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REMEMBERING
DANIEL PEARL (1963–2002) World Music Days, October 6–15 At his son's memorial service on March 10, 2002, Dr. Judea Pearl spoke of a rare syndrome he and his wife discovered in their newborn boy. "[Daniel] had not one shred of malice in his bones." When you moved a pillow from under his head, he'd assume peacefully a different position; when bullied, simply stare back until his adversary realized how funny he looked; when told at bedtime to put on corrective footwear for his toeing-in, "bite his lips and ask to be put into those awkward and painful braces." The common childhood mantra "don't talk to strangers," however, couldn't be pressed; later, Daniel's profession as a journalist was founded on his passion for understanding others. By all accounts, Daniel Pearl was a person of tremendous humanity. He spent eleven years at The Wall Street Journal offering a voice to strangers, from robbers and Samaritans mired in civil strife, to pearl-diving singers and world leaders. As a reporter, he was relentless and bold, and after posts in Atlanta, Washington, London and Paris, moved to Bombay to become the Journal's South Asia bureau chief. For a story on the leather industry in India, a colleague once recalled Daniel having "interviewed just about every single person in India who ever had anything to do with a cow." His coworkers loved him, his compassion, quirky sense of humor and carefree attitude; he had a beach chair in his London cubicle and walked around the office without shoes. Utterly lacking prejudice, "Danny had the ability to see the ordinary as extraordinary," wrote his older sister Tamara. A day after learning he was going to have a son, terrorists kidnapped and later viciously murdered Daniel in Karachi, Pakistan. Daniel's senseless death galvanized an international effort to carry on his spirit and the ideals for which he stood: honesty, respect for differences, kindness and generosity, humor and love of humanity. One week after learning about their son's death, Daniel's parents established the Daniel Pearl Foundation, which promotes cross-cultural understanding through journalism, public dialogue and music. An accomplished violinist, Daniel was obsessed by music. He joined a youth orchestra at age nine, regularly attending music camps. Blessed with perfect pitch, he dreamed of becoming a classical violinist before heading off to Stanford University, and later played the fiddle in bands around the world. He led one in Atlanta called The Ottoman Empire, opening for The Kinks in 1993. Once, he wrote for his friend’s unborn son a song entitled, The World is Not Such a Bad Place. He played and appreciated all traditions; at his wedding he performed Bach, and his vast CD and LP collection included Miles Davis, Dvorák, La India, Liszt, Curtis Mayfield and Stuff Smith. "He was always a music man," proclaimed The Wall the Street Journal on the day after his death was announced. That day, February 22, 2002, Daniel’s friend and neighbor in Paris, conductor George Phelivanian, was scheduled to be a guest conductor of the Israeli Philharmonic. Grief-stricken by Daniel's death, Mr. Phelivanian was reluctant to perform but went ahead and dedicated the concert to his lost friend. The concert received a fifteen-minute ovation and helped inspire a major project initiated by the Daniel Pearl Foundation. On what would have been Daniel's 39th birthday, October 10, 2002, Daniel's sisters, Tamara and Michelle, and their parents began Daniel Pearl World Music Days. An annual global network of concerts, World Music Days now spans ten days every October and includes hundreds of amateur and professional performers inspiring hope through music, using it as a bridge between cultures, just as Daniel did. "Through Music Days, we are building a legacy of hope that extends beyond one family's grief," said Daniel’s mother, Ruth Pearl on NPR’s Morning Edition. Past performers have included the Dixie Chicks, Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman and R.E.M. "Music Days is about raising awareness of the universal power of music to bridge cultural divides; it is not a fundraiser," said Jackie Gelfand, Executive Director of the Foundation, in a press release. Participation this year is expected to surpass 2005 World Music Days, which involved 312 concerts in 41 countries. "I have seen Music Days in several countries and for me, it is very touching. At the point where words end, are no longer efficient, music is a way of communicating which appeals directly to the emotions," Daniel's wife Mariane Pearl told Agence France-Presse last month. On October 6 and 15, Bloomingdale School of Music faculty members Alejandro Cote and Janey Choi will perform at BSM's David Greer Hall as participants of World Music Days, using music to diminish hatred and intolerance. Please see the concert calendar for more information. Click here to see a partial list of other World Music Days concerts in New York City. - Kevin Shihoten |
 Daniel Pearl on his wedding day, 1999. Courtesy of the Daniel Pearl Foundation.  "[Daniel] loved life more than anyone I know, and he lived life to the fullest. Through out his travels and his explorations he maintained a strong faith in humanity, a deep respect for people, and a healthy sense of humor about himself and human nature." Tamara Pearl, Daniel's
older sister Pearl, Judea and Ruth. I am Jewish: Personal Reflections Inspired by the Last Words of Daniel Pearl. Woodstock: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2004.  Mariane and Daniel Pearl. Courtesy of Mariane Pearl. "He was an amazing child and an amazing person. And we are so grateful that the rest of the world is recognizing him." Ruth Pearl, on CNN's Larry King Live
 Mariane and Adam D. Pearl, born on May 28, 2002. Courtesy of Mariane Pearl. Bloomingdale School of Music expresses deep thanks to Mariane and Ruth Pearl, who kindly granted use of personal photos for this feature. |
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