Lucy Ishkanian Tankian passed away on April 20, 2014. An accomplished concert pianist, she was recognized internationally. Lucy generously gave her time and expertise to the artistic community through her support of the education and careers of young artists. In 1992, she founded the Juilliard-Komitas friendship program that offers gifted students from the Komitas Conservatory in Yerevan, Armenia, the opportunity to study at the Juilliard School in New York.
Lucy Ishkanian
The funeral service, officiated by Archbishop Oshagan, took place on April 25 at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral in New York.
Lucy Ishkanian is survived by her husband, Hagop Tankian. A brother, Vahe, predeceased her.
Lucy was a valued member of the Prelacy’s Musical Armenia committee that each year selected an artist or artists to be featured at the annual Musical Armenia concert in Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall.
In appreciation of her life-long dedication to the Armenian Prelacy and the arts, the Prelacy honored her at a luncheon on May 2, 2011, where Archbishop Oshagan decorated her with the Queen Zabel Award, one of two high honors awarded by the Eastern Prelacy.
Lucy gave her first recital at age seven, two years after becoming the youngest student ever accepted to the Juilliard Preparatory Division. She continued her education in the college division of Juilliard, graduating with both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees. She also went on to complete requirements for a PhD at Columbia University.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Illuminator’s Cathedral or to the Juilliard Armenian Scholarship Fund.
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