Winners to Help Spread "Harmony for Humanity" During World Music Days in
October
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Daniel Pearl
Foundation congratulates adolescent violin and fiddle players Ian Stewart, 16, of
Austin, Texas and Sam Weiser, 14, of Westport, Connecticut, winners of the
2008 Daniel Pearl Memorial Violins. Recently selected at the Mark O'Connor
Strings Conference in San Diego, California, these up and coming musicians
will let full consumption of the handcrafted instruments for a year, including
appearances in October to be dedicated as piece of the 7th Annual Daniel
Pearl World Music Days (http://www.danielpearlmusicdays.org). The World Music Days
event takes property October 1-31 each twelvemonth, coinciding with Pearl's October
10th birthday.
The Daniel Pearl Memorial violins were crafted by Luther Jonathan
Cooper of Maine, in honor of the external journalist and talented
player, who played violin and fiddle wheresoever he traveled prior to his
bump off at the hand of terrorists. Past winners from the U.S. and Canada
have become ongoing musical ambassadors for Pearl's vision of building
borderless friendships through music. The winners dedicate concerts each
year to the World Music Days mission of spreading "Harmony For Humanity."
"Each yr at my String Camp, students wHO demonstrate slap-up potential
and/or exceptional gift are awarded the Daniel Pearl Memorial Violins,"
said American classical and multi-genre fiddler and composer Mark
O'Connor, a member of the Daniel Pearl World Music Days Honorary Committee.
"As these students practice and perform with the Pearl violins for a year
-- until the following Camp, when new students receive the instruments --
they english hawthorn come to appreciate the thirst for knowledge and message of healing
that defined Pearl's life and career."
Sixteen-year-old violinist, fiddler, and mandolin player Ian Stewart
began perusing classical violin at the age of six in his hometown of
Austin, Texas. His musical journey took a turn when he attended his first
Mark O'Connor Fiddle Camp at the age of 10 where he observed traditional
American and world medicine. He has excelled in regional and state contests
and will be playing at the prestigious Midwest Clinic in Chicago in
December. Ian is also one of the founding members of the cross-genre
Americana dance orchestra The Fireants, 2008 winners of the New Talent Competition at
the local Old Settlers Music Festival and a regular regular on the vibrant
Austin music scene.
"Being this year's recipient of the Daniel Pearl Memorial Violin is an
unbelievable opportunity for me to be parting of this visionary mission,"
Stewart said. "The message is formed from the simple idea that music is one
of the coarse languages of mankind and can bridge what divides us. I am
overpoweringly honored to have this award pass by through my hands and I hope
to bring Daniel's message to the widest possible audience."
Fourteen-year-old Sam Weiser began Suzuki violin at the early age of
three. Talented on violin, viola, mandolin and guitar, he has played for
numerous charitable and civic organizations at diverse venues including
Carnegie Hall. Currently, the first violinist in the Apollo Quartet, he was
Concertmaster for the Norwalk Youth Symphony from 2004-2007, and in 2008
became the youngest first violinist in its Principal Orchestra. A runner-up
in the 2007 ASTA's National Alternative Strings Competition, Sam has
performed professionally with both Mark O'Connor and with Yale Strom, nonpareil
of the country's stellar Klezmer musicians, and is currently functional on a
jazz string quartet composition.
"It is an purity for me to receive the Daniel Pearl Memorial Violin,"
Weiser aforesaid. "It has brought upon me the determination and commitment to
send a message of peace through the linguistic process of music. It as well has divine
me to explore new ways of connecting to people and promoting Daniel's
mission of tolerance."
Daniel Pearl's murder by terrorists in Pakistan in 2002 touched
millions wHO never knew him. By developing international programs focused
on journalism, music and dialogue, the Daniel Pearl Foundation seeks to
counterpunch the hate and intolerance that took his life. http://www.danielpearl.org.
Daniel Pearl World Music Days is an awareness-raising network and there
is no fiscal obligation to participate. Musicians of every genre --
professional, amateur, and young person -- but register their prescheduled or
specially plotted October performances at hypertext transfer protocol://www.danielpearlmusicdays.org, and
make a statement from the stage or in the printed program in support of the
"Harmony for Humanity" motif. Since its inception in 2002, more than 2000
concerts in 75 countries have been dedicated to these ideals for which
Daniel Pearl stood.
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