Today, a Japanese delegation led by the State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Mr. Minoru Kiuchi visited Tumo.

 

Director Marie Lou Papazian introduced the guests to the unique learning program at Tumo while they toured the center and got a firsthand look at the Tumo facilities and programs. They met students, coaches and workshop leaders who told them more about their experiences at Tumo. While the delegation toured the music studio, Tumo's Tmba-Ta Orchestra performed a short set to provide insight into the creative work of Tumo students.

 

The guests discussed the role of education in Armenia and Tumo's impact on young people. Marie Lou spoke of Tumo's aim of expanding young people's horizons and giving them the resources to achieve their full creative potential for their future careers.

 

Mr. Minoru Kiuchi expressed his amazement at the possibilities the center provides to local youth. He offered to share all necessary contacts and information to the newly established Embassy of Japan in Armenia for further cooperation.

 

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On Saturday and Sunday, over 250 people came through Tumo's doors for the Google DevFest organized by the Armenian Google Developer Group in partnership with Tumo. The conference included two days of networking, discussions of open source technologies and speaker sessions.

 

The DevFest event is a platform for companies and individuals interested in using Google technologies and in sharing their ideas and projects. A number of speakers participated in this year's DevFest, including entrepreneur Al Eisaian who spoke about "The Rise of the Creative Class", Ginosi's Amoor Avakian on working ''At Google Speeds'', Tumo board member and CEO of Bazillion Beings Pegor Papazian on "Evolutionary Machine Learning", Google Software Engineer Aram Ayvazyan, who introduced Google Fit, Yervand Sarkisyan of Granatus Ventures on "Raising Startup Investments", and Serik Beysenov of the Omsk Google Developer Group on Android Lollipop.

 

DevFests are large, community run events organized by Google Development Groups around the world. Each DevFest is inspired by and tailored to the need of the developer community that hosts it. The core belief of the conference is that when developers come together to exchange ideas, amazing things can happen.

 

 

The results of Arnab Chaudhuri's month long 2D animation workshop will be showcased in a weeklong exhibition at Tumo starting on Friday November 21st.

 

Participants began the workshop by developing their knowledge of traditional techniques by using pencil and paper to create animated scenes and storyboards. Following this, they studied 2D animation techniques and developed their storyboards into classical frame-by-frame hand drawn animations. Each participant created a 2D short with their own characters and stories on the theme of the Armenian alphabet.

 

The exhibition will include a display of the hand drawn storyboards and frames, as well as screenings of the students' final animations.

 

The exhibition opening will take place on Friday the 21st at 18:00. It is open to the public. 

 

 

Today, Tumo was proud to host a visit by iRobot Corporation Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Paolo Pirjanian along with his wife and two teenage boys. iRobot is one of the worlds most successful robotics companies and the maker of the famous Roomba domestic cleaning robots.

 

Pirjianian got to see Tumo's educational system and facilities, including the 3D printing workshop, and was able to acquaint himself with the center's learning content and teaching methods. His visit culminated with a tour of Tumo's robotics lab where Camp Tumo participants were learning to build and program autonomous agents using Lego Mindstorms robotics kits.

 

See Pirjanian's views on the present and future of robotics here.

 

 

 

On June 1st, Tumo hosted the third annual TEDxKids@Yerevan on the occasion of International Children's Day. The event brought together over 300 young people from Yerevan and different regions of Armenia, as well as, for the first time, a speaker from Georgia. TEDxKids@Yerevan empowers children to speak about issues which affect them and which they find are important ideas worth sharing. Twenty two speakers ranging from ten to eighteen years of age presented on inspirational topics ranging from societal pressures put on kids, healthy eating in schools and sex-selective abortion, to the power of the smile and the importance of not losing faith after failures.

 

 

Following the twenty-two planned speeches, there was an 'Open-Mic' session where audience members were invited to give one minute talks. One speaker presented on the topic of introducing peer to peer support in schools for anyone who is having difficulties; she saw this as the best solution to bullying and dealing with issues head on. A number of kids had travelled from Georgia especially to take part in the event as audience members, but took the opportunity to speak during the Open-Mic session. When asked about why they wanted to take part in TEDxKids@Yerevan, participants answered that they wanted to be heard by society on an international level.

