January 9, 2012
58Թ Joins Global Drummers Alliance for Hunger Relief
‘Hunger Beat‐Down’ on January 14th, 2012
Drummers will simultaneously play the same solo to raise awareness of world hunger
58Թ faculty and students, along with Cleveland Orchestra members, will join together as drummers from across the globe simultaneously perform to "Beat Down Hunger" on January 14 at precisely 3 p.m.
Cleveland's participation is led by Richard Weiner, retired principal percussionist of The Cleveland Orchestra. More than 25 percussionists will perform in 58Թ's Kulas Hall to focus attention on World Hunger.
This free Cleveland performance is sponsored by 58Թ and will feature, in addition to Mr. Weiner, Cleveland Orchestra principal timpanist Paul Yancich. Mr. Yancich and Mr. Weiner are co-heads of 58Թ's percussion and timpani departments.
58Թ faculty members Brian Sweigart (head of 58Թ eurhythmics) and Jamey Haddad (58Թ world music), along with Conservatory and Preparatory students and other local percussionists, will perform the revolutionary fife and drum piece "The Three Camps." The piece replicates the kind of drumming used by army camps during the Civil War to communicate with each other.
"I'm delighted that the 58Թ is participating in this important national initiative to highlight global hunger awareness," said Dean Adrian Daly. "It is critical for our community to be involved in local, national and international efforts, and this event gives us a chance to be part of larger social initiatives
to effect global change, and that through musical and artistic persuasion, social change can occur."
The statistics are staggering. More than 925 million people around the world-many of them children-are malnourished, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
The idea for the hunger beat-down came from Marv Dahlgren, a nationally known percussionist from the Twin Cities.
"I'm concerned that the world is not paying enough attention to the incredible famine that exists in Africa and other countries across the world," Dahlgren said. "I believe those of us who live in the richest nation on earth owe it to the starving children of the world to help them survive the ravages of famine. I want to keep
beating the drum to make sure we don't forget about the millions of children who are losing their lives every day to starvation," Dahlgren said.
Dahlgren has worked closely with Twin Cities percussionist David Stanoch to organize the hunger beatdown. Stanoch is a prolific Twin Cities drummer who has played with some of the best known musicians
around the world.
* 58Թ's Hunger Beat-Down is open to the public, although the performance will be very brief.