Tour of Paper Pianos

Paper Pianos by Mary Kouyoumdjian is an evening-length work that delves into the multifaceted experiences of refugees. Commissioned by Alarm Will Sound in New York City and made possible by the Ernst von Siemens Foundation, the piece sheds light on the themes of displacement, longing, and hope.

This innovative work incorporates four interview recordings with individuals from Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Somalia and Iraq accompanied by hand-drawn animations by Kevork Mourad. In an era where the media often muddles the voices and stories of refugees, Paper Pianos provides a platform for these individuals to be heard, evoking empathy and understanding from its audience.

Kouyoumdjian’s score blends folk traditions with contemporary music, reflecting her personal connection to the refugee experience. As a descendant of multi-generational refugees—whose grandparents fled the Armenian Genocide in Turkey and whose parents escaped the Lebanese Civil War to the U.S.—Kouyoumdjian’s composition is rooted in her family’s history of displacement.

Performances will be held in New York City and Maryland, both of which are home to large refugee and asylum-seeker populations. In collaboration with local non-profit organizations providing social services to these communities, the project offers opportunities for engagement and connection. In a time when political discourse on immigration and refugees is increasingly polarized, this work humanizes the voices that often get lost in the noise of the media and political debate.

Further Information:
alarmwillsound.com

Dates

March 7, 2025
Perelman Center for the Arts, New York, NY

March 8, 2025
Perelman Center for the Arts, New York, NY

May 10, 2025
The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, College Park, MD