Lotus Assistant Director LuAnne Holladay chatted with Mariam Matossian to find out a little more about her before she arrives in Bloomington for this September’s Lotus. Mariam was visiting family in Vancouver, B.C. and she scheduled a 7 a.m. call, to talk while her two daughters (Alitsa, 9 months; Isabella, 2 1/2) were still asleep. Here’s part of the conversation.
LuAnne Holladay, for Lotus:
You’re from Vancouver originally, but you live in Greenville, South Carolina, now. How did that come about?
Mariam Matossian:
I was born and raised in Vancouver and had never left except to travel, until I moved to Greenville four years ago [with her husband]. I met my husband as a result of my music. He’s originally from Boston, and went to school in the South, and wanted to come back. He’s Armenian, too, and we met because of my music. He ordered my first CD from CDBaby, and I sent him a thank-you note, as a polite Canadian should [laughs]. We started to correspond, found out that we’d both volunteered in Armenia, and one thing led to another. Music has opened doors for me in so many ways.
Lotus:
Your voice is both delicate and sturdy, and beautifully supported by the band that plays with you, Free Planet Radio. They’re from Asheville, North Carolina, not far from where you live. How did you find each other?
Mariam in concert with Free Planet Radio
Mariam:
My first two years in Greenville, I would mostly travel back to Canada to perform with the musicians I knew — incredible instrumentalists. Eventually, I started meeting great musicians in Greenville, but they weren’t sure about playing world music, especially Armenian music. Then, two years ago, two different people told me that I needed to meet Free Planet Radio. The percussionist, River Guerguerian, is Armenian, too, amazingly. [The band includes Eliot Wadopian on acoustic bass and Chris Rosser on cümbüs and guitar.] They’re an incredible group of guys. I’m able to tour in the U.S. because of them.
Lotus:
I’m guessing that most audiences aren’t familiar with Armenian folk music. How do you describe it to people who haven’t heard it before?
Mariam:
When I say “Armenian folk music,” most people don’t even know about Armenia as a country. Even as a little girl, I wanted to change that. The old Armenian folk songs that I sing have been passed down in my family, from my grandmother, to my mom, and then to me. I’ve worked closely with my mother on these songs; each tells a story. To put it simply, there are basically two types: songs of joy, usually celebrating the beauty of the land, and songs that are mournful or haunting. These songs are about the pain of being separated from the homeland, although the lyrics describe the homeland as a mother, or a lover.
With young friends in Armenia
Lotus:
When I listen to you sing, even though I don’t understand the language, I’m drawn in. There’s an remarkable intimacy to your performance.
Mariam:
There’s just something about this music. It’s very soulful. When I was girl, I had lots of vocal training and frequently performed Armenian songs in recitals. I always got a reaction, and I loved the feeling of the language on my lips.
Who I am comes through when I perform. I want to share my culture with new audiences, but we don’t use pure Armenian folk instrumentation — I was born in Canada, and I love world music. I also like to tell stories, and talk to people when I step off stage.
Lotus:
You’re a mother, and a performing artist; you have a very busy life. When you need to rest and recharge — refill your cup, so to speak — what do you do?
Mariam:
I love being a mom, but it means that when I need quiet space, I can’t just get in the car and head down the road [laughs]. I’m not a morning person, but I’ll wake up before the kids, and find quiet. I also love the ocean, if I can get to it. The sound of waves calms my soul. It’s a physical reaction.
Lotus:
So, what inspires you, inspires your creativity?
Mariam:
Right now, my children. For them, life is a constant state of wonder. I look at what they do, and find joy in those moments. And my grandmother. I never met her, but I know that even though she lived through the horror of the Armenian genocide, she still loved to sing and to dance. It’s always in the back of my mind, the close connection to my mother and my grandmother. Even on stage, I’m thinking of these women in my life, these generations.
See Mariam Matossian at the 2010 Lotus World Music and Arts Festival on Friday and Saturday evening, September 17 & 18. Visit Mariam’s site to discover more about her life and music.
Mariam’s performances are supported in part by Wome of Lotus and the IU Russian and East European Institute.