 

This year's TEDxKids@Yerevan was made special by the fact that it was fully organized by the Tumo TED-Ed Club members; all preparations were carried out by the Tumo students who participated in a special event planning and management workshop.

 

 

 

During the last week of May, Tumo was full of hip hop dancing. The best hip hop dancers in all of Armenia gathered to show off their dancing skills. Within the frameworks of the "Unlimited Hip Hop" project, popular Soul Street Dance group members arrived in Armenia and held auditions not only in Yerevan but also in Charentsavan and Vayk. The best 19 dancers were selected to participate in special master classes with the dance group members.

 

 

During their stay for a three-day workshop at Tumo, the group members gave an exciting show, which was witnessed by many guests at the dance event which took place on May 28 at the Tumo Plaza.

 

But the project doesn't end here; the selected dancers are expected to participate in regional dance performace at Batumi in July. The project was organized by the U.S. Embassy in cooperation with Tumo.

 

 

On May 21, Tumo hosted over 150 guests on the occasion of Europe Day in Armenia. Many public figures and government officials gathered to celebrate the occasion.

 

The State Youth Orchestra of Armenia performed throughout the evening and Tumo's Tmba-ta orchestra joined forces with British hand pan drummer Daniel Waples to play a collaborative piece. Traian Hristea, Head of EU Delegation to Armenia, Vigen Sargsyan, the Armenian President's Chief of Staff and Tumo Director Marie Lou Papazian gave speeches emphasising the importance of collaboration between Europe and Armenia.

 

 

The event was part of a ongoing set of events taking place this week in Yerevan and Gyumri to celebrate peace and unity in Europe.

 

 

The Armenian translation of "Steve Jobs", the biographical book by Walter Isaacson, was presented at Tumo on May 7th. The limited edition publication was made possible through the efforts of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia, in partnership with Antares Media Holding.

 

The U.S. Ambassador John Heffern launched the event, welcoming the guests and touching upon some of the book's important messages. A highlight of the event was the presentation by Tumo student Aramais Amirbekyan about various stages of Jobs' life.

 

 

The event concluded with the cutting of a special cake baring the image of Steve Jobs. Only 1,000 copies of the Armenian "Steve Jobs" were printed. The book is not intended for retail distribution. Rather, It will be provided to educational institutions in Armenia to further stimulate interest in new technology and innovation.

 

 

 

 

On Saturday April 5, Oliver Shine, Swiss DJ, musician and composer conducted a day-long workshop at Tumo. The first part, open to all, was a lecture on the electronic music industry today.

 

The second part, the actual workshop, began with Oliver Shine discussing DJing and using the DJ Booth. A video setup showing the DJ Deck on the screen allowed students to see the mixing process as it happened. This was followed by DJ Shine asking students to come and try live mixing on stage while he gave individual feedback. He ended the workshop by proposing that participants send him one of their mixes of which he would choose the ten best submissions to post on his official website.

 

The Swiss Ambassador, Mr. Lukas Gasser who was also present, offered to announce the winners during an informal gathering at the Embassy.

 

 

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On March 6, Tumo hosted the first ever World StartUp Cup that recognized the best three business models from Russia, Ghana and Pakistan, the latter winning the first place. Seven teams of promising entrepreneurs from around the globe had the opportunity to pitch their business initiatives, both virtually and live, to an international panel of judges, representatives of local StartUp Cups, and compete for the winning title.

 

Back in January 2014, the winners of local StartUp Cups from 21 countries, competed virtually for one of seven available spots in the first World StartUp Cup. Currently there are 68 StartUp Cup Business Model Competitions in 57 countries.

 

Yerevan with it its growing entrepreneurial potential was selected from a list of other countries interested to host the competition. And it's not accidental that Tumo, as a hub of innovative and robust initiatives, where empowering young minds is a priority, hosted this global event. "I believe in the power of the mind and, here at Tumo, we seek to empower our students with the capacity to realize their fullest potential and take ownership of their personal growth and success," said Marie Lou Papazian in her opening speech during the Award Ceremony.

 

The event was spiced up with motivational speeches from the organizers and jury members. Jeff Hoffman, a successful entrepreneur and motivational speaker, gave a special talk unleashing the 10 secrets to entrepreneurial success. Sean Griffin, CEO and Founder of StartUp Cup, held a unique and interactive presentation for Tumo students by sharing his personal path to success and encouraging them to be daring and discover the best within themselves.

