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| Musicians Worldwide Heed the Call to 'Harmony for Humanity' From Elton John, Los Lobos and the London Philharmonia to Pakistan's MTV award-winning band Strings, hundreds of performances worldwide are scheduled throughout October as part of the Fourth Annual Daniel Pearl Music Days, a global network of musical events on Oct. 1-10. Concert registrations from both amateur and professional musicians are flowing into the Music Days website daily to join this international phenomenon of “Harmony for Humanity.” Daniel Pearl Music Days began in 2002 as an international “jam session” to commemorate the Oct. 10 birthday of murdered journalist Daniel Pearl, who played classical, jazz and bluegrass music wherever he traveled. In addition to the hundreds of live performances scheduled this year, Music Days' “Harmony for Humanity” e-Stage will expand the Daniel Pearl Foundation's (www.danielpearl.org) program of promoting cross cultural understanding through an internet radio station that will play original compositions, lyrics, and playlists inspired by the Music Days' theme. “Music Days is about raising awareness of the universal power of music to bridge cultural divides; it is not a fundraiser, ” explained Jackie Gelfand, Executive Director of The Daniel Pearl Foundation. “Musicians can register a song or full concert, a DJ can dedicate a radio show or a club set; an orchestra can offer a performance, single composition, or open rehearsal; a youth group can perform at a school event; and music lovers can show their support either by attending performances listed on our website or visiting our online e-Stage radio station throughout October.” Scheduled Music Days dedications will include tributes from a wide variety of musical genres including the Narambi Cultural Festival of Traditional Music in India, Costa Rica's Promising Artists of the 2ist Century Showcase, Zubin Mehta and the Israeli Philharmonic, San Francisco's Living Word Festival, The Whirling Dervishes of Turkey, Nubian music's Hamza El Din, the International Bach Festival in Toronto, Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Masango Band in Cameroon, the Masango Band in Cameroon, and Friend Of Danny Festival, FODfest in Southfield, Massachusetts to name a few. Artists in locations as varied as Japan, Germany, Kenya, Poland, Nepal and New Zealand, as well as over 130 in the United States have already registered. “We are honored to have such a varied and celebrated group of artists joining Music Days and using the power of music to promote cross-cultural understanding, " said Judea Pearl, father of Daniel Pearl and president of the Daniel Pearl Foundation. “Danny was a talented musician who always connected people through words and music; he truly lived the Music Days theme of 'Harmony for Humanity.'” The Daniel Pearl Music Days Honorary Committee spans a wide variety of musical genres. Hip hop “godfather” Russell Simmons and jazz, pop, bluegrass and rock superstars Herbie Hancock, Sir Elton John, Mark O'Connor, Barbra Streisand and R.E.M join with classical virtuosos Yefim Bronfman, Ida Haendel, Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman; ethnic music masters Salman Ahmad, Theodore Bikel, Hamza el Din, Tania Libertad, Mohammad Reza Shajarian and Ravi Shankar, as well as composers and conductors George Pehlivanian, Zubin Mehta, Steve Reich and John Williams. “The simple, yet profound message of Daniel Pearl Music Days continues to empower and unite both performers and audiences in a meaningful celebration of the oneness of humanity, ” said Ruth Pearl, Daniel Pearl's mother. “We are humbled that Danny's belief in music as a universal language has proven to be an inspiring legacy of hope in these troubled times.” Daniel Pearl's murder by terrorists in Pakistan in 2002 touched millions. By developing innovative international programs focused on journalism, music and respectful dialogue, the Daniel Pearl Foundation seeks to counter the hatred and intolerance that took his life. write your comments about the article :: © 2005 Jazz News :: home page |