MaximsNews Network
By Mehri Madarshahi
The “Melody for Dialogue among Civilizations“,www.melodydialogue.org, Association has produced major inter-cultural concerts around the world beginning in 2005 with “Mozart, but not only…” for the opening ceremony of the sixtieth anniversary of UNESCO.
A glimpse of this extraordinary concert can be viewed on YouTube, See: http://youtube.com/watch?v=UUiIsi-4Mfk.
So far, the Association has brought together some 420 musicians from 70 countries – dialoguing with music from Mozart, Schubert, Monti and others.
The Association is scheduled to present a major concert to New York’s Avery Fisher Hall in December 2007.
The programme consists of an unprecedented “musical dialogue” between some 40 renown traditional musicians from 35 countries, and St Luke’s Orchestra playing a Rossini, but only,.. The program will start with a new interpretation of J.S. Bach’s concerto for two violins and continues with excerpts of “L’Italiana in Algeri”.
The programme consists of an unprecedented “musical dialogue” between some 40 renown traditional musicians from 35 countries,and St Luke’s Orchestra playing a Rossini, but only,.. The program will start with a new interpretation of J.S. Bach’s concerto for two violins and continues with excerpts of “L’Italiana in Algeri”.
Organized by Mehri Madarshahi, this extra-ordinary concert promotes a genuine dialogue, based on respect for shared values and dignity of each civilization and culture through its melodies and music.
“Melody for Dialogue among Civilizations” has so far produced newconcerts around the world with a similar format – but with different musical programmes and performing artists and musicians.
In addition to its major concerts at UNESCO-Paris, the Association accepted an invitation from the then President of Nigeria, to hold its first regional concert in Abuja namely: Africa, but not only,.. and its second regional concert was held this February in Havana, Cuba “Latin America, but not only”.
“Magic Flute, but not only” was performed at UNESCO on the occasion of the closure of its 60th anniversary and Mehri for her innovative approach to promote respect for cultural diversity and the culture of peace, was awarded UNESCO’s sixtieth Anniversary Medal by the Director-General.
Earlier Madarshahi was nominated to receive the 2005 International Marrakech Prize for the first concert organised by the Association in Rabat, Morocco.
Madarshahi is a former senior United Nations official and is theMaximsNews Paris Correspondent.
“This unique concert presented by the Association Melody for Dialogue among Civilizations represents an innovative and exciting approach inseveral ways,” said UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura.
“First of all, the musical performances involve the live interactionbetween traditional instruments and musicians from different cultures, in this way emphasizing that dialogue goes beyond words and can thrivealso in the realm of music.
“Furthermore, the resort to common musical themes and melodies in this joint performance by a classical orchestra and musicians playing traditional and contemporary instruments highlights a novel dimension of artistic creativity and engagement that is rarely seen and heard.
“And lastly, the concert gives practical expression to a hallmark ofUNESCO’s Constitution, namely international cooperation. The dialoguebetween traditional, classical and contemporary music epitomizes the very essence of international cooperation in a field that was not often singled out in this context,” he continued.