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| FrankfordStyle Plays International Daniel Pearl Concert When guitarist Matt Richards considers the current world situation, he believes that culture, particularly music, is one of the primary catalysts to achieving change. On Sunday, October 9th, he will be joined by FrankfordStyle's Metlife Guitar Quartet and other area musical artists to participate in the global network of performances for the fifth annual international Daniel Pearl Music Day. “As an expression of humanity, music speaks directly to the heart without the constraints of language, ” Richards states, “and the global scope of this event celebrates that fact.” The concert will be held in the Hamilton Auditorium at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, 118 N. Broad Street in Philadelphia. Daniel Pearl Music Day celebrates the October 10th birthday of journalist and musician Daniel Pearl, who was kidnaped and murdered in Pakistan in 2002 while reporting for The Wall Street Journal. The Daniel Pearl Foundation, founded after Pearl's death, focuses on developing tolerance and humanity in the youth of all countries through arts and journalism. Since its inception, the Foundation has worked on an international scope promoting cross-cultural understanding, combating cultural and religious hatred and promoting Harmony for Humanity through music. In 2004, 400 concerts were held in 39 countries. Richards, a Philadelphia-based guitarist and composer, has earned a considerable reputation as a jazz musician, performing both as the leader of his own groups and as a sideman with world-class artists such as guitarist Larry Coryell. In recent years, Richards has concentrated on the acoustic guitar, performing as an unaccompanied fingerstyle player. As an educator, he has brought together his most accomplished students to form a guitar-based ensemble with a repertoire that includes the music of Stravinsky, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles. Under the auspices of FrankfordStyle, a Philadelphia-based arts organization, Richards' ensemble was one of ten groups throughout the country to gain the support of the Metlife Foundation. write your comments about the article :: © 2005 Jazz News :: home page |