 

The presenters of World StartUp Cup in Armenia are Upostrophe and Tumo. The event is supported by USAID funded Enterprise Development and Market Competitiveness (EDMC) Project, IAB Training Center, Ayb School, Deem Communications, Printinfo, AYWA, Armenia StartUp Cup, State Department's Global Entrepreneurship Program and Kauffman's Global Entrepreneurship Week.

 

 

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Today, Tumo concluded the 60 Seconds of Inclusive Cinema workshop, which resulted in the creation of twelve minute-long films shot with mobile devices. Tumo members Marine Gazazyan, Tigran Ghalachyan Maria Sargsyan and Mariam Boretsyan received awards from festival supporters.

 

During the course of four days,under the leadership of filmmaker Matt Hulse, participating Tumo members were introduced to the nuances of expressing the main topics and ideas of their films in the span of 60 seconds.

 

Hulse recognized that "It is very difficult to film a 60-second film in a short period of time and with limited resources, using mobile phones," praising the effort and results of the young filmmakers. Each participant had selected two words, which became the foundation for the topic of their film. By placing constraint on the filmmaking process, the director aimed to promote the students' creativity, encouraging them to overcome boundaries.

 

The workshop was organized in collaboration with the British Council within the frameworks of the 12th British Film Festival, with the support of Beeline, UNICEF and the British Embassy in Armenia.

 

 

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On the occasion of the Restoration of the State of Lithuania, Tumo was proud to have partnered with the Embassy of Lithuania and Ambassador Erikas Petrikas on two exciting events - the opening of an evocative photography exhibition titled "Everyday Life: Dialogue of Generations" and a unique musical performance by Mr. Regimantas Silinskas and Tumo's music students.

 

Ambassador Erikas Petrikas and Tumo Director Marie Lou Papazian opened the event with welcoming remarks. Guests had the opportunity to view the photography exhibition, which examines Lithuanian everyday life spanning the last half-century and features the work of three different generations of Lithuanian photographers. The crowd was thrilled by a musical performance by Tumo's music students in collaboration with Lithuanian musician Regimantas Šilinskas on the Skrabalai, a traditional Lithuanian musical instrument made of dozens of wooden bells.

 

The event was also attended by United States Ambassador John Heffern, the Ambassador of the Republic of India Dr. T. Suresh Babu, and other high-ranking diplomats.

 

 

 

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Tumo students took on the role of staff during a unique holiday celebration at the center. Led by members of the Waraq art collective, students participated in a large-scale game where they adopted the character of everyone from security guards to workshop leaders to Director Marie Lou Papazian.

 

Groups of students streamed in and around the center's administrative offices wearing lifelike masks of Tumo employees and completing a series of fun tasks and challenges. They put up decorations, created playlists, made Christmas postcards, and prepared snacks in the cafeteria, among other activities. Each team was joined by its corresponding staff member who guided and motivated them during the course of the game.

 

The festivities carried on after the game with a New Year's party. Participants danced freely and took turns showing off their moves in spontaneous circles and conga lines. Tmba-Ta members were also on hand for a special jam session near the Tumo bleachers.

 

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Tumo's Tmba-Ta orchestra held its first official public concert at the popular Stop Club in central Yerevan. They performed a live set of original tracks from their Tumo studio recordings, including "Le Petit Papa," "Etsy Ari," and the quintessential "Tmba-Ta."

 

The 30-member student ensemble entertained a standing room only audience of music fans, supporters, and parents with their avant-garde mix of improvised vocals and traditional folk rhythms. Virtual sounds from iPads incorporated seamlessly with live instrumentation on stage to produce a captivating debut showcase.

 

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During the last two days of September 2013, Tumo hosted the Google DevFest developer conference which the Armenian Google Developer Group organized in partnership with Tumo. Developers, users and students attended the conference and discussed issues around developing and integrating mobile and web technologies.

 

 

On day one, speakers included Misho Berianidze, who presented 3D modeling and image mapping methods in Google Earth, Satenik Mnatsakanyan who talked about a next generation human-machine interface and developments in cloud computing, Gaspar Chilingarov who discussed synchronous NodeJS transactions, cutting edge development tools and code simplification, and Tigran Azatyan who devoted his talk to key software architecture concepts for high traffic websites.

