Fiddlefest at Carnegie

Fiddlefest, the 10th anniversary gala concert to benefit Opus 118 Harlem Center for Strings that will take place on December 2, 2003, will bring together at Carnegie Hall some of the greatest musical talents of our time in a highly-charged program of varied musical styles and cultures including classical, jazz and country.

Dedicated to the memory of Isaac Stern, this event will feature stars of the music world including Joshua Bell, John Blake, Regina Carter, Paquito D’Rivera, Amanda Forsyth, Dave Grusin, Yo-Yo Ma, Natalie MacMaster, Bobby McFerrin, Diane Monroe, Mark O’Connor, Itzhak Perlman, Arnold Steinhardt, Dave Valentin, Pinchas Zukerman, Roberta Guaspari and the students and alumni of Opus 118 Harlem Center for Strings. The Master of Ceremonies will be announced. There will also be a special short film about Isaac Stern (focusing on him as a teacher). The concert is produced by Ettore Stratta and Pat Philips.

Opus 118 is the dynamic Harlem-based music program celebrated in the movie Music of the Heart (starring Meryl Streep as Opus 118 violin teacher Roberta Guaspari), and the award-nominated documentary Small Wonders. In addition to world renowned musicians, the Carnegie Hall concert will feature students and alumni from public schools in Harlem. Proceeds will benefit Opus 118’s year-old community music school in East Harlem which specializes in string teaching.

Isaac Stern, one of the foremost concert artists of our time was also a passionate spokesperson for music education and supporter of Opus 118. Mr. Stern was an inspiring teacher and mentor to many prominent members of the current generation of concert artists. He devoted substantial time to teaching in spite of the demands of his heavily-booked concert schedule. Shortly before his death, Mr. Stern commented about Opus 118’s work, “I went and I watched her [Roberta Guaspari] work. Children know when they are being talked at and when they are being spoken with—and there is an enormous difference. It is the chance to make the kids feel that they are somebody that they can do something... make a sound, look at each other and do it together, and suddenly get out of that little horrible area of not belonging... Each child will learn how to look, how to feel, how to touch beauty—and that’s what makes the difference.”

A pre-concert dinner will be held at Carnegie Hall’s Rohatyn Room. The black tie dinner will pay tribute to Bobby McFerrin, acclaimed vocalist, conductor and composer, and Sheila Johnson, President and CEO, Salamander Farm and Salamander Touch L.L.C., for their continued commitment to education and the arts. Benefit tickets for the concert and the “Meet the Artists” Post-Concert Reception are available by calling Arienne Orozco at 212/675-9474. Group sales and all other ticket inquiries should also be directed to 212-675-9474. Tickets for the concert only are available through the Carnegie Hall Box Office at 212-247-7800 or online at www.carnegiehall.org.

Opus 118 had been working within the public schools when cutbacks eliminated two of their teachers. To reverse this situation, Opus 118 started a community music school in 2002 that now services all of Harlem. Here, children have access to music lessons, and young musicians are trained by Roberta Guaspari in her highly successful teaching methods, preparing them to become string teachers themselves. The December 2nd concert will help fund this school.#

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