IALA to host ‘Standing on the Moon: The Lyrical Imagination’ featuring Grammy-nominated musician Sebu

2026-02-26 - 20:44

The International Armenian Literary Alliance (IALA) is pleased to present Standing on the Moon: The Lyrical Imagination Vol. 2, its second virtual event exploring the intersection between lyric writing and literature through conversation and performance. The event will feature Grammy-nominated musician and composer Sebu in dialogue with poet and musician Alan Semerdjian and take place on March 8, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time (Note: Daylight Saving Time begins at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday). Register here. Sebu Sebu is an L.A.-based recording artist and music producer whose career is defined by a refusal to stay in one lane. Born in Syria and raised in a Southern California Armenian household, he is a classically trained music major who turned down an opera scholarship to pursue rock music. A formative chapter as a prolific jingle writer sharpened his ability to jump between genres — a versatility that eventually birthed the indie-pop globetrotters Capital Cities. Their multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated anthem “Safe and Sound” remains a cultural staple, continuing to find new life across generations. Today, Sebu bridges his deep heritage with modern production. His recent work centers on the legacy of Armenian icon Komitas, reimagining the master’s folk classics for a new audience. His latest release, “I Came Down From the Mountain,” serves as a stunning bilingual bridge between his classical roots and contemporary vision Alan Semerdjian IALA Advisory Board member Alan Semerdjian will facilitate the discussion. Semerdjian is a writer, musician and educator. His works include In the Architecture of Bone (GenPop Books, 2009), The Serpent and The Crane (a collaboration of poetry and music with Aram Bajakian), and several collections of critically-acclaimed albums covering a wide range of genres from singer-songwriter to free jazz and alternative rock. He has taught English and Creative Writing in public education for over 25 years and is currently the poet laureate of New York’s Nassau County. Missed IALA’s first Standing on the Moon event featuring songwriter Sima Cunningham? Watch the full recording here.