A Dialogue in MusicTHE FLINT JEWISHFEDERATIONThe Second

HUMANITY INHARMONY CONCERT:Daniel Pearl World Music Days

Sunday, October 19th at 2:00 pmMacArthur Recital HallFlint Institute of Music

presents

With Performances by:

• The Moxie Strings• Chris Shafkalis and John Pappas from the Band Levendes• Sheldon Low• Aaron Jonah Lewis• Dort Honors Stringed Quartet• Mike Kassel• Vikrant Ahuja

Thanks to a generous donationfrom the Ravitz Foundation

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Humanity in Harmony Concert Program Book

Our purpose is to establish a dialogue among people. Our thought: when it is difficult to talk about issues that divide us, we might want to act like musicians and talk about the music first, how we hit the right notes, and how they sound as we play or sing them together.

Tying the show, and world, together with strings is a natural in a couple of ways. First, Daniel Pearl was a journalist reporting for the Wall Street Journal who was killed in Pakistan while reporting on the troubles there. We have been recently reminded of the challenges and danger that reporters often live with.

Pearl was also an accomplished violinist! He played many styles and appreciated them all. The Pearl family founded the Daniel Pearl Foundation to remember how he lived and does not dwell on how he died. To that end they began a series of hundreds of concerts around the world, using Pearl’s love of music as a focal point to create a “dialog in music”. The “Humanity in Harmony Concert” is the only Daniel Pearl world Music event in Michigan.

Second is the instruments themselves. Stringed instruments have been fundamental to cultures and people for centuries. Instruments like violins, banjos, mandolins and guitars were; common, small and easy to carry; across the deserts of Africa, in a Conestoga wagon crossing the Great Plains, in the jungles of Mexico, in Eastern Europe, or the mountains Appalachia. So people from different places and cultures grabbed these same instruments and made their own music, it’s what Human Beings do!

We all harmonize; we just harmonize in uniquely different ways. The Second Humanity in Harmony Concert brings music from different cultures together, Greek, Jewish, Celtic, folk, Indian and English: stringing diversity together with the string of a violin, guitar and banjo.

Our goal is to make harmony the first step in conversations about our common humanity.

“Humanity in Harmony Concert”Daniel Pearl

World Music Days

The Second

Daniel PearlFoundation Mission

The Daniel Pearl Foundation was formed in 2002 in memory of the Wall StreetJournal’s South Asia Bureau Chief, journalist/musician Daniel Pearl, to promote the ideals that inspired his life and work.

The Foundation works domestically and internationally to promote cross-cultural dialogue and understanding, to counter cultural and religiousintolerance, to cultivate responsible and balanced journalism, and to inspire unity and friendship through music. The Humanity in Harmony Concert is the only Daniel Pearl World Music Days event in Michigan.

Humanity in Harmony presented thanks to a grant from the Ravitz Foundation

Daniel Pearl World Music DaysSunday October 19, 2014 2:00 pm

Flint Institute of Music • MacArthur Recital Hall

Presented by Flint Jewish Federation

Program Order of Appearance

Host ......................................................................................Michael J. Thorp

Dort Honors String Quartet ..........................................Mitchell Anderson, violinGabrielle Lindhurst, violinAnna Anderson, violaBenjamin Rainear, cello

Alesia Byrd, Instructor

Scholarship Presentation ..............................................Bryn Mickle,Interim Editor, The Flint Journal

Aaron Jonah Lewis ..........................................................Traditional/Appalachian/Celtic

Vikrant Ahuja .....................................................................sitar

Chris Shafkalis & John Pappas .....................................The Greek Band Levendes

Mike Kassel .........................................................................ukulele

Moxie Strings .....................................................................Diana Ladio, violinAlison Lynn, electric celloFritz McGirr, drummerand world percussionist

Sheldon Low ......................................................................Jewish Rock

Finale “Everyone” .............................................................Salaam

Stage Crew .........................................................................Ella J. Thorp, Stage ManagerSarah JarrettShane McNicol

Second Humanity in Harmony Concert

Salaam • Mosh Ben-AriKi Va Moed by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebch

Arr. by Rick Recht

SALAAM

Verse:

Ode yah-voe Sha-lome ah-lay-new - x3Veh-al kew-lom

Chorus:

Salaam, ah-lay-new veh-al cole ha-oh-lam, Salaam, Salaam - x2

English verse:

Peace will come to all of us - x3and all of the world

English chorus:

Salaam, to all of us and all of the world, Salaam, Salaam - x2

The Humanity in Harmony essay contest is sponsored by The Flint Journal and is open to any high school student in Genesee County during the contest period. This year, 34 students entered the contest and were asked to answer the question, “Why doesjournalism matter in today’s world?” in 500 words or less. The author of the winningessay is awarded a $500 scholarship.

