Dr. Henry Panion, III writes:
DREAMS OF HOPE CONCERT DOCUMENTARY
CELEBRATES THE UNIFYING
POWER OF MUSIC AND SPIRIT OF RESILIENCE
Inspiring
program releases on public television in February 2020
(Boston, MA – December 31, 2019) The concert documentary Dreams
of Hope tells the story of a historic performance at the 16th Street
Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, more than 50 years after a hate crime
there killed four African American girls. An initiative called Violins of Hope
contributed painstakingly restored musical instruments to the event, including
violins recovered from Holocaust concentration camps, which serve as symbols of
resilience in the face of hate, discrimination and racism.
Directed by David Macon and Dr. Henry
Panion, III, and presented and distributed by American Public Television, Dreams
of Hope will air on public
television stations nationwide in February 2020 for Black History Month (check
local listings for airdates).
With a captivating
storyline written by filmmaker David L. Macon, Dreams of Hope blends concert performance footage
with behind-the-scenes interviews chronicling the event's preparation and
reflecting on its significance. The program includes reflections by Richard Arrington, Jr., the
first African-American Mayor of Birmingham; Jeffrey and Gail Bayer, co-chairs
of Violins of Hope Birmingham; Chris Hamlin, former Pastor of 16th Street
Baptist; Amnon and Assi Weinstein, founders of Violins of Hope; Dr. Henry
Panion, III; violinist Caitlin Edwards; and Sallie Downs, who spearheaded the
initiative to bring Violins of Hope to Birmingham.
Concert footage features the premiere
of "Dreams of Hope for Solo Violin & Orchestra" by acclaimed
composer and conductor Henry Panion, III, commissioned especially for this
concert. Alongside the Dreams of Hope Orchestra, the concert features vocalists
Valerie Smith and Lenora Goodman-Panion, dancer Kelsey Ebersold, and the Miles
College Choir. Violinist Caitlin Edwards returns to her hometown of Birmingham
to play the Auschwitz Violin, originally built around 1850.
Dreams of Hope is a demonstration of what can happen when
people of different backgrounds and cultures come together on common ground and
communicate with a common voice, recognizing yet celebrating their differences.
"First
there was John Williams’ Schindler's List and now
there's Henry Panion's Dreams of Hope. It's a masterpiece that should be heard at
Carnegie Hall and all over the world. There are just no words for the brilliant
gifts of music which we received that evening."
—Amnon
Weinstein
“The
story of these violins and the Jewish people is of survival, hope, and triumph,
one that so parallels the story of the 16th Street Baptist Church and its
people. Having suffered the worst fate imaginable, the church and these violins
have been beautifully restored and are now magnificent relics for all to
behold. As a people of the human race, we continue to strive and hope for a
better world through our struggles, our trials, our tribulations… and our
triumphs.”
—Dr. Henry
Panion, III
About American Public Television
American
Public Television (APT) is the leading syndicator of high-quality, top-rated
programming to the nation’s public television stations. Founded in 1961, APT
distributes 250 new program titles per year and more than one-third of the top
100 highest-rated public television titles in the U.S. APT’s diverse catalog
includes prominent documentaries, performance, news and current affairs
programs, dramas, how-to programs, children’s series and classic movies. America’s
Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated, Cook’s Country, AfroPoP,
Rick Steves’ Europe, Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Television,
Front and Center, Doc Martin, Midsomer Murders, Lidia’s
Kitchen, Kevin Belton’s New Orleans Kitchen, Simply Ming, The
Best of the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross, and P. Allen Smith’s Garden
Home are a sampling of APT’s programs, considered some of the most
popular on public television. APT also licenses programs internationally
through its APT Worldwide service and distributes Create®TV —
featuring the best of public television's lifestyle programming — and WORLD™,
public television’s premier news, science and documentary channel. To find out
more about APT’s programs and services, visit APTonline.org.
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