Andrew Hagopian presented his Fresno State master’s thesis, “Preserving Identity Through Sound: Armenians in California from 1900–1960,” to a large audience in the University Business Center, marking the first time he publicly shared his research.
The presentation, part of the Armenian Studies Program fall lecture series, was held on Thursday, September 25, and it was encouraging to see the community come together to show support. The presentation was made possible through the support of the Florence Elaine Hamparson Armenian Memorial Fund.
Hagopian was introduced by Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Berberian Coordinator of the Armenian Studies Program, who was a member of Hagopian’s Master’s thesis committee.
Hagopian’s project is the result of nearly nine years of work, combining archival study, oral histories, and family accounts. Hagopian described this period as the story of a “golden generation,” an understudied era in which genocide survivors and immigrants brought with them not only their livelihoods, but also their cultural traditions. His central area of research was in answering the question of how Armenian music survived and evolved in California, particularly on the West Coast, between 1900 and 1960.
Hagopian explained that music was not only a profession but also a cultural lifeline. Immigrants relied on their musical skills for income, yet the deeper purpose was to preserve identity. Without the income component, Hagopian suggested, it is unclear whether these traditions would have endured in the same way. The first generation of Armenian Americans carried with them their memories of tragedy, but used music to maintain community, celebrate heritage, and pass traditions to their children.
Hagopian traced the stories of several pioneering musicians from Fresno and surrounding areas. Mesrob Takakjian, separated from his family at age 16, first settled in Rhode Island before moving to California. A clarinetist, he recorded with Columbia Records in 1929, later collaborating with vocalist Oscar Kevorkian. Together, they capitalized on Armenian and diverse immigrant audiences. Hagopian then discussed how Oscar Kevorkian became one of the most prominent performers in Fresno during the 1920s, through the 1950s. He played at nearly every local function, founded the Kevorkian Record Company, and imported Armenian records, helping the music widely circulate. Though he died suddenly in 1959, his homemade recordings remain today.
The musical contributions of Hovagim Der Hagopian, Hagop Aslanian, and Hovsep Bedrosian demonstrated how early Armenian immigrants in California preserved their cultural identity through sound. Der Hagopian, who immigrated through Ellis Island to Reedley, performed on the clarinet at picnics and community events. Although his life was cut short in a car accident, his homemade disks remain the only surviving evidence of his musical works.
Aslanian, a violinist from the old country and founding member of the Knar Orchestra, was recognized as one of the most accomplished performers in the Fresno Valley. His ability to charge higher prices for recordings reflected his reputation. Bedrosian, a zoorna player who eventually became a farmer, continued performing as a pastime.
His private recordings, shared primarily within family and community circles, functioned as a means of maintaining cultural continuity and securing a sense of belonging in America. Together, their work demonstrates how music also served as a form of cultural preservation.
In addition to individual performers, Hagopian high-lighted families who helped spread Armenian music. The Nishkian family, originally from Constantinople, opened a bike and record shop in Fresno, selling not only Armenian but also international records. They later expanded to photography and instruments, becoming a part of Fresno’s cultural life. Later, Margo and Mattho Margosian established Radio Margo in Oakland. Recognizing the lack of an ethnic record importer since the 1930s, they filled an important demand in Fresno and beyond. Hagopian’s research into the Margosian family was particularly difficult, but by reaching out to relatives, he uncovered an autobiography of Margo Margosian recorded on cassette in 1968.
Community spaces were equally important. Coffee houses (srjarans), restaurants, and Armenian picnics served as spaces for musicians and gathering points for immigrant families. These spaces fostered the evolution of traditional music into what became known as kef music, incorporating foreign instruments and early amplification techniques.
Hagopian emphasized the role of teachers and cultural transmitters. Kanuni Garbis Bakirgian, described as “the flame,” taught the oud to younger musicians, including Richard Hagopian, who would later become a central figure in Armenian American music. International performers such as Udi Hrant Kenkulian, who even gave a concert at Fresno State many years ago, also influenced the local scene and connected diasporic communities.
By the mid-twentieth century, the groundwork laid by the first generation ensured that Armenian music would not only survive, but also adapt.
Homemade records, professional recordings, and live performances preserved their heritage while adapting to life in California.
“The first generation of Armenian Americans, with what they went through, escaping tragedies beyond belief, came to America, settled, built communities, continued their culture, and with the technology that was forming, they captured their livelihood for future generations,” reflected Hagopian.
Hagopian urged people to digitize and archive family recordings, as these unique treasures contain not only the music, but the memories of family gatherings, cultural practices, and survival stories.
For Hagopian, these artifacts embody “the wonder of recorded memory.”
Through his research, Hagopian demonstrated how Armenian immigrants in California between 1900 and 1960 preserved identity through sound. Because of these early musicians, Armenian traditions could endure and evolve in a new land. Hagopian’s work pays homage to this generation and highlights the need to protect their recordings and stories.