Getting to know ... Louise Yardumian

Interview with Louise Yardumian, St. Thomas' music director

by: Mary Hochadel

   

I sat down with Louise to talk about her spiritual journey and how she started on this journey.
For all of us who know Louise, we have seen the joy she radiates and I wanted to know how that joy became instilled in her.
She told me she had wanted to play the piano since she was in the first grade. Her parents bought her first piano when she was six. Her mother’s dream was that she would get to be good enough to play in church. She recalls vividly her first time playing in church and even what she wore that day.

One Sunday when she was just fifteen and the church soloist failed to show up, she volunteered to sing the solo. When her father heard her singing he asked, “Who is singing?” They told him it was Louise and he said, “No it isn’t. Louise doesn’t sing.” It was Louise and we all know that she does sing. She says her singing voice and her music is a God given gift that she is so thankful for. She feels a need to give back because she has been so blessed by God’s gift to her.

I asked her who had been the most spiritually influential person in her life. Without question she said, it was her maternal grand mother who was devoutly religious and was the spiritual leader in her family. Louise and her family attended an Armenian Church. Their services were in Armenian and the Prayers moved her deeply as did the Hymns.
She said she always felt nearest to God through her music. To quote Louise, “He who sings prays twice”.
She feels that her music is a gift from God and she glorifies Him through the gift He has given her.

She is also grateful to her parents who not only nurtured her spiritual life, but made special sacrifice to purchase her first piano, and gave her so much love and support, that she always felt that if they asked her to play for them she could never refuse. She has been blessed by a great family.
She said, “if I can inspire one person, cause one goose bump or one tear, this is my reward and I feel blessed by God to share this gift”.
Submitted by Mary Hochadel