For Immediate Release Contact: Sandra Rizkallah, Ph. (781) 956-4281 NEEDHAM TEEN ROCK BAND PROGRAM brings ARAB AND JEWISH MUSICIANS TOGETHER IN A CONCERT TO BENEFIT THE SEEDS OF PEACE June 5, 2003 - Needham, MA - On June 7, 2003 the Plugged In Teen Band Program in Needham will be sponsoring a concert to benefit Seeds of Peace, a camp where Arab and Jewish teenagers come together and learn conflict resolution skills and learn to develop trust and empathy for one another. Seeds of Peace enables these teens to see the human face of their enemies, thus equipping this next generation with the tools to end the violence in the hope that these leaders of tomorrow will bring peace to the region - and to the world. Among the musicians who will be performing at the benefit concert are Mary Lahaj (an Arab-American singer/songwriter and accomplished speaker and teacher on Islamic Studies who will perform her original song entitled, Put an End to Violence), Yom Hadash (an international Jewish rock band), Ravin Klaim (the winner of the 2003 WBCN Battle of the High School Bands), and the Plugged In Program teen bands (made up of Needham, Newton and Wellesley teenagers - ages 11-17). Other guests include seeds, campers from the Seeds of Peace, who will speak about their experiences. The concert will be emceed by Needham resident, Dan Rabinovitz, music director and trumpeter for Solomon Burke - the King of Rock and Soul. The Plugged In Teen Band Program, run by Tom Pugh and Sandra Rizkallah of Needham, provides music education and instruction to teenagers on how to start a rock band and perform in a concert. Through both individual and group instruction, students learn how to start a band, are coached in performance and songwriting, are taught technical information about instruments and equipment, and learn how to improve their technique. At the end of each session, each band performs in a live concert. One of the goals of the Plugged In program is to have the students play in benefit concerts with a social aspect to them. As the music industry is dominated by business, money, success and fame, Pugh and Rizkallah hope to infuse their students' experience of music with some social consciousness. Through the creative and nurturing environment provided by the Plugged In program, students are encouraged to take risks in both musical performance and songwriting, which results in artistic growth and increased self-confidence. For many teenagers, playing in a band and in a concert has been a dream or goal of theirs for a long time. The mission of the Plugged In program is that by showing teenagers that they can accomplish this goal, they can translate this experience into other parts of their lives and accomplish other goals. Tom Pugh, Berklee alumni and musician for 30 years, is music director for the Plugged In program. He is a member of two Boston-based bands and has played at the Montreal Jazz Festival. He has also been an engineer at WGBH in Boston for over 20 years. Sandra Rizkallah conceived of the idea for Plugged In after noticing that teen musicians often were unable to accomplish their goal of starting a band. She offers nurturing and support to the students, gently encouraging them to take risks both with their musical performance, as well as with their songwriting. She has a degree in film and television from Emerson College, has produced her own documentaries and has worked in the post-production department of NOVA at WGBH. Rizkallah decided to organize the benefit after being moved by the Seeds of Peace mission when she first heard of the organization. Her mother is a German Jew who survived the Holocaust, and her ex-husband is from Lebanon. Rizkallah and her daughter maintain a meaningful and harmonious connection to both their Jewish and Lebanese roots, showing that both sides can coexist in peace. The concert will be held from 7:00-11:00 PM on June 7, 2003 at the Carter Memorial Methodist Church at 800 Highland Ave. in Needham. Tickets are $7 for students and $12 for adults and can be purchased in advance or at the door. As there is a limited capacity, it is best to purchase tickets in advance. The summer session of Plugged In will begin on June 30th. For more information on Plugged In, please contact Sandra Rizkallah @ 781-956-4281 or srizkallah@comcast.net. Photos CONCERT menu