Music for Life International Inc. Presents Beethoven for the Indus Valley 1/31/11

Music for Life International Inc. presents Beethoven for the Indus Valley, a benefit concert of Beethoven's monumental Ninth Symphony, organized and led by Singapore-born Indian conductor George Mathew. The concert will be presented in the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall on January 31, 2011 at 8pm. Beethoven for the Indus Valley is an urgent call to the global community to move as swiftly as possible to give the resources and support that the Pakistani people need to rebuild their lives and communities after the devastating floods of 2010. Proceeds from the concert will benefit Acumen Fund.

Beethoven for the Indus Valley will bring together many of the world's finest orchestral musicians. Principal artists will gather from the New York Philharmonic, MET Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Emerson Quartet, Orchestra of St. Luke's, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Youth Orchestra of the Americas, European Union Youth Orchestra, and other international orchestras and ensembles; students and faculty of The Juilliard School, the Manhattan School of Music, and other major music schools. The renowned Dessoff Symphonic Choir, led by Music Director Christopher Shepard will be the chorus. A quartet of distinguished singers headlined by MET Opera National Council Winner soprano Laquita Mitchell, and bass Morris Robinson will join the assembled forces. Glenn Dicterow, Concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic, will serve as Concertmaster, leading a violin section made up of concertmasters of leading American orchestras.

Speaking about the concert, Mr. Mathew observed, "Beethoven himself makes a musical statement in the Finale of the Ninth Symphony that goes to the heart of our mission with this concert. Writing in an earlier era of tension between East and West, Beethoven uses the music of the Turkish military, music of the Islamic world, to provide stability and indeed possibility for the German (western) setting of the famous Ode to Joy tune. In that moment Beethoven seems to become the voice of a whole civilization in that rare moment of embrace of another civilization. It seems that Beethoven is suggesting that "embracing the spirit of the other, engaging the culture of the Other is probably a more interesting form of interaction that rejecting the OTHER, or being afraid of it, or declaring war on it or deporting it. Two hundred years later, it appears we have still much to learn from this great wise man of music and the world." Mr. Mathew noted, "In gathering together as a community of musicians, listeners and supporters we send a message of solidarity and human support to our fellow human beings in Pakistan who have been so hard hit by these devastating floods in addition to whatever financial support we muster."

When: January 31, 2011 at 8pm

Where: Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall

Tickets: Tickets are $35 - $199. For information or to purchase tickets, call CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800. Tickets are also available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, or online at www.carnegiehall.org.