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POLYPHONY FOUNDATION, DEDICATED TO UNITING ARAB AND
JEWISH COMMUNITIES IN ISRAEL THROUGH CLASSICAL MUSIC,
HOSTS YOUTH QUARTET PERFORMANCES
Young Arab and Jewish Musicians Showcase
Music’s Power to Transcend Cultural Boundaries Offering Hope
for Israel’s Future
The Polyphony Foundation—an organization dedicated to using
the power of classical music to bridge the divide between
Arab and Jewish communities in Israel—will host performances
by four young Arab and Jewish musicians comprising The
Polyphony Quartet on Thursday,
May 28 at 7:00 p.m. at
All Souls Church in New York City. The quartet will feature
two Arab and two Jewish musicians from Israel—Feras
Machour (viola,
age 19); Revital
Bendersky (violin,
age 18); Mahdi
Saadi (cello,
age 20); and Shir
Hayat (violin,
age 19). The quartet is prepared under the direction of
violinist and Polyphony Foundation Co-Founder / Artistic
Director, Nabeel
Abboud-Ashkar.
The evening’s program will include works for quartet by
celebrated classical masters, including Dvořák’s String
Quartet no.12 in F major, op.96, "American" and Mozart’s
Quartet no.14 in G Major k.387, “Spring” alongside works by
renowned Arab-Israeli composers Paul Ben-Haim and Taiseer
Haddad that reflect the cultures of the two musicians and
showcase how the two cultures have influenced each other.
The program will also include a brief discussion and Q&A
between Abboud-Ashkar and the Rev.
Dr. Galen Guengerich, Senior Minister at All Souls
Church, about Polyphony and the important work that the
organization is doing in Israel.
Polyphony’s multi-tiered programming structure offers music
instruction and performance opportunities for youth of all
ages, including a music appreciation program for
kindergarten and elementary school students, youth
orchestras and mixed ensembles, a semi-professional
conservatory, residencies and an emerging professional
orchestra.
“These young musicians and students are a shining example of
how quickly the boundaries that separate us disappear when
we look closely at our common humanity, said Abboud-Ashkar.
“Students participating in Polyphony’s programs learn not
only to appreciate and perform this music, but they also
learn to appreciate, and see the humanity of ‘the other’
while building lasting friendships. We are honored to share
this experience of bringing our music and our message to
audiences in New York City.”
Celebrated soprano and Polyphony Artistic Advisory Board
member, Renée Fleming notes, "Polyphony accomplishes what
once seemed impossible, with groundbreaking programs that
foster understanding and concord through music."
The Polyphony Foundation was founded by Deborah and Craig
Cogut (Founder and CEO of Pegasus Capital Advisors) in
partnership with Nabeel Abboud-Ashkar in 2011 as a result of
their common goal of creating a cultural experience that
would stimulate intercultural dialogue and understanding in
Israel. In less than five years, the organization has grown
to reach over 6,000 students, train over 140 local teachers,
and create partnerships on the ground that are slowly
changing the long existing practices that lead to
segregation. Polyphony runs year-round educational programs
for kindergarten through professional level students, and
hosts concerts that specifically target Arab and Jewish
communities and audiences in Israel.
In addition to the performance at All Souls Church, The
Polyphony Quartet will also perform as part of the JCC’s
Annual Benefit at Jazz at Lincoln Center on May 26 and at a
private fundraiser in New York City on May 27.
About The Polyphony Foundation
The Polyphony Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization dedicated to bridging the divide between Arab
and Jewish communities in Israel by creating a common ground
where young people come together around classical music. By
educating both the performer and the audience in the art of
listening and communicating, Polyphony seeks to further the
development of a just and dynamic civil society in
Israel. Polyphony’s programs aim to equally educate and
expose Arab and Jewish youth to classical music, and to the
music of ‘the other,’ as well as to create equal
opportunities for musical training, and to facilitate joint
professional music-making. These programs work to transform
the lives of students, families, institutions and
communities by creating opportunities for engagement,
dialogue, partnerships, and lasting integration.
About All Souls
One of the leading Unitarian Universalist
congregations in the nation, All Souls has become a
well-known sanctuary for spiritual seekers of all
persuasions. For nearly two centuries, intellectually
curious and socially engaged New Yorkers have gathered at
All Souls to contemplate the mystery of the divine,
interpret the wisdom of religion, and explore the insights
of science. Genuinely welcoming and broadly inclusive, the
congregation’s tradition of advocacy and activism places it
at the forefront of efforts to make our community and our
world more equal and more just.
Reverend Galen Guengerich is Senior Minister
of All Souls. He is author of God
Revised: How Religion Must Evolve in a Scientific Age and
writes a column on “The Search for Meaning” for
PsychologyToday.com, as well as writing occasionally for
Huffington Post, Washington Post, and FaithStreet.com, among
other media. An active public advocate for the
evidence-based practice of religion, Rev. Guengerich is a
member of the Council on Foreign Relations, where
he focuses on how traditional religious beliefs and
practices, both in the US and abroad, usually reinforce
patriarchy to the detriment of women and democracy. In
January 2012, he was part of a 15-member delegation of
senior clergy from New York City to visit Israel and the
West Bank, the first such delegation to meet with a broad
spectrum of religious and political leaders, including
Shimon Peres, President of Israel, and Salem Fayyad, Prime
Minister of the Palestinian Authority.
Program Information
Thursday, May 28 at 7:00 p.m.
Unitarian Church of All Souls |
1157 Lexington Ave at 80th Street
| New York, NY 10075 | 212-535-5530
THE POLYPHONY QUARTET – Performance, Discussion and Q&A
▪▪▪Mr. Nabeel Abboud-Ashkar,
Polyphony Foundation Co-Founder and Artistic Director
▪▪▪Ms. Revital Bendersky, Violin
▪▪▪Mr. Feras Machour, Viola
▪▪▪Mr. Mahdi Saadi, Cello
▪▪▪Ms. Shir Hayat, Violin
Antonín Dvořák String
Quartet no.12 in F major, op.96, "American"
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Quartet
no.14 in G Major k.387, “Spring”
Paul Ben-Haim
Prelude for String Quartet
Taiseer
Haddad Middle Eastern
Triology, “Bladyat”
Ticket Information
Tickets for the All Souls Church performance
on May 28 can be purchased for $20 via Eventbrite by
clicking here.
For information about the Polyphony Quartet’s appearance at
the JCC Annual Benefit at Jazz at Lincoln Center, please
click here.
For details about a private fundraising reception for the
Polyphony Foundation, please contact Polyphony@SunshineSachs.com
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