With $50,000 in new donations to its endowment, the Bulldog Pride Fund has announced a new $2,000 per year vocal award in honor of local opera legend Edna Garabedian. The Department of Music will select the inaugural “Bulldog Pride Fund: Edna Garabedian Vocal Performance Award” for the 2010-21 school year.
Born in Fresno, Garabedian has performed in operas around the world including leading roles with Munich Opera, Frankfurt Opera, Kassel Opera, Nurnberg Opera, Hannover Opera, Staatsoper Bonn, the Spoleto Festival, New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, Los Angeles Music Center Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Seattle Opera, Houston Opera, San Diego Opera, Baltimore Opera, Kansas City Lyric Opera and Portland Opera.
She has also taught at International Music Institute of Sao Paulo, Brazil, has been Chairman of Voice and Opera at the University of Connecticut and the University of the Pacific, and served as Professor of Voice on faculty of Northern Illinois University, Fresno State, American University and San Francisco University.
In 2000, Garabedian founded the California Opera Association where she currently serves as artistic director.
In the 2019-20 year, the Bulldog Pride Fund scholarships fund awarded eight scholars, including five Arts and Humanities students. The fund, established in 2005 with two $50 donations, is now valued at over $550,000. It has provided 66 scholarships valued at $127,000 since its inception.
The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 
You have had a fantastic career. I sang with you in the RHS chior (Jay Condit) back in the 50’s. Your father and my father were Shriners and your dad played Santa Claus at Shrine activities. He would have young children on his lap as he was Santa Claus and tell them (in Armenian) some pretty horrible things. The reason I knew was that a lady approached him at an event and really cussed him out for doing that. I was playing in the Shrine Band at the time. We all thought it was pretty funny, BUT this lady didn’t. Just a little history on your wonderful father.
The weather and political climate in Fresno prompted me to depart and I have been living in Beaverton, Oregon for he last 15 years. Breathing the foul air in Fresno did me in. I contracted Tcell lymphoma and was aggressively treated by Dr Marshall Flam. He saved my life but I have had 4 pacemakers since. I’m happy I’m still alive.
So Edna, I wish you well in these trying times and please stay safe and healthy.
With deep respect – George Brown
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