Artist Profile: Movses Pogossian
I’m so fortunate to have studied at UCLA these past four years with the great violinist Movses Pogossian. Throughout this time, he has never failed to deliver his passion and love for music through the violin. In the beginning, however, violin was not his instrument of choice. In Yerevan, Armenia, where he grew up, the most popular instrument by far was the piano, but to be permitted to study piano, you had to have all A’s in your academic courses. Luckily for us, the young Movses had one B and was forced to enroll in violin study instead.
Currently Professor of Violin and Chair of Strings at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, Pogossian is also Artistic Director of the Dilijan Chamber Music Series. Because teaching and mentoring are such important parts of his life, I asked him to comment on how that impacts his life as a performer. He said, “Teaching has undoubtedly had a positive effect on me as a performer and musician. As you teach your students and help solve their problems, you learn how to help yourself. But the negative side comes with the difficulty of switching this mode off during a performance. Ideally, in a performance, your sensitivity and aural sensations should come first.” Movses continued, laughing to himself, “sometimes I have to make a conscious effort to switch mindsets from teacher to performer.”
As both performer and teacher, Professor Pogossian emphasizes the importance of chamber music. When I asked him why, he said, “Good chamber music is the closest medium to the most natural social environment between people. You connect on a personal level and are able to share your own voice. We can apply these great connections, between social qualities and skills that we learn in chamber music, to our everyday lives.”
Knowing this, it comes as no surprise that he is deeply involved and respected in the chamber music scene of Los Angeles. In addition to his 2012 Pacific Serenades debut, he is a frequent performer around town in venues such as the Monday Evening Concerts series, Sundays Live at LACMA, and his own Dilijan Chamber Music Series. As he talks to me about chamber music in LA, Movses says, “I feel fortunate to be in Los Angeles. I think this is one of the top three thriving centers for music in the country, along with New York and Boston. The atmosphere is stimulating, and the quantity, quality, and diversity of musicians is remarkable. It even hosts the oldest new music series in the country, Monday Evening Concerts. I think that’s very cool.”
On the subject of new music, he has this to say, “It is something I do with great passion and love. Working with a composer to premiere new works, and feeling the audience’s tangible reaction, gives you the feeling that you have accomplished something that is lasting, that is documented, and perhaps, the chance for the work to be performed again.” Quite recently, Pogossian’s dedication to new music was recognized by Jacaranda with the Forte Award, an award given once a year to two people for their outstanding achievement in the promotion of new and modern music. He received this award alongside Deborah Borda, the President and CEO of the LA Philharmonic.
As I mentioned above, this is his Pacific Serenades debut, and it is only natural, with Pacific Serenades’ twenty-six season dedication to new music, for these two paths to cross. Movses expressed his feelings toward Pacific Serenades saying, “Undoubtedly, it is a venerable and respected music series in LA. It is especially unique because of the long-standing tradition of premiering a new work at each concert. Of course, a big credit goes to Mark Carlson for his vision, perseverance, and organizational qualities that show on each concert. He is a relaxed and genuinely kind person, and these aspects attract audiences and performers alike.”
Of course, we all have multiple passions in life, and Professor Pogossian is no exception. It’s all a matter of balancing, and to close out the interview, he wanted to leave the readers with a fun reflection. “My first teacher was a huge soccer fan, and he was always embarrassed to tell his students that he would have to move his lessons because of a big game. He would sort of mumble some excuse to his students, but we all knew. Throughout the years, I also developed a passion for soccer. Now, with my children all being involved with little league soccer, I feel a reignited love towards the game, and whenever my life allows the luxury, I try to schedule my teaching around the big match-ups in Europe.” “Why is this important?” one might ask. Because, as Movses continues, “I think that the perfect soccer team is just like a perfect chamber ensemble. That is why my favorite team in the world–Barcelona of course–is successful not only because of its stars, but also because of the emphasis on humility, cooperation, and the necessity of being a team and not an individual.”
Luke Santonastaso is a senior violin performance major at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and is currently studying with Movses Pogossian.
