Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09AMMAN2559
2009-11-24 12:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

THE APPLE HILL STRING QUARTET RETURNS TO JORDAN AND REACHES

Tags:  SCUL KPAO JO XF XI OEXC OIIP SOCI 
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DE RUEHAM #2559/01 3281236
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241236Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6338
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002559 

SIPDIS

ECA/PE/C/CU BARROSSE; NEA/PPD AGNEW AND JACZYNKA; NEA/ELA GREGONIS

E.O. 12958, as amended: N/A
TAGS: SCUL KPAO JO XF XI OEXC OIIP SOCI
SUBJECT: THE APPLE HILL STRING QUARTET RETURNS TO JORDAN AND REACHES
NEW AUDIENCES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002559

SIPDIS

ECA/PE/C/CU BARROSSE; NEA/PPD AGNEW AND JACZYNKA; NEA/ELA GREGONIS

E.O. 12958, as amended: N/A
TAGS: SCUL KPAO JO XF XI OEXC OIIP SOCI
SUBJECT: THE APPLE HILL STRING QUARTET RETURNS TO JORDAN AND REACHES
NEW AUDIENCES


1. SUMMARY: PAS Amman hosted the award-winning ensemble, the Apple
Hill String Quartet, in a series of concerts, performances, and
musical workshops in Aqaba, Ma'an and Amman, engaging a diverse
audience of more than 1,000 with their inspiring renditions of
classical and contemporary chamber music. The Quartet's three-day
program, November 8-10, 2009, bolstered the Mission's outreach
efforts through engaging a significant number of young,
underprivileged Jordanians from social and religious conservative
areas in the south of Jordan. Press coverage of the Quartet's visit
was extensive and positive. This program, a part of the Embassy's
celebration of 60 years of U.S.- Jordan diplomatic and development
ties, underscored Embassy Amman's commitment to encouraging mutual
understanding and creating a sense of goodwill toward the U.S. among
our target audience. Post will sponsor a $6,000 scholarship for a
promising Jordanian musician to study at the Apple Hill Center for
Chamber Music summer program in 2010. END SUMMARY





On The Road Again
--------------


2. During their three-day program in Jordan, the Apple Hill String
Quartet performed two separate concerts in the Red Sea port of Aqaba
on November 8 and 9 at the Aqaba Chamber of Commerce theater, one
for students from the newly opened University of Jordan-Aqaba
campus, and the other with students from public and private schools
from the southern governorates of the Kingdom. Both concerts drew a
full house of more than 300 attendees. On November9, the Quartet
performed in Ma'an, an area of Jordan known for its religious and
social conservatism, at Al-Hussein Bin Talal University with an
educational and interactive performance to a student crowd of more
than 250. This successful event marked the Embassy's re-engagement
with a community whose social and religious conservatism often curbs
PAS's ability to program social and cultural activities.

Apple Hill Educates
--------------


3. In each of the outreach events, the Quartet delivered a unique,

accessible performance to the students, many of whom had never heard
of chamber music and were unfamiliar with the string quartet as a
performing ensemble. These educational performances included an
interactive component in which the Quartet solicited unsuspecting
audience members to join them on stage and perform a piece entitled
"Fantasia on One Note."
On Tuesday, November 10,, the Quartet offered a master class at the
National Music Conservatory for students of the Jordanian Military
Symphony. The novice members of the Symphony received individual and
small group coaching instruction from the members of the Quartet and
were encouraged to continue in their classical music studies.

AUDIENCES OPEN TO CLASSICAL MUSIC
--------------


5. The Apple Hill String Quartet ended their tour in Jordan with an
evening public concert at the Al-Hussein Cultural Center. In the
packed hall of more than 220 fans, the Quartet performed pieces by
Haydn, Schumann, and Sedqwick, a well-balanced program of the
Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary eras. Although chamber music
is a form of music that is generally not well-known to Jordanian
audiences, the Apple Hill String Quartet managed to make the
unfamiliar familiar to Jordanians of all ages and socio-economic
backgrounds.




APPLE HILL IN THE PRESS
--------------


6. Post deployed a number of new media advertising tools to promote
the program, including online social media platforms like Facebook
and SMS messaging. The Quartet received extensive and positive
media coverage in Jordan's main daily papers, including an exclusive
in the arts and culture section of the leading Al-Ghad newspaper.
Radio Station Mood FM aired an exclusive interview with Apple Hill
Artistic Director Lenny Matczynski, and first violinist Elise Kuder.
Normina television station aired an interview with the Quartet and
PAS staff on its weekly show entitled "Here is Amman," while also
airing the concert in its entirety on the station's daily show,
"Shouf Fi Ma Fi," i.e. "What's Going On." Al-Hurra television
station also provided full coverage of the Amman public concert.

IMPACT
--------------

7. The Apple Hill String Quartet's visit to Jordan demonstrated
Embassy Amman's commitment to bringing American cultural events to

AMMAN 00002559 002 OF 002


areas off the beaten path and to audiences whose social and
religious conservatism have left them unfamiliar with such
programming. The Quartet also helped to train and promote Jordan's
next generation of artists and performers through providing
mentoring opportunities with world-class American musicians. And to
that end, PAS Amman will sponsor a $6,000 scholarship for a
promising Jordanian musician to study at the Apple Hill Center for
Chamber Music in the Summer of 2010.


8. Post strongly endorses the Apple Hill String Quartet. They are
experienced and talented musicians, professional performers and
educators, and friendly guests whose large network of Jordanian
supporters and alumni remind us that there remains an important role
for musical groups in bridging cultures and in strengthening
outreach to varied audiences.

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