 JUNE 11 • 2020 | 41

tions associated with the 100th anniversary of the start of the 
atrocities in 1915, and the resulting symphony, “
An Armenian 
Trilogy” as performed by the Armenian National Philharmonic 
Orchestra in 2017, became the center of a new documentary 
with the same title. The film chronicles Yessian’
s journey from 
composing music for advertisements to writing his first classical 
composition in honor of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

PRELUDE TO THE HOLOCAUST 
Wilner and Shevin readily associate the horrifying experienc-
es of Armenians with the horrifying experiences of Jews, and 
Yessian agrees. 
“The Armenians and the Jews went through a lot of the 
same things,” said the composer, who has also produced music 
for a fundraising project initiated by the Jewish Federation of 
Metropolitan Detroit. 
 “And it’
s not only Jews and Armenians through time. The 
story just goes on and on.”
The film, mostly via unscripted narration by Yessian, points 
out that in 1939, before invading Poland, Hitler expressed 
incentive for his horrific actions by suggesting no one 
remembered the Armenian Genocide so no one would likely 
remember their actions either. And indeed, it wasn’
t until 2019 
that the U.S. Senate and House voted to recognize the mass 
Armenian killings that lasted until 1922 as a genocide. 
The film invites viewers into the Yessian home to see where 
the music was created and to listen to comments from Yessian’
s 
wife, Kathy, as she recalls her husband’
s work. Historic film 
footage from Armenia dramatizes the symphonic sounds.

CREATING THE TONE
“This is the most serious [musical project] that I’
ve done,” 
said Yessian, who works at a Steinway baby grand once owned 
by composer-performer Burt Bacharach. “It’
s a complete, 
three-movement, classical piece.”
“The Freedom” presents the mood of the happier times 
before the atrocities began. “The Fear” delves into the dangers 
with galloping rhythms to represent soldiers on horseback 
leaning down to spear their victims. “The Faith” explores a 

sense of religious doubts before moving into a sense of hope 
for the future.
“I’
m an ear musician, and I don’
t really read music,” Yessian 
said. “The music [results from] whatever I’
m imagining, and I 
get help with the notation. What I couldn’
t play on the piano 
[for this piece], I would sing for the notation.” 
Wilner, whose mother, Niva Wilner, teaches Hebrew at Hillel 
Day School, described his work on An Armenian Trilogy as 
doing whatever it took to come up with the finished film, and 
that involved being on set to help with camera responsibilities 
or directing, working on the audio mix and writing copy.
“I did have some parts in the film as we overdubbed,” said 
Wilner, an essentially self-taught, multi-instrumentalist musi-
cian who had piano lessons as a youngster. “I do some layers 
of electric guitar during the second movement, which is sup-
posed to be very angry and emotional.” 
He said the inspirational nature of the film resonated with 
him: “It’
s about a man who is a first-generation American find-
ing his way with a passion for music and making a living doing 
what he loves. 
“I’
m a kindred spirit as a musician and first-generation 
American. My parents are Israeli. I think this movie can serve 
as an inspiration for those who are seeking success through 
their passion.”
Both Yessian and Wilner give credit for the film’
s smooth-
ness to Shevin, who has worked on projects for the Holocaust 
Memorial Center in Farmington Hills. 
“In working on this film, I was especially intrigued with the 
idea of someone looking for roots,” Shevin said. “It’
s about 
what we all share and coming together.”
The film, shown at seven festivals, has received the Audience 
Choice Award at the Soo Film Festival in Sault St. Marie, the 
Best Score designation at the Northwest Ohio Historic Film 
Festival and the Exceptional Merit Award at the Docs Without 
Borders Film Festival.
“When this pandemic is over, I would like to have the musi-
cal piece flourish for live performance,” Yessian said. “Music 
gets to the heart.” 

A still shot from the documentary

