Steven Galloway's new book "The Cellist of Sarajevo" follows the lives of some ordinary people trying to cope with life in the besieged city. One, a cellist, refuses to be afraid, giving a daily concert in remembrance of people killed in a mortar attack. [ More Detail ]
Over 900 Walk with Autism Speaks in NantucketThe Second Annual Nantucket Walk Now for Autism held on Saturday, August 16th was an incredible event. Over 900 walkers in 45 teams joined Autism Speaks Co-Founders and Walk Chairs Suzanne and Bob Wright at Jetties Beach to raise over $316,000 for autism awareness and research.The Walk program was emceed by Jamie Ranney, host of "The Jamie Ranney Show" on Nantucket TV 17. Suzanne and Bob Wright welcomed the crowd along with Walk Co-Chairs Sydney Fee Barsanti, Shannon and James Broder, Lyle Howland and Jack Manning, and Stephen and Jill Karp. Special guests at the Walk included Senator John Kerry, journalist Maureen Orth (wife of the late Tim Russert), and actor John Shea. Maureen Orth cut the ceremonial ribbon to kick off the Walk. Patty Roggeveen of the Nantucket Board of Selectmen also presented Bob and Suzanne Wright with a proclamation declaring August 9-16 as Autism Awareness Week on Nantucket.Walkers enjoyed performances by Olivia Esposito, a teenager with autism who sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", and by the Theatre Workshop of Nantucket who performed "A New World." River Bennett, a teen from Nantucket, performed a cello solo. There were plenty of activities for the kids too: children played with children's book character Barnaby the Bear while puppeteer Joe Zito circulated through the crowd. Nantucket resident Marjory Trott led a "Music and Movement" therapeutic dance program, while Val Oliver and the Nantucket Junior Miss Girls did face painting and supervised a puzzle piece beanbag game. Oversized bubbles provided by Nantucket Island resorts floated overhead.Nantucket holds a special place in the hearts of Autism Speaks Co-Founders Suzanne and Bob Wright. As longtime summer residents, they are committed to raising awareness and giving back to Nantucket. The Nantucket Walk brought year-round and summer residents together as a united front in support of autism awareness, research, education and services. Local businesses participated in Autism Awareness Week by wearing Autism Speaks hats, selling paper puzzle pieces at the registers, collecting change in cans, displaying puzzle piece lapel pins on window mannequins, and distributing educational materials about autism throughout the week!The Walk organizers would like to extend heartfelt thanks to all the sponsors. Diamond level: Shannon and James Broder; Stephen and Jill Karp; Tim, Maureen and Luke Russert; Suzanne and Bob Wright. Platinum Sponsors: Nantucket Golf Club; Susan and Bill Vareschi; Shirley and Chris Kelly. Gold Sponsors: Hebe and John Murphy; Lyle Howland and Jack Manning; Kathleen and Chris Matthews; The Rock Run Nantucket -- Jim Storey and Hector MacDonald. Silver Sponsors: Jane Beasley; Elizabeth and Seth Brennan; Barbara J. Fife; Lesley King and Bart Grenier; A.B. Norton Construction; Diane and John Samuels; Maury People Sotheby's Intl Realty; Julie and Brian Simmons; Marion and Terry Martin. Thanks also to in-kind sponsors: Capron for sound; The Bachman Company, Nantucket Nectars, Hint Water, Nantucket Ice House, Something Natural, Bartlett Farm for refreshments; Cranberry Tours, Nantucket Golf Club and Don Allen Ford for transportation; Poets Corner Press and Louise Martling for printing services; Bob Hall at ACKPhoto for photography; and Billy Santos for logistics support. [ More Detail ]
22-year-old classical cellist Sian Evans has four weeks to transform herself into a club DJ before working the crowd at prestigious nightspot The Cross. [ More Detail ]
22-year-old classical cellist Sian Evans has four weeks to transform herself into a club DJ before working the crowd at prestigious nightspot The Cross. [ More Detail ]
22-year-old classical cellist Sian Evans has four weeks to transform herself into a club DJ before working the crowd at prestigious nightspot The Cross. [ More Detail ]
22-year-old classical cellist Sian Evans has four weeks to transform herself into a club DJ before working the crowd at prestigious nightspot The Cross. [ More Detail ]
22-year-old classical cellist Sian Evans has four weeks to transform herself into a club DJ before working the crowd at prestigious nightspot The Cross. [ More Detail ]
22-year-old classical cellist Sian Evans has four weeks to transform herself into a club DJ before working the crowd at prestigious nightspot The Cross. [ More Detail ]
Today I decided to do some recording with this really cool hand recorder I have. This is one of the three Irish tunes that I recorded. I hope you like it and as the title says I played this tune on the . . . CELLO! [ More Detail ]
Der Berliner Cellist Alban Gerhardt stellt sich den ungewöhnlichen Fragen von Moderator Jan Holthaus im Bayern 4 Klassik-Interview "Das Verhör", live aufgezeichnet in München am 31. Mai 2008. [ More Detail ]
Chopin Nocturne played by cellist Nathaniel Rosen, Gold medalist at the Tchaikovsky International Competition in 1978. the piece transcribed by Mr. Piatigorsky. [ More Detail ]