 

 

Day two included a presentation and demo of Google Glass by Google Senior Software Engineer Ihar Mahaniok. Ihar presented the device's features and possible uses, and toured Tumo, making the first ever Glass recording of the center. Users had a chance to try out the consumer features of Glass and familiarize themselves with its software development interface.

 

This was the first DevFest to take place in Armenia, and marked the beginning of Tumo's increasing focus on partnership opportunities with Google. Read more>>

 

 

 

Legendary Deep Purple singer and songwriter Ian Gillan visited Tumo with a group of family members and friends. Gillan toured the center, getting a first-hand look at Tumo's unique learning environment, walked in on a musical jam session, signed autographs, and interacted with students and staff.

 

"I feel as if I'm in a movie," wrote Gillan on one of Tumo's walls, "You are all amazing. Thank you."

 

Gillan was in Armenia for the opening of a music school in Gyumri. Since the 1988 Spitak earthquake, he has maintained close ties with Armenia and has been active in raising funds for projects in the country. See more>>

 

 

 

Tumo hosted the California State Assembly delegation as part of their one week visit to the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. The visit served to acquaint the delegation with Armenia's various political, educational, and cultural institutions.

 

Upon giving them a tour of Tumo's facilities, Tumo director, Marie Lou Papazian, familiarized the delegation with the concept behind Tumo's initiative and its aspirations for the further advancement of Armenian youth, particularly in the field of creative technologies.

 

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Tumo and Golden Apricot International Film Festival joined forces this week for a pair of public lectures headed by some of the most prolific names in international film and media.

 

The first installment on Monday featured award-winning director Atom Egoyan, communications specialist Patrick Sarkissian, and transmedia expert Daniel Calabuig, as they spoke before a capacity crowd about Transmedia—the emerging use of various devices and platforms to tell a single story.

 

"It was a great opportunity for us to team up with the Golden Apricot Festival and host this panel that links filmmaking to other platforms like game and web development" said Pegor Papazian, a member of the Tumo Board of Advisors and moderator of Monday's panel. "Hearing such a unique combination of voices from different disciplines and countries is critically important in expanding the horizons of our future creative professionals."

 

 

Participants in the panel exchanged views on a host of thought-provoking issues, including the changing role of audiences in relation to film and media.

 

"Audiences have always wanted more participation in stories, and technology today allows for that," said Calabuig, who Skyped into the discussion from Spain. "But the problem here is how much do we want the audience to participate in the narrative?"

 

 

Despite diverging opinions, all three panelists agreed that the advent of social media and technological innovation is drastically changing the way stories are presented. The forum was followed by a special honorary lecture and film screening with renowned experimental documentarian Godfrey Reggio.

 

"When I was 13, I decided to leave home and pursue what I wanted," said Reggio in his opening remarks, encouraging the audience of students, film enthusiasts and dignitaries to follow their passion. "If there is something you wish to do, don't think about it. Leap and the net will appear."

 

His provocative talk grappled with the role of art and technology in the modern age, with his views meant to stimulate thought and debate. "Technology is the single most misunderstood subject on the planet today," insisted Reggio. "It is not neutral. It is the very environment of life itself, not just something we use."

 

 

The sharp critique presented was coupled with a message of hope from the veteran filmmaker who ended by saying "The future is yours to create. Create your own world rather than live in the world of someone else."

 

TUMOrchestra, comprised of talented Tumo students, did a jazz cover of Grammy-nominated, popular Spanish female artist Vega's hit song, "Mejor Mañana" (Tomorrow Will Be Better). TUMOrchestra is the first iPad orchestra in Armenia, headed by composer and musician Aram Rián, which performs symphonic and jazz music solely using iPads.

Vega personally watched the video and thanked the students for their work: "I love the iPad orchestra. So young, so talented! I enjoy their smiles a lot, as they play my song! Thank you! I always have fun seeing that there are people doing great things around the world!"

 

Lineup: Anna - 1st lead piano, Martin - 2nd lead piano, Robert - saxophone, Pemmy - staccato strings, Peter - trombone, Margarita - bass, Sona - flute, Lusé - cello/strings, Apavén - rhythm piano, Vlad - drums.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAt5YwTmCd8