This event is on Zoom only. Join us here: https://bit.ly/ZabellePanosian

‘Please listen to the Armenian singer Zabelle Panosian. [Her ‘Groung'] is a secret song that steals away the breath of those who are fortunate enough to hear it.’ - Nick Cave

Join us on 17 July at 6pm London / 1 pm EST time for a biographical overview of Armenian-American singer Zabelle Panosian, her life and legacy by Ian Nagoski, Harout Arakelian, and Harry Kezelian. The discussion will be accompanied by musical snippets and photographs.

‘Among the most significant Armenian singers in the early twentieth century, Zabelle Panosian made a small group of recordings in New York City in 1917-’18. Unaccountably, she was then largely neglected as an artist for more than half a century. This volume by three dedicated researchers is the first effort to reconstruct the life and work of a woman who had an exceptional and cultivated voice — who toured the world as a performer and made a significant contribution to the cultural lives of the Armenian diaspora, the elevation of Armenian art song, and the relief of survivors of the Armenian genocide.’ Zabelle Panosian: I Am Servant of Your Voice by Ian Nagoski, Harout Arakelian, Harry Kezelian

Speakers: Ian Nagoski, Harout Arakelian, Harry Kezelian

Speaker bios

Ian Nagoski is a music researcher and reissue record producer in Baltimore, Maryland. He has specialized in early 20th century recordings by immigrants to the U.S. and has produced albums for Dust-to-Digital, Tompkins Square, Mississippi, and other labels including his own Canary imprint. He has spoken about his work widely across the U.S. and Europe, including at the Library of Congress, the University of Chicago, the Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies at New York University, the Onasis Cultural Center (Athens), The National Library of Finland, the University of California (Santa Barbara and Los Angeles), and Carnegie Mellon University.

Harout Arakelian is a video editor, music collector and researcher based in Los Angeles, California. His focus is the Armenian contribution to the landscape of art and culture, with a specific lens on the American experience. He is working on collecting every known commercial recording from the 78 rpm era (roughly 1890s - 1950s) which estimates to 1200 phonograph discs. His long-term vision is to provide all audio as well as all research documentation to be digitally accessible.