World Unity (ctd 2)

With a mission of spreading a message of unity and peace through the beauty and the power of music, the Society for Universal Sacred Music (http://www.universalsacredmusic.org) and The New York Virtuoso Singers (http://www.nyvirtuoso.org) will co-sponsor "Voices for Love and Unity - A Concert for Peace," on Sunday, April 26, 2009, at St. Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church in New York City. Harold Rosenbaum, artistic director for both organizations, will conduct. The Canticum Novum Youth Choir, directed by Edie Rosenbaum, and The Elm City Girls' Choir, directed by Rebecca Rosenbaum, will participate. The concert will commence at 3:00 p.m. A pre-concert talk with composers takes place at 2:00 p.m.The concert will feature contemporary pieces and will be highlighted by Francis Poulenc's "Figure humaine." This complex tonal choral masterpiece, composed for a cappella double chorus while Nazi forces occupied Paris during World War II, focuses on the horrors of war and on mankind's inherent ability to survive and cope with a greater awareness of the brotherhood of man.A world-premiere titled "To The Peacemakers," composed by Roger Davidson, Founder and President of the Society for Universal Sacred Music, will be performed, as will "Voices for Today," which was written by Benjamin Britten to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the United Nations. Works by Richard McIntyre, the NYVS 2006 Choral Composition Competition First-Prize Winner, and Richard Rice, a NYVS two-time Composition Competition Honorable Mention, will also be included. "The mission of the concert -- and of the featured composers and their pieces -- is to share the message of unity through music and to foster a belief that individually and collectively society can strive together to work towards world peace," states Harold Rosenbaum.

news.prnewswire.com April 16, 2009


The teachings of Bahá'u'lláh will establish a new way of life for humanity. Those who are Bahá'ís must endeavour to establish this way of life just as rapidly as possible. Now that the hour has arrived when the Bahá'í Faith is gaining prominence, and is being reviewed by so many peoples, it is necessary that the adherents of the Faith should live up to the high ideals of the Faith in every way. In this way they can demonstrate that the Bahá'í Faith does create a new way of life, which brings to the individual a complete association with the Will of God, and thus the establishment of a peaceful and universal society. Divisional attachments are of men, while universal service is of God.

~ Shoghi Effendi, The Compilation of Compilations vol II, p. 195