Birmingham Suzuki Violinists
accepted the invitation extended by
Terri Henningson
Goulard go to Japan for the 44th Annual Suzuki Concert in
Autumn of 1997.
Much publicity, many
fundraising concerts, and donations were needed to fund the trip to
Japan.
Avery Otto Warren, the
Director of the THE PEOPLE PLACE was essential to our
success. The PEOPLE
PLACE stepped in to become our official sponsoring organization,
fundraising,
grant-writing and publicity efforts. One significant event that was held
was the "Unveiling Ceremony" of the "Youth" composition, that
Otto commissioned from
LaDonna Smith, that would set
the text of Samuel Ullman's poem Youth to music. Beloved in
Japan by business men and
elected officials, the poem was even known to be displayed
in General McArthur's
office during the post-war effort to rebuild Japan. Samuel Ullman
was German immigrant who
lived in Birmingham, and wrote as an avocation. Who would
guess that his poem would
play such an influential role in Japanese history?
The
"Youth" composition, based on the famous Ullman poem, was composed by LaDonna Smith
in November 1997, to take as a
gift from the Birmingham Suzuki Violinists and City of Birmingham
to Japan. We gave a gift
of the original score to Dr. Masaaki Honda, Director of Talent
Education,
in honor of Dr. Suzuki. A copy
of the score was given to the Shinichi Suzuki Museum in Matsamoto.
A final copy was given to
Mr. Toshio Ilyama, Mayor of Hitachi City, Birmingham's Sister City.
Below
you will see some pictures from the "Unveiling" of the "Youth
Composition" which was
premiered by soprano, Diane
McNaron with Robbie James, piano to a specially invited audience
at the historic home of Samuel
Ullman, now a museum at UAB. Henry Panion III was the keynote
speaker and a presentation of
the score for the Museum was made to Mayer Neufield,
_____________
Ullman's grandson.
To view the poem click here.
People Place Director, Avery
Otto Warren with LaDonna Smith
Soprano, Diane McNaron, Robbie James, and LaDonna Smith
Diane McNaron and
Birmingham Suzuki Violinists premier the "Youth" composition by LaDonna
Smith at the Ullman House, March 1998
Ullman's grandson, Mayer Neufield, is presented with the score.
He tells stories of his memories of this grandfather, Samuel Ullman.
Keynote Speaker, Henry Panion III with Mayer Neufield III
LaDonna Smith with composer and mentor, Professor Fred Goosen
Walter E. Smith, LaDonna's father
Mayer Neufield III and his wife
The Birmingham Suzuki Violinists
Congratulations to our "Youth," Birmingham
Suzuki Violinists on their way to Japan!
Acknowledgements: The People Place, The Samuel Ullman
Museum, Birmingham Sister City Commission,
Gloria Narramore Moody Foundation, Jemison Investment Co., Alabama Power
Foundation, Vulcan Materials,
Governer Fob James, Alabama State Council on the Arts and
Humanities, The Japan America Society, AmSouth,
Alabama Public Television, Birmingham Rotary Club,
Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Compass Bank, Hoover Library
The Birmingham News, The Dailey Mountain Eagle, Shelby Reporter,
Sloss Development Group, Eighteenth Street
Orientals , Birmingham Youth Jazz Ensemble, UA Japan Program, and all
those who supported this project.