180th Anniversary Celebratory Concert
- AEUNA
- Jun 2
- 2 min read
180th Anniversary of the Armenian Evangelical Church
Celebrated with a Grand Concert
Doris Melkonian
An evening of glorious music filled the beautiful sanctuary of United Armenian Congregational Church on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in celebration of the 180th anniversary of the Armenian Evangelical Church. The program included Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cantata No. 80, Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”) and Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 5 in d minor, Op. 107, “Reformation” Symphony. Both works were based on the Lutheran chorale, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” a hymn that was composed by the architect of the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther. These orchestral works were composed for the commemoration of the Protestant Reformation and were featured at our celebratory concert for the 180th anniversary of the Armenian Evangelical Church.
Under the baton of Maestro Garo Avessian, the former conductor of the Lebanese Philharmonic and the Armenian Evangelical Armiss Choir, the orchestra and choir soared to the heavens, lifting our spirits in praise.
Prior to the concert, Doris Melkonian gave a pre-concert lecture providing the background to the composition of these works, their place in the repertoire of classical music and their place in the history of Christianity. Underscored was their significance for us today, on the 180th anniversary of the Armenian Reformation.
Rev. Vicken Cholakian created a video presentation of our Armenian Evangelical Churches and Institutions for this anniversary celebration. The video of historic and present-day images underscored adherence to the Bible, the cornerstone of Armenian Evangelical faith. The video was projected to the accompaniment of the Orchestral Medley of Protestant Hymns arranged by Maestro Avessian. Both the video presentation and the medley inspired pride in our Church and reinforced our faith.
Maestro Avessian arranged the orchestration of the Doxology (Park yev Badiv) for the celebratory concert. The world premiere of this orchestration was electrifying as Maestro Avessian led the congregational singing of the Doxology.
We acknowledged the pastors’ wives and pastors’ children by inviting them forward and showing our appreciation for their support of our pastors. We recognized the sacrificial contributions of pastors’ wives and families.
A bountiful reception followed in Avazian Hall that was spearheaded by Garine Abajian and Catherine Koundakjian. The celebratory evening continued with members and friends reminiscing about to the Armenian Evangelical Church.
The concert was livestreamed and can be accessed using the link below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUy0rD1VokE&t=6556s
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I enjoyed reading about this celebratory concert because it shows how music can bring people together across generations. During one busy semester, I was also preparing for exams, so I used do my aleks class for me to keep up with my studies while still attending a live music event with friends. That experience made me value both learning and shared cultural moments.