While the Humanity in Harmony Concert honors Daniel Pearl’s love of music, this corresponding essay contest honors the late journalist’s profession. Just as music can bring people together; so can the sharing of news and information.

The Flint Journal and the Flint Jewish Federation are pleased to highlight journalism’srole in society by sponsoring this scholarship opportunity.

The 2013 Scholarship Winner: Ellie Cowger, Fenton High School

The Humanity in HarmonyEssay Contest

Michael J. Thorp has written produced, directed and appeared in numerous on stage, radio and television programs, commercials and on film. He is a broadcaster, author and program host.

A long time radio and television anchor and reporter, he was creator, producer and host of the Emmy Award winning “Huckleberry Radio Hour”, a live radio variety show. He is currently host of “Michael J. Thorp’s American Civil War Years”, which earnedan Emmy nomination in 2012.

Michael has published three books, based in and on Michigan; “The Great, Great Lakes Trivia Test-The Who, What, Where, When, Why and How of Michigan”, and a children’s book, “The Legend of the Abominable Huckleberry”.

His new book, “Michigan’s Thumb Drive” was just released and all are available at his web site, michaeljthorp.com.

Michael J. Thorp

Dort Honors String Quartet

We are pleased to have The Dort HonorsString Quartet return for the Second Humanityin Harmony Concert.

This group of talented and dedicated high school students auditions for the opportunityto play in the quartet each year.

The Dort Honors Stringed Quartet, under thedirection of Alesia Byrd Johnson, is sponsoredby the Dort Family Trust.

The 2014/2015 Dort HonorsString Quartet includes:

• Mitchell Anderson - Violin

• Gabrielle Lindhurts - Violin

• Anna Anderson - Viola

• Benjamin Rainear, Cello

Appearing:

If it has strings it’s likely thatAaron Jonah Lewis plays it,and plays it very well!

He is based in Nashville and has performed all over the world at major festivals from the U.S. to the U.K. and from Italy to Finland.

Aaron has appeared on dozensof recordings from bluegrass toswing jazz, modern experimentaland Turkish classical.

He has taught workshops at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow and at the English Folk Dance and Song Society in London.

Aaron Jonah Lewis

Vikrant Ahuja is a 20-year emerging sitarist. His love of sitar stems from years of listening to Indian classical music, particularly tabla, harmonium, flute, shehnai and sitar.

Vikrant was mesmerized with the sitar and decided that he must learn to play it. He also discovered there was more to playing a sitarthan picking some strings.

Vikrant’s sitar instructor, or guru, said that before he played the sitar he had to master a half-hour, yoga sitting posture; balancing the sitar on the ball of the left foot, supported with the right thigh – all without using hands or arms. That took a few weeks. Then the guru also told him he needed to learn the harmonium so he could tune the sitar.

Today Vikrant Ahuja is a sitar aficionado. He hasperformed at the Interfaith Circle of Greater Flintgatherings, at the Mott Community College Foreign Language Talent Show, and at his local faith-based Arya Samaj organization where he has played at the monthly services and annual Divali (Festival of Lights) program.

Vikrant Ahuka

Chris Shafkalis and John Pappas Chris Shafkalis and John Pappas, from the band Levendes have been playingtogether for over 20 years. Levendes have played Greek Festivals and weddings for audiences across the U.S. and Canada giving their own unique flair to traditionaland modern Greek music.

Chris Shafkilas started playing music at age 13 and plays bass and keyboardsand also sings. Even with new technology Chris plays the old songs in a way that, “the integrity of the old songs is never lost.”

Johnny Pappas, called “Yiatre” started his music at age 9 and had already recordeda record at age 12. He has played the traditional bouzouki for 30 years and also sings.

Dr. Mike Kassel is an historian and a lecturer in history at the University of Michigan-Flint,for more than 20 years. But that’s not all.When he is not educating or tutoring he isplaying his Ukulele!

Mike has played guitar and bass for over thirty years. In 2008, he saw Abe Lagrimas, Jr. play a jazz version of Chick Corea’s “Spain”. That’s all it took to get him hooked on tenor and baritone uke.

Mike’s just released his first studio recording album, “59 Minutes to Midnight”, recorded in Fenton.

Dr. Mike Kassel

The Moxie Strings is an electrifying combination of fiddler, Diana Ladio, and cellist, Alison Lynn and drummer and world percussionist, Fritz McGirr. With their feel-good melodies and foot-stomping, rock-influenced rhythms, they have put a fresh spin on Celtic and Americana music.

Though rooted in tradition,The Moxie Strings offer listenersthe unique opportunity to experience some of the world’s best known instruments and oldest

genres through a young, progressive lens. The Moxie Strings write the majority of their pieces, and also arrange traditional tunes from many countries.

