GILI MELAMED-LEV Interview by Harryet Candeee
Gili, your most recent music collaborative series that you and jazz pianist, Dr. Joe Gold have created, JAZZ AND CLASSICS FOR CHANGE, wraps around a potent and meaningful theme. Timely! Tell us why you chose this theme? Both Joe and I strongly believe in the healing power of music and we care deeply about the community we live in. Through inspiring music performed by world class musicians, Jazz and Classics for Change’s mission is to bring focus and attention to social changes that we are grappling with today. Please tell us about “A Concert for Public In14 • APRIL 2020 THE ARTFUL MIND
Photography by Tasja Keetman
tegrity”, the next performance in this series Jazz and Classics for Change. Who will be performing at St. James Place in Great Barrington, May 16th at 7pm? Jazz pianist Armen Donelian will perform with vocalist Dominique Eade. George Schuller on the drums and David Clark on the bass. Armen chose to call this concert A Concert for Public Integrity, and in his words: “Truth is an overriding and urgent issue of our time, perhaps of all time. We are swimming in lies. The root of lying is fear and truth. But the truth is our ally in assessing the reality of things as they are, and in charting a course for skillful future action that brings harmony and
reduces suffering. Like a ship’s captain, we need to know where we are before we can map our course. Young people relate to this instantly. Disdain for the truth has put our country and the whole world is in peril. Truth is often feared because facing it leads to change, which we often resist. With any issue of significance — climate change, immigration, foreign policy, education, diversity, mental health, the mistreatment of children — the search for truth is the underlying factor that leads to productive outcomes. This concert focuses attention on the search for truth in public life — both in the artistic realm, as we play and listen to music together
