Almost 10 years ago, Jewish-American journalist Daniel Pearl was kidnapped in Pakistan and gruesomely murdered by Al Qaeda. Pearl was stationed in Mumbai, India, where he took a trip to Pakistan to conduct an interview. After his funeral in August 2002, Pearl's family decided to start the Daniel Pearl Music Days in memory of him and his love for music.
Starting with approximately 123 recognized concerts in 2002, the date was set for what would have been Pearl's 39th birthday. Now, this worldwide event has spread to an entire month of celebration and nearly 2,000 recognized concerts. Thursday, the Miami University Symphony Orchestra (MUSO) will participate in the World Music Days.
"It is an honor to dedicate a concert to Daniel Pearl," MUSO director Rivardo Averbach said.
The concert features works by composers including Vasily Kalinnikov, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Astor Piazzolla and more. MUSO will perform works by Russian, Indian and South American composers. "These works mirror the basic idea of the Daniel Pearl World Music Days," Averbach said. According to the Daniel Pearl World Music Days' website, two of the principles Pearl lived by were the universal power of music and shared humanity. Through the performance of a diverse repertoire, this simple belief is quickly achieved. "Art expresses what conceptual language cannot," Averbach said.
Sean O'Neill, a senior in MUSO, said, "Music is a really good way of bridging gaps between cultures. Finding commonalities between cultures is important, and music makes this simple."
Guest artist Nitzan Haroz will collaborate with MUSO on the Rimsky-Korsakov Trombone Concerto. Haroz, on the faculty of both Temple University and the Curtis Institute of Music, is the former principal trombone of the great Philadelphia Orchestra.
According to Averbach, after three months at The Juilliard School, there was an audition for associate principal in the New York Philharmonic and Haroz won it.
"Performing with Haroz is enjoyable and gives a unique opportunity to collaborate with a well known musician," O'Neill said.
In addition to his phenomenal trombone performance, Haroz offers a special connection to this concert: he personally knows the Pearl family.
Throughout October, an incredibly large and diverse amount of concerts around the world will be performed in tribute and remembrance of what Daniel Pearl and his legacy. Under the belief that music can bridge any and all cultural gaps, the Daniel Pearl Foundation uses harmony to spread humanity. MUSO invites you to celebrate the memory of Daniel Pearl, the tolerance of Miami University, and exceptional music this 8 p.m. Thursday in Hall Auditorium. The concert is free and open to the public.
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