Music for the Spirit Book Club

We invite you to join us for the first Music for the Spirit Book Club on July 19, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. at Beth El Congregation. 

The PSO's Artistic Staff has chosen a pair of short stories--- Eli, the Fanatic by Philip Roth and The Little Shoemakers by Isaac Bashevis Singer for the discussion.  This special Music for the Spirit book club event is free and open to the public and we invite Beth El's membership, the PSO audience and the broad community at large to participate. 

Noted book-reviewer Helen-Faye Rosenblum will act as a moderator and will ask questions to stimulate the discussion.  PSO musicians violist Paul Silver and clarinetist Ron Samuels will participate in the discussion and provide greater context on the musical elements of the book.  They will also play selections to enhance what is being discussed in the book.  

Music for the Spirit began on January 17, 2004, when the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra became the first American orchestra to perform at the Vatican for a pope.  The concert celebrated the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s papacy and honored the Pope’s lifelong commitment to interfaith understanding and reconciliation of the Christians, Jews and Muslims.  That unprecedented opportunity remains one of the most significant events in the  PSO’s history and demonstrated the power of music to promote dialogue across religious traditions.  

From that great beginning, a partnership has developed between the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the faith communities in Pittsburgh to continue to perform concerts that celebrate the spiritual and universal message of music.  This project was named Music for the Spirit.  PSO Music Director Manfred Honeck is deeply committed to Music for the Spirit.  The PSO has performed concerts at St. Paul Cathedral, Rodef Shalom and the program also features smaller events such as the Book Club at Beth El and a recital by PSO Concertmaster Noah Bendix-Balgley which occurred on June 1, 2012 to use Music for the Spirit as a vehicle to inspire a deeper conversation about spirituality.  

Accessible Services