Ashraf Hakim is a solo cellist virtuoso who astounds audiences with his broad musical range and soulful sounds from ancient Arabic quarter tone variations, sweeping orchestral concertos and improvisations that transcend the soul bridging peace from East to West. He has played on six continents for Kings, Queens, Sheiks, Ambassadors, Presidents, and Prime Ministers. Ashraf is the only musician featured on the Pyramids and Sphynx of Egypt by the Mena House Oberoi. He currently resides in Seattle, Washington. [ More Detail ]
Music and samples available athttp://www.asinglethread.comA little song dedicated to the hard work of the Ukulele's for Peace Project, played on a Tuvan Igil. This isn't my project, I'm just helping spread the word about it though my song, and hope you'll do the same. Here's is some info about the project from the http://UkulelesForPeace.com website:For a long time, we have been watching and living the miserable situation between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs in the area. We asked ourselves, how can we contribute to a change of atmosphere? How can we break the distrust between the societies, and how can we--as simple citizens--create more opportunities for Jews and Arabs to meet and be involved with one another in our daily lives?As Paul regularly performs to both Arab and Jewish kids, it gave him an idea: to combine his love for the ukulele (a small and easy to learn 4 string instrument) and his experience with children to create Ukuleles For Peace.The goal of Ukuleles for Peace is to bring Jewish and Arab children together to play in an orchestra with ukuleles, kazoos and other fun instruments. Paul works with the students once a week in their own schools, and then brings them together for performances. The children sing in Hebrew, Arabic and English. The hope is that playing together will create further opportunities for communal activities, and that parents and members of the communities will get involved in the program.Ukuleles for Peace has grown since its inception to involve classes at the open/democratic elementary school in Hod Hasharon and El Najach elementary school in Tira.Up until now, Paul's work has been completely voluntary. There is an urgent need to find sponsors and to attract funding and public donations to keep the program alive and growing.Paul's dream is to create orchestras in several communities and towns, enlarging the circle of real co-existence; enabling kids and parents to befriend one another; and with our modest abilities, helping to create a happier, better, peaceful society. There is a lot to be done in this area between the Arab and Jewish population in Israel. If the situation with the Palestinian Authority is safer, Paul would like to form a group there too. That will depend on a relaxing of travel restrictions and on parents feeling that things are safe enough for their children.Furthermore, we want to make sure that a child who wants to play the ukulele will not be prevented from doing so because he cannot afford one. It is a relatively cheap instrument ($25), but even that is a lot for some families. Besides instruments, there is an ongoing need for strings, instructional books and videos, pitch pipes, etc.Paul would eventually like to take Ukuleles For Peace around the world playing at events to show that real co operation between war-torn communities is possible.Before the Ukuleles for Peace program was introduced, there were virtually no communal or social ties between the communities of Tira and Hod Hasharon. Since the start of the program, however, contacts between the two have begun to develop on a number of levels.At the most fundamental level is the orchestra itself. The children and some parents meet to rehearse and travel to performances together. Here, the children in particular began to form friendships, which lead to birthday party invitations, play dates and other social outings. The orchestra has held several picnics at which families have begun to interact and get to know one another.The next level up involves the two schools. Three teachers at each school have taken the lead in bringing the two groups together. Special programs have been introduced around the Ukuleles for Peace project, such as parties in each town where the orchestra performs; events focused on learning about and celebrating one another's holidays and cultures; and a special class in Arabic, requested by the Jewish students at Hod Hasharon, and taught by the Head Master from El Najach school. These programs are involving students from both schools who are not part of the orchestra, thus widening the circle of contacts and furthering the mission of Ukuleles for Peace. Other programs--including a collaborative art project--are being planned.In addition to participation in the Ukuleles for Peace program, the El Najach students participate in aother coexistence program through the Israeli Ministry of Education. The "Coexistence Forum" facilitates partnerships between Arab and Jewish schools. The El Najach school has invited Hod Hasharon Democratic school to be its partner in the Forum. [ More Detail ]