Beatrice Ohanessian

Ohanessian, Beatrice was born March 15, 1927 in Baghdad, Iraq where she received her early training in music at the Institute of Fine Arts. She graduated with special mention as a piano major and was invited to assist her Rumanian piano professor that same year. An Iraqi Government Scholarship allowed her to continue her studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Professor Max Pirani. She majored in piano and took voice as a second major. Miss Ohanessian obtained her L.R.A.M. in performance and pedagogy and was awarded the Frederick Westlake Memorial Prize. After some teaching she was granted a Fullbright Scholarship to continue her higher training at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City where she studied in piano. Her debut at Carnegie Recital Hall was followed by a series of concerts in the United States after which she returned to Iraq where she was appointed head of the piano department at the Institute of Fine Arts. During summer breaks she participated in Master Classes at the Mozarteum Academy, in Salzberg and in Spain. She has also participated in music seminars and has given Master Classes in Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Iran. In 1969-72 she was invited to teach at the University of Minnesota and simultaneously at Macalester College. This was followed by two years of teaching and performing in Geneva and touring as a soloist throughout Switzerland. Miss Ohanessian has concertized extensively in all countries of Central Europe as well as Eastern Europe, the Soviet Countries, Scandinavian Countries, Finland and the Middle East as an Iraqi representative artist. She has been a regular soloist with the Iraqi Symphony Orchestra and other orchestras including the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra. Sponsored by the Geothe Institute, she was a regular recitalist in Germany and Vienna. Since 1995 until recently, Miss Ohanessian has been teaching at the University of Minnesota and at Macalester College as well as performing. She has written compositions of her own. These compositions have been orchestrated and performed at the annual International Festival in Babylon, Iraq. Miss Ohanessian has had a major influence and been instrumental in enhancing and influencing Western Classical music in Iraq. Her collaboration with Western Cultural Centers has been very significant. The Ministry of Culture and Information in Baghdad and the Artists' Union has honored Beatrice as a pioneer and first concert Artist in Iraq and she is considered a national treasure of Iraq. Her musical programs with compositions by Alan Hovaness are being displayed at the Charents Museum in Yerevan, Armenia. She served as organist at the Armenian Church in London, the Armenian Church in Baghdad, and the Armenian Church in Geneva and the Amenian Church in St. Paul. She is survived by her devoted sister, Sita Ohanessian and also by a cousin, Vartan Ohanessian. She was preceded in death by her beloved brother, Arsham Ohanessian, his wife, Charlotte (Aghajaniam) Ohanessian; and by her parents, Ohaness Ohanessian and Serpouhi (Ohanessian) Ohanessian. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to The Schubert Club, to St. Sahag Armenian Church or the Presbyterian Homes. Visitation after 5 PM Sunday, July 20, 2008 with prayer service 7 PM at Washburn-McReavy Edina Chapel, 5000 West 50th St. (@ Hwy. 100), Edina. Funeral service 10:30 AM Monday, July 21, at St. Sahag Armenian Church, 203 No. Howell St., St. Paul. Interment Lakewood Cemetery. Washburn-McReavy Edina Chapel 952-920-3996

This obituary was originally published in the Star Tribune.