Fifth Annual September Concert Set to Fill the Skies With Music in New York City, Across the Country, and Around the World

Concert Locations Include Boston, Oakland, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Sarasota, Washington, D.C., Beijing, Tokyo, Cairo, Johannesburg, London and Paris 
 
"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." -Aldous Huxley
 
New York – On the fifth anniversary of the September 11th tragedy, thousands of musicians will fill the skies across the country and the world with music as part of the Fifth Annual September Concert, a program launched in 2002 to bring communities together, to reaffirm our hope for peace and to celebrate life and our universal humanity. Veronica Kelly, Project Coordinator of the September Concert, announced that musicians who are performing will pause at 2 p.m./ EST for a sing-along of this year’s anthem of hope and peace, “All You Need Is Love” by The Beatles.  
 
“We are so pleased to announce this expansion of The September Concert to cities across the country and around the world,” said Haruko Smith, president, The September Concert.  “We are deeply gratified by the enthusiasm people around the world have had for the project.  Everyone understands the universal language of music.  Our goal is to use the power of music to spread the message of peace throughout the world, and our expansion signals that we are definitely accomplishing that.”
 
Development partners who have donated space and resources include Fisher Brothers Management, Paramount Group, RFR Realty, Reckson Associates Realty Corp, Rudin Management, Tishman Speyer Properties, Vornado Realty Trust and many more. Additional organizations involved include Musicians on Call and Musicians Under the City of New York. Fox Television serves as the broadcast media sponsor.
 
Special concerts on September 11th in New York City will include the NYC Police Band performing at Rockefeller Center; the New York Pops at the United Nations; and the New York Choral Society at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. More concert venues include Central Park, Herald Square, Madison Square Park, Union Square, Washington Square Park, The Bitter End, The Living Room, the Jazz Standard and many more.
 
Concerts are now planned in 73 cities – including 44 U.S. cities and 29 more internationally. In the U.S., concerts are planned in Boston, Oakland, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Sarasota and a special U.S. Navy Band performance at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. All concerts are free, and feature all kinds of music, from hip-hop and pop rock to classical and world music. They are organized and performed by professionals, semi-professionals as well as up-and-coming newcomers.
 
International cities involved in celebrating this global day of peace include Beijing, Tokyo, Cairo, Johannesburg, London and Paris, with the list continuing to expand.
 
In 2005, the September Concert Foundation organized 117 concerts with more than 2,000 performers. Although primarily focused in the New York area, the Foundation continues to expand and has partnered this year with a variety of national and international groups.
 
Anyone wishing to participate – by playing music, by offering a space for a performance, by volunteering their time, or by sponsoring – can do so by signing up at www.SeptemberConcert.org. 
 
The September Concert adheres to the following three principles:
 
• Freedom: All venues and musicians are free to design and organize their own concert.
• Equality: All music and all musicians are treated equally, regardless of the genre and background.
• Accessibility: All music is offered free of charge. 
                                              
For the most up-to-date program, see the Concert Listings page on the website www.SeptemberConcert.org.

Rubenstein Communications, Inc.
Marisa Wayne  212-843-9216 / mwayne@rubenstein.com