How I Endured +3° Temperature and Played at the Tsitsernakaberd Heights

On April 24, the 105th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the highest leadership of Armenia paid their respects to the victims of the Armenian Genocide at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex, under the live performances of Haik Melikyan.

Melikyan made a post on his Facebook page regarding his performance: “Today everyone is asking me how I managed to withstand the +3° temperature and play at the Tsitsernakaberd Heights. You know, one thought kept arising while I was playing: ‘My God, how did our ancestors endure the cold, hunger, and displacement… All my performances are dedicated to their memory, as a tribute and homage,’” noted the musician.

On April 25, Melikyan will perform an online charity concert dedicated to the 105th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, with all proceeds from concert tickets going to support parentless Armenian children.

The online concert will feature works by Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Komitas, Khachaturian, Babajanian, Gurdjieff, and Delalyan. “Today we live in difficult times, but we must never forget, regardless of our problems, about the children in need, because I am confident that among them are the potential Khachaturians, Komitases, Mozarts, and Newtons. Performing without an audience is certainly foreign to me; I especially miss the audience in Yerevan, but I realize that staying at home is vital for everyone today, and I hope that with my performance, I will bring a little warmth to people's homes, and we will do a good deed together,” the pianist remarked.