From Addis Ababa to Yerevan
2015-03-04
News
Ethiopian Armenian singer and one sixth of Armenia's Eurovision 2015 "Genealogy" entry Vahe Tilbian paid a special visit to Tumo on Monday. Vahe toured the center and came away astounded by the talents and potential of the young Armenians he met there.
As a musician, Vahe was most interested in Tumo's music workshops and in-house recording studio where he had a lively interaction with the members of Tumo's Tmbata Orchestra. He listened to a few tracks from upcoming albums by Tumo students and said that he believed the students' productions are ready to be showcased to the public. He then sang an a capella version of one of his best known songs, Yene Tizita.
Vahe immediately engaged with the students and talked to them about his struggle to keep his identity in Ethiopia, where the Armenian community is comprised of only a few hundred people. He spoke about how he discovered his calling for music at a later age, after he graduated from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver with a BS in Biology and worked in the business sector for over three years. Vahe encouraged the students to follow their dreams in their chosen areas of interest, saying that "there are billions of people on the planet, how amazing is it that as an Armenian you are one of only a few million, with your own language, culture, music and source of inspiration. Take advantage of that and be the best you can be." The music studio and Tumo was buzzing with Vahe's contagious energy.
"I wish I was a teenager in Armenia" Vahe repeated numerous times as he saw the level of energy and talent of the young Armenians he was meeting. He will be returning to Armenia later in the year and said that he is looking forward to his next visit to Tumo.
