The eleventh Concert for Life and Peace, organized by the Italian association of the same name, was held yesterday in a church packed with people and television cameramen.
This edition was specially dedicated to His Excellency Mons. Pietro Sambi, who passed away in July this year and who gave his support for the organization of the first concert in 2001 (and the following years), believing in the force of this initiative. The message of peace that came in between the notes of the musical instruments and the superb voices of exceptional artists was truly able to cross territorial borders, becoming a historical event linked to Christmas and known internationally.
The fact that it was a Palestinian orchestra, the Palestinian Youth Orchestra, that performed this year instead of the various Italian orchestras as in previous years, also gave that message a definitely more impressive meaning. Made up of young Palestinian musicians who live in various other countries and who meet every year for concerts and workshops around the world, the Palestinian Youth Orchestra (PYO) has already obtained a certain degree of fame and recognition for its performance and promotion of music by local composers.
The audience included a number of authorities from the political sphere, such as the Italian Consul in Jerusalem Luciano Pezzotti, and from the religious one, such as the Custos of the Holy Land, Brother Pierbattista Pizzaballa ofm and the Apostolic Nonce His Excellency Mons. Antonio Franco, as well as many families with children and many young people including some tourists who were there by chance.
The music, the star of the evening, that filled St. Catherine’s Church this time, ranging from classical to traditional and modern, delighted the audience and was conducted by the Maestro Juan David Molano with the voices of the soloists Petra Magoni, Sanaa Moussa and Enrico Nadai, the piano played by Fadi Deeb, the oboe of Nicola Barbagli, the violin and viola of the sisters Laura and Sara Marzadori and the bass of Ferruccio Spinetti.
It was a really special evening which came to an end with a well known Christmas song, of which we all know the words and sing them from memory mechanically, since we have known them forever. The same way, one day, peace will be infused in our hearts, as though it had always been there.
By Maria Grazia Sanna
Photos by Giovanni Zennaro
This edition was specially dedicated to His Excellency Mons. Pietro Sambi, who passed away in July this year and who gave his support for the organization of the first concert in 2001 (and the following years), believing in the force of this initiative. The message of peace that came in between the notes of the musical instruments and the superb voices of exceptional artists was truly able to cross territorial borders, becoming a historical event linked to Christmas and known internationally.
The fact that it was a Palestinian orchestra, the Palestinian Youth Orchestra, that performed this year instead of the various Italian orchestras as in previous years, also gave that message a definitely more impressive meaning. Made up of young Palestinian musicians who live in various other countries and who meet every year for concerts and workshops around the world, the Palestinian Youth Orchestra (PYO) has already obtained a certain degree of fame and recognition for its performance and promotion of music by local composers.
The audience included a number of authorities from the political sphere, such as the Italian Consul in Jerusalem Luciano Pezzotti, and from the religious one, such as the Custos of the Holy Land, Brother Pierbattista Pizzaballa ofm and the Apostolic Nonce His Excellency Mons. Antonio Franco, as well as many families with children and many young people including some tourists who were there by chance.
The music, the star of the evening, that filled St. Catherine’s Church this time, ranging from classical to traditional and modern, delighted the audience and was conducted by the Maestro Juan David Molano with the voices of the soloists Petra Magoni, Sanaa Moussa and Enrico Nadai, the piano played by Fadi Deeb, the oboe of Nicola Barbagli, the violin and viola of the sisters Laura and Sara Marzadori and the bass of Ferruccio Spinetti.
It was a really special evening which came to an end with a well known Christmas song, of which we all know the words and sing them from memory mechanically, since we have known them forever. The same way, one day, peace will be infused in our hearts, as though it had always been there.
By Maria Grazia Sanna
Photos by Giovanni Zennaro