Maro Ajemian

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Maro Ajemian (born July 9, 1921 in Geneva , Switzerland ; † September 18, 1978 in the USA ) was an American pianist of Armenian origin. She was an important advocate of contemporary music in the middle of the 20th century, not only as a soloist, but also with her sister the violinist Anahid Ajemian .

Life

Ajemian was born in Switzerland to Armenian parents and moved with her family to New York in 1922 . She was educated at the Lincoln School of Teachers College at Columbia University , the Institute of Musical Arts and the Juilliard School , with her piano studies mainly taking place with Carl Friedberg . In 1927 she was the winner of the Distinguished Talent Medal at the Interborough Competition of the New York Music Week Association at Carnegie Hall and her official concert debut took place in 1940 in New York City Hall. She became known as a contemporary pianist after she premiered Aram Khachaturian 's Piano Concerto in the United States . Throughout her life she played contemporary American composers such as Alan Hovhaness , John Cage , Richard Yardumian and Ben Weber . In New York the pianist Grete Sultan got to know the compositions of John Cage, whom she only met personally in 1946. Cage dedicated the composition "Sonatas and Interludes" to Ajemian, which she performed in 1946 and which were released in 1951 on three Dial LPs. These albums helped to strengthen Cage's reputation in serious music circles and established the marketability of contemporary music in the then new LP format. In 1965 this recording was released again as a single LP. Although relatively few of her recordings have appeared, she has been a prolific recording artist, recording for Folkways Records and most often MGM Records . In addition to the composers mentioned above, she has also recorded music by Ernest Bloch , Carlos Surinach , Carlos Chávez , Silvestre Revueltas , Gunther Schuller , many of which were first recordings.

Discography (selection)

  • 1950: Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, Béla Bartók
  • 1951: Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano, John Cage
  • 1952: Set of Five / Kirghiz Suite / Sonata No. 4, Alan Hovhaness, Charles Ives, Henry Cowell
  • 1954: Suite for Violin, Piano and Small Orchestra / Symphony on Poem, Ben Weber, William Blake, Lou Harrison
  • 1957: Persian Set / Suite for Violin, Piano, & Small Orchestra, Lou Harrison, Henry Cowell
  • 1957: Ten Songs From the Hebrew / Upon Enchanted Ground / Suite for Violin, Piano and Percussion piano, Alan Hovhaness, Stefan Wolpe
  • 1967: 2nd String Quartet / "Lousadzak": Concerto No. 1 for Piano & String Orchestra piano, Alan Hovhaness, Charles Ives
  • 1976: Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano; A Book of Music for Two Prepared Pianos prepared piano, John Cage
  • 1991: Works for Piano, Toy Piano & Prepared Piano, Vol. III, John Cage

literature

  • Moritz von Bredow: rebellious pianist. The life of Grete Sultan between Berlin and New York. Schott Music, Mainz 2012, ISBN 978-3-7957-0800-9 .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Ajemian, Maro
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American pianist of Armenian origin
DATE OF BIRTH July 9, 1921
PLACE OF BIRTH Geneva
DATE OF DEATH September 18, 1978
Place of death United States