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Worldwide music fest in memory of Daniel Pearl
Indo-Asian News Service

Los Angeles, Oct 3 (IANS) Elton John, the London Philharmonia, Pakistan's MTV award-winning band Strings and eminent music conductor Zubin Mehta will be part of worldwide performances throughout October in memory of slain Wall Street journalist Daniel Pearl.

Hundreds of performances are scheduled worldwide throughout October as part of the Fourth Annual Daniel Pearl Music Days, a global network of musical events from Oct 1-10. 

Commemorating the Oct 10 birthday of Pearl, who was executed by terrorists in Pakistan, organisers said concert registrations from both amateur and professional musicians are flowing into the Music Days website (http://www.musicdays.org) for the "Harmony for Humanity" event.

Daniel Pearl Music Days began in 2002 as an international "jam session" celebrating Pearl's love of music. He played classical, jazz and bluegrass music.

This year, the Music Days dedications will include tributes from a wide variety of musical genres including the Narambi Cultural Festival of Traditional Music in India, Costa Rica's Promising Artists of the 21st Century Showcase, Zubin Mehta and the Israeli Philharmonic, San Francisco's Living Word Festival, The Whirling Dervishes of Turkey and numerous others from other countries.

"We are honoured to have such a varied and celebrated group of artists joining Music Days and using the power of music to promote cross-cultural understanding," said Judea Pearl, father of Daniel Pearl and president of the Daniel Pearl Foundation. 

"Danny was a talented musician who always connected people through words and music; he truly lived the Music Days theme of 'Harmony for Humanity.'"

In addition to the live performances scheduled this year, Music Days' "Harmony for Humanity" e-Stage will expand the Daniel Pearl Foundation's (http://www.danielpearl.org) programme of promoting cross cultural understanding through an internet radio station that will play original compositions, lyrics, and playlists inspired by the Music Days' theme, the organisers said.

"Music Days is about raising awareness of the universal power of music to bridge cultural divides; it is not a fundraiser," said Jackie Gelfand, executive director of The Daniel Pearl Foundation. 

"Musicians can register a song or full concert, a DJ can dedicate a radio show or a club set; an orchestra can offer a performance, single composition, or open rehearsal; a youth group can perform at a school event; and music lovers can show their support either by attending performances listed on our website or visiting our online e-Stage radio station throughout October."

The Daniel Pearl Music Days Honorary Committee spans a wide variety of musical genres and includes Hip hop "godfather" Russell Simmons and jazz, pop, bluegrass and rock superstars Herbie Hancock, Sir Elton John, Mark O'Connor, Barbra Streisand and R.E.M besides Ravi Shankar and Zubin Mehta,