Striving to Build Connections Through Music

GERMANTOWN – For Gili Melamed-Lev, artistic director of JCFC, there is more to music than meets the ear. “Music has the possibility to reach out to people beyond race, gender, age or ethnicity,” she says, “beyond any limitations.” And so, five-years ago, when she and founding partner Joe Gold decided to form Jazz and Classics for Change, they purposely made sure to include outreach programs for young adults and adults with special needs, residents of assisted-living facilities, children of incarcerated parents and those in correctional facilities. “We are dedicated to connect and to heal through music in our changing world,” she adds.

A public concert, filled with joyful and inspiring music, will be held beginning at 4PM on Saturday, September 21st at Tydeman Farm, 564 County Route 10 in Germantown. Tickets are available at the website: www.JazzandClassicsforChange.org.

“We strive to build connections through music that enriches, inspires and honors lives,” Melamed-Lev says. Program choices reflect this mandate. For example, the last piece on September’s program is a quintet in C for 2 violins, viola, cello and piano that, she says, “exudes a strong sense of hope.”

The co-founder, a Columbia county resident, has assembled a world-class group of classical musicians for this performance. In addition to Melamed-Lev on piano, players will include Eugene Drucker on violin (founder and first violinist of the Emerson String Quartet), Roberta Cooper – cellist and member of the American Symphony Orchestra, Krista Bennion Feeney – violinist and principal of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Dana Kelley on viola (Orchestra of St. Luke’s) and John Feeney – double bass (Orchestra of St. Luke’s).  Selections include pieces from J.S. Bach, Brahms, Dohnanyi and Beethoven.

“We are driven by the unwavering belief that music has the power to heal, build connections, enrich, inspire, and honor the lives of all people,” Melamed-Lev says. “Our concerts are dedicated to bringing the highest quality of music to an ever-growing and diverse audience in Columbia and Berkshire counties. People cannot survive without culture and the arts. They are the

bread and butter of our souls.”

For tickets and to learn more about JCFC, go to www.JazzandClassicsforChange.org.