United in Music: A virtual charity concert to aid UNHCR'S coronavirus response

More than 50 musicians from around the world are contributing their talents and time to a joint virtual concert performance to raise funds for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency’s COVID-19 response.

United in Music is slated to premiere on Thursday 28 May at 18:00 GMT (14:00 EST) and will be hosted and streamed on UNHCR’s global YouTube channels. The musical charity fundraiser was initiated by Shlomo Mintz, a world-renowned violin virtuoso and conductor, as a response to an invitation from Christine Mori and Alexis Spieldenner of Canadian-based Bravo Niagara! Festival of the Arts. The duo invited Maestro Mintz to collaborate on a virtual performance of Vivaldi’s celebrated Concerto for Four Violins, together with musicians of different orchestras based in Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Upon Maestro Mintz's invitation the program was extended with Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise curated by Q-Toi, bringing together professors, concert artists, and students from 29 countries.  United in Music will be recorded remotely by the diverse ensemble of artists in their respective homes. The artists will be performing works by Vivaldi, Kreisler and Rachmaninoff.

All donations from the concert go to UNHCR to help protect refugees and the communities that welcome them in the ongoing global fight against COVID-19.

“The original idea behind the concert was to share a message of hope by bringing music and joy into people’s homes during this challenging time,” said Mintz. “We know there are millions more around the world who have been forced from their homes and are in in urgent need of humanitarian support — especially now. This brought me to the idea to turn this performance into a musical charity fundraiser. Our goal is to help raise funds for UNHCR in their efforts to support refugee families now facing the threat of COVID-19.”

The event will include a video introduction from Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and is supported by Barbara Hendricks, a globally acclaimed American-born classical singer and UNHCR’s lifetime Honorary Goodwill Ambassador.

“Music truly has the power to uplift and unite individuals – particularly during times of hardship,” said Hendricks. “As we all remain physically distanced, virtual communications are the connective thread that are keeping us together. I’m grateful for Maestro Mintz and for all the artists helping support the vital work of UNHCR in support of refugees. Every dollar raised will have a life-saving impact on millions of children, women and men who have been uprooted from their homes.”

Grandi added: "This is a great example of organizations coming together creatively across the globe to support refugees, and we are enormously grateful to Maestro Shlomo Mintz, Bravo Niagara! Festival of the Arts, and all the brilliant musicians who have come together from all over the world to collaborate to raise funds for UNHCR's COVID-19 response.”

Bravo Niagara! Festival of the Arts

This project is a testament to our belief in the transformative power of music for social change.

We are honoured to collaborate with Maestro Mintz and the UNHCR in uniting musical ambassadors from around the world to support refugees during this time of global crisis.

About UNHCR

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, leads international action to protect people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We deliver life-saving assistance like shelter, food and water, help safeguard fundamental human rights, and develop solutions that ensure people have a safe place to call home where they can build a better future. We also work to ensure that stateless people are granted a nationality.

UNHCR is taking measures to help respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency and prevent further spread. Working together with governments, UNHCR ensures refugees are included in national health response plans and are well-informed on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19, have access to soap and clean water, and continue to receive the life-saving aid and assistance they need.

Even a small donation to UNHCR can make a huge difference in protecting refugees and their host communities from COVID-19. Just US$20 (€18, £16) can provide 10 families with bars of soap to help prevent the spread of the virus.

To donate to the United in Music fundraiser, please visit: https://donate.unhcr.org/gwa/united-in-music-coronavirus-fundraiser/

Notes to Editor

Musicians pre-event assets can be found in this folder.

UNHCR images of refugees preparing for COVID can be found through this link.

The event will also be shared on Facebook. 

For media enquiries:

• In London, Mark Macdonald, [email protected]
• In Washington, D.C., Junia Geisler, [email protected]
• In Geneva, Carlotta Wolf, [email protected]
• In Toronto, Lauren La Rose, [email protected]

For interviews with Goodwill Ambassador Barbara Hendricks:

• In London, Claire Lewis, [email protected]

For artists media enquiries:

• Belén Alonso, [email protected]

For Bravo Niagara media enquiries:

• Alexis Spieldenner, [email protected]

Programme

1. Vivaldi: Concerto for 4 violins in B minor, RV 580 (1st & 3rd mov.)

Soloists:

Shlomo Mintz
Carmine Lauri. London Symphony Orchestra & Oxford Philharmonic
Jonathan Crow, Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Nikki Chooi, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

Violins:

Qianqian Li, New York Philharmonic
Chen Zhao, San Francisco Symphony
Andrew Beer, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra
Barbora Kolářová, Lake George Music Festival

Violas:

Bryony Gibson-Cornish, Marmen Quartet
Ren Martin-Doïké, National Arts Centre Orchestra

Celli:

Guy Johnston, Faculty, Eastman School of Music
Julian Schwarz, Faculty, New York University

Double Bass:

Daniel Pendley,  Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

2. F. Kreisler: Recitativo and Scherzo, Op. 6

Shlomo Mintz

3. S. Rachmaninoff: Vocalise, string version

(Q-Toi)​ with friends

(Professors, concert artists, and students)​

United in Music is possible thanks to the collaboration of:

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency

Claire Lewis (Global Goodwill Ambassador Programme)
Lauren La Rose (Fundraising and Comms Manager in UNHCR Canada)
Carlotta Wolf (Global Marketing and Emergencies team)

Bravo Niagara!

Christine Mori, Artistic Director & Co-Founder
Alexis Spieldenner, Executive Director & Co-Founder

Maestro Schlomo Mintz & team

Belén Alonso, General Manager
Ana Curcin, Assistant

Sound Engineer

Ben Ewing, Ben Ewing Recordings

Film Production

Guillermo Subauste, Pacha Sound

Coordination Vivaldi Concerto

Bravo Niagara!
Nikki Chooi (ensemble)

Coordination Rachmaninoff Vocalise

Qian Zhou (Q-Toi) 

General Coordination

Belén Alonso