They also teach clinics all over the country and yesterday they worked with young peoplehere at the Flint School of the Performing arts, adding one more to the over 40 schools throughoutthe U.S. where they have presented. During most clinics, the group performs for students onelectric instruments, teaches music by ear, and introduces non-classical playing styles.

The band is based in southern Michigan, and tours extensively throughout the United States.

If the Beatles, James Taylor, and John Mayer met at Jewish summer camp, it could end up sounding like Jewish rocker Sheldon Low.

Returning for the second at the Humanity in harmony Concert, Sheldon Low is one of the brightest young stars in Jewish rock music today, Sheldon performs rock concerts, ‘Light Up Shabbat’ services, seminars, and leads Artist-in-Residency weekends in Jewish communities throughout North America.

He is not only a serious musician and recordingartist, but a Jewish educator as well. He performsat national youth group conventions, professionalconferences, and Jewish festivals, as well as dozensof Jewish camps each summer.

Sheldon Low

Strings of Diversity

The sitar originated in 18th century India and stands apart from othercontemporary and ancient Indian stringed instruments because it has frets.

Popularized in the West by the late Ravi Shankar, the sitar player needsto be prepared for the physicality of playing the instrument. Vikrant Ahujahad to practice a half-hour, yoga sitting posture. He had to learn to balance the sitar on the ball of his left foot, supported with his right thigh – without using hands or arms.

The sitar’s head, neck and body, or faceplate, are constructed from teakwood or hardwood. The faceplate holds the main and sympathetic-strings’ bridges.

The Sitar’s faceplate attaches to a hollowed out pumpkin shell and that amplifies and resonates the sound. Another smaller gourd, located on the sitar’s head, also assists in sound amplification.

The Sitar (India)

The Bouzouki (Greece-Asia Minor) John Pappas, of The Levendes, has played the bouzouki since he was very young. The bouzouki is a Greek musical instrument that was brought to Greece at the beginning of the 20th Century from Turkey, and quickly became the central instrument to the Greek music. It is a central part of modern Greek music.

The name “bouzouki” comes from the Turkish word “bozuk,” which means broken. It refers to the way the original instruments in Turkey were tuned.

The bouzouki is in the same instrumental family as the mandolin and lute. Originally the body would have been carved from a solid block of wood, but after its arrival

in Greece, in the early 1910’s, it was modified by the addition of a staved back borrowed from the Neapolitan mandolin.

The front of the bouzouki is flat and is often heavily inlaid with designs in mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum or pick and hasa sharp metallic sound, similar to a mandolin but pitched lower.

There are two main types of bouzouki. The trichordo (three-course) has three pairs of strings (known as courses), and the tetrachordo (four-course) has four pairs of strings.

The Electric Cello The electric cello is a cello that amplifies sound with electricity instead of what they call, “acoustic resonance”, which basically means the sound made inside the wood box of a cello.

Some electric cellos look like regular cellos; they just amplify the sound ofthe wooden box. Alison Lynn, of Moxie Strings, uses a new breed of cello thatreally doesn’t look like one at all. It doesn’t have a wood box and is long andthin. But she can play it standing up, sitting down or even dancing around.

The Ukulele The ukulele, sometimes called a “uke”, is a small member of the guitar family.

It usually has 4 nylon or gut strings or sometimes 4 courses of strings.

The ukulele came from Hawaiian in the 1800’s. It is the Hawaiian version ofPortuguese instruments which were taken to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants.

Ukuleles became popular in the United States in the early 20th century, and then spread internationally. The tone and volume of the instrument varies with size and construction. Ukuleles commonly come in four sizes: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone.

Mike Kassel joins many famous musicians as ukulele aficionados including: Tiny Tim, rocker Pete Townsend, Taylor Swift, Don Ho, Arthur Godfrey and Paul McCartney.

2013 Humanity in Harmony Highlights

Thank You for your generous support ofHumanity in Harmony!

Dr. Stephen Burton

Nancy and Henry Hanflik

Judy Kasle

Mark Schwartz Violins

Murray and Sharon Eisen

For more information about any of theseupcoming events e-mail ashleymusser@flintfed.org

or call (810) 767-5922

www.flintfed.com

Upcoming Events

Flint Jewish Federation • 619 Wallenberg Street • Flint, MI 48502

Thurs., Dec. 4th Edwin Black Journalist and Author Lecture • UM-Flint • 7:00 pm

Sun., Feb. 1st Gabe Goldman Educator Judaism and the Environment Program

Sun., Feb. 22nd Mordechai Kedar Israeli Arab Scholar Lecture Sun., April 19th Holocaust Remembrance Commemoration

Sun., May 3rd 11th Annual Karen Schneiderto May 7th, FIA Jewish Film Festival