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Aug

In Tune with Paris: The Music of the Eiffel Tower

by Meredith Mullins on August 8, 2013

Joe Bertolozzi with rubber hammer on Eiffel Tower railing, a unique form of artistic expression.

Hundreds of feet high, Joe Bertolozzi “plays” an Eiffel Tower railing.
© Franc Palaia

The Voice Inside The Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower has been called many things. La Grande Dame. The Iron Lady. The ultimate symbol of Paris.

Several more imaginative names were provided by the artists and writers who protested its construction in 1887. A truly tragic street lamp. An ungainly skeleton. A half-built factory pipe.

Now, thanks to Joseph Bertolozzi‘s unique path for artistic expression, an even more inspirational name can be applied. The Eiffel Tower has become a musical instrument. Read more...

Meredith Mullins 8 Comments

France (Paris)/The World's Music

Apr

Landfill Harmonic: Sounds of Life-Changing Experiences

by Janine Boylan on April 8, 2013

Landfill Harmonic orchestra, illustrating life-changing experiences

Recycled Orchestra members Maria, Nohelia, and Tania
© Landfill Harmonic

A Story That Goes Beyond Film

Last fall, a documentary trailer about the Paraguayan children’s Recycled Orchestra went viral. The musical group is made up of youth who were raised on the Cateura city landfill; their music teacher is using brilliantly-designed recycled instruments to provide them with life-changing experiences.

If you haven’t seen this trailer, you must take a few minutes to do so. If you have seen it, it is worth watching again.

If video does not display, watch it here.

Without Favio Chávez, the orchestra leader, these children might be caught up in a continuous whirlwind of alcoholism, drugs, and crime on a garbage heap. Instead, these talented, devoted children have a chance to rise from their bleak backgrounds and travel the world to share their skills. Read more...

Janine Boylan 1 Comment

Making a Difference/On the World Stage/Paraguay/The World's Music

Dec

For the New Year: Creative Inspiration from Emily Bear

by Meredith Mullins on December 27, 2012

piano keyboard, symbolizing creative inspiration from music

Looking for Inspiration, Not Resolutions

I stopped making New Year’s resolutions years ago. They were becoming less-than-meaningful clichés and always had relatively short lives. From a few days to a few weeks, they stayed in focus only until some project or practical necessity pushed them aside. (And, by the way, when you resolve to limit yourself to only one croissant a day in Paris, you are doomed to failure.) Read more...

Meredith Mullins Comments

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