Steve Aoki and Pink Martini Join Daniel Pearl World Music Days Honorary Committee

Annual Global Initiative Runs October 1-31 in a call for Harmony for Humanity

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Sep 18, 2014, 10:11 ET

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Internationally renowned artists Steve Aoki and Pink Martini have joined the Honorary Committee for the 13^th Annual Daniel Pearl World Music Days, a global network of performances organized by the Daniel Pearl Foundation.

Steve Aoki is a Grammy-nominated musician, producer and founder of Dim Mak Records. His remixes and collaborations with artists such as Drake, will.i.am, Tiesto, Rivers Cuomo, and more have captivated the dance music world and made him one of the most popular and in-demand DJs in the business. The first part of his forthcoming 2-disc album, Neon Future, will be released on September 30, 2014.

Led by Thomas Lauderdale and China Forbes, Pink Martini performs its multilingual repertoire on concert stages throughout the world. Notable appearances include the grand opening of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the Governor's Ball at the 80^th Annual Academy Awards in 2008, the opening of the 2008 Sydney Festival in Australia and two sold-out concerts at Paris' legendary L'Olympia Theatre.

"We are gratified and honored by Steve Aoki and Pink Martini's joining the Honorary Committee of the Daniel Pearl World Music Days, which uses music of all genres to cross cultural and national boundaries to connect people around their common humanity," said Judea and Ruth Pearl, Co-Founders of the Daniel Pearl Foundation. "They are true artists and are uniquely qualified to help deliver our message to a broader audience," the Pearls added.

Other Committee members include Herbie Hancock, R.E.M., Sir Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Yefim Bronfman, Theodore Bikel, Zubin Mehta, Itzhak Perlman, Dave Koz, Russell Simmons, Barbra Streisand and John Williams.

13^th Annual Daniel Pearl World Music Days to Commence October 1, 2014

Each October, musicians around the world raise their collective voices and dedicate their art to the legacy of journalist Daniel Pearl. Performers participate by registering their concerts, making a dedication from the stage, adding a message to their printed program, and creating an Artist Profile at www.danielpearlmusicdays.org.

Daniel Pearl World Music Days harnesses the power of music to reaffirm a commitment to fellowship and unity. The event, which embodies the theme "Harmony for Humanity," was created as a response to Pearl's 2002 kidnapping and murder at the hands of extremists in Karachi, Pakistan.

This year's series takes on special meaning in light of the recent murders of two American journalists and an aid worker by the ISIL terrorist organization.

"We are saddened and pained by the brutal murders of the two innocent journalists and the British aid worker and call for all the participants in this year's Daniel Pearl World Music Days to include James Foley, Steven Sotloff, and David Haines in their dedications to the ideals and unfinished work of these brave individuals who have made this world a better place for all. Let the music ring the world for them," said the Pearls.

Jonathan Maseng, Associate Director, says artistic performances are an ideal method for working toward a hate-free world.

"It's musical diplomacy," says Judea Pearl. "Danny was an avid violinist, mandolin player and a fine musician. He understood how music could connect people, because wherever he went, in addition to his work and writing, he played music, he listened to music and inspired friendship through music."

Since 2002, Daniel Pearl World Music Days has encompassed more than 12,000 performances in 132 countries, featuring Elton John, Herbie Hancock, Peter Gabriel, Philip Glass, Kool and the Gang, Indigo Girls, Dave Koz, and many others.

"Danny, whose birthday is October 10th, inspired friendship wherever he traveled," says Ruth Pearl. "This is a rare opportunity for performers from every culture, ethnicity and background to assert through music, our conviction that goodness will triumph and humanity will prevail."

About the Daniel Pearl Foundation

The Daniel Pearl Foundation was created in 2002 to promote the ideals that inspired the life and work of Daniel Pearl. The Foundation works to inspire unity and friendship through music, to counter cultural and religious intolerance, to foster cross-cultural dialogue and understanding, and to cultivate responsible and balanced journalism.

http://www.danielpearlmusicdays.org
http://www.danielpearl.org

SOURCE Daniel Pearl Foundation