Hingham, MA) and at the Winchester Community Music School (Winchester, MA). His music has been performed across the United States, in Asia and Europe. Since 2008, CMASH has shared his compositions with audiences in Northern and Southern California, Washington State, Massachusetts, and Southern Texas. Last year, Moss recorded Seven Songs at Skywalker Sound for her debut album, Currents.

After kicking off the season in early October in Lincoln, MA, and Philadelphia, a series of intimate concerts is scheduled to take place in San Francisco, San Diego, San Antonio, and Austin. Programs will feature art song cycles, trios for soprano, viola and piano, music for string quartet, and solo piano. Dr. Aghababian's works will be paired with selections from American contemporaries such as Jake Heggie, John Harbison and William Bolcom, as well as music another visionary Massachusetts composer, John Woods Duke.

The next concert in the season will take place in Our Lady's Chapel at the University of the Incarnate Word (4301 Broadway St, San Antonio, TX 78209) in San Antonio on November 4, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be reserved in advance through donation by clicking HERE.

On November 7, 2014 at 7:30 p.m., another concert will take place at Blackerby Violin Shop (1111 W Anderson Ln, Austin, Texas 78757) in Austin. Tickets can be reserved in advance through donation by clicking HERE.

The concert series will culminate in the world premieres of Aghababian's Sonata for Viola and Piano, composed in collaboration with violist Justin Ouellet and pianist Steven Bailey as well as a new cycle of songs on poetry by Emily Dickinson, composed in collaboration with the One Art Ensemble. For a list of remaining performances in the season, please visit the CMASH Calendar on the organization's website.

The 2014-2015 season marks CMASH's eighth season as a New Music repertory group dedicated to establishing long-term relationships between composers and performers. Moss says, "I see no better way to celebrate this special year than by sharing his gorgeous music with audiences around the country."