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Jul 04th
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Home arrow Arts + Life arrow Music arrow Letters from Iraq: Celebrating independence and music
Letters from Iraq: Celebrating independence and music Print E-mail
By Marc Thayer, special to the Beacon   

I'm very happy to be writing to you from the Hotel Shahram in Suleimanya in northeast Iraq, very near the Iranian border.

Orchestra in Iraq

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Provided

After repacking 27 boxes of donated music and books in Chicago into 16 larger boxes, I met Carole McCann at O'Hare Airport and delivered the boxes to Austrian Airlines, which sponsored our travel to Erbil. Carol is a theater coach from Houston who will be working with the children's groups. She was here last year as well.

We arrived in Vienna on Thursday and met James Nacy, cellist, and Andrew Karr, horn player and conductor. While checking into the gate for the flight to Erbil, which is the capital of the Kurdistan Autonomous Region and seat of the Kurdistan Regional Government, James and Andrew talked to a Kurdish man who told them that all Americans are heroes and thanked them for what we're doing in Iraq.

Learn More

Read more of Marc Thayer's letters from Iraq

This same man sat next to me on the plane so we talked at length. Dana (sounds like Donna) and his sisters escaped from Erbil in 1992 by paying $7,000 in U.S. currency to a Turkish gang that sneaked them across the border. They lived in Istanbul for two years as illegal refugees and finally made their way to Denmark.

The Danish government has been very open to refugees, accepting many times more the number of Iraqi refugees than the U.S. has accepted in the past five years. Dana finished college in Copenhagen and now is a public defender, saying that law and democracy are his religion and he thinks the U.S. is the most incredible democracy anywhere with freedoms that others can't imagine. 

Lake is not a mirage

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Photos from the author

He thanked me again for America's sacrifices and said that this is a very necessary war and very important to the entire region. He was very emotional. This was his first time back to Erbil to see his parents since he left. He is 33 and plans to return to Erbil to help in the independence process for all of Kurdistan. 

Dana was a big help in the airport as we were collecting our luggage and getting the boxes of supplies through security. Special thanks to St. Louis stores Shattinger's Music and Clemens Violins, as well as many members of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, who donated many items and music books for use here this summer, all of which arrived safely.

Michael Masterson, a dance instructor who was also here last year, was at the airport to meet us. The Kurdish government is the largest sponsor of this year's academy and their Ministry of Culture was on hand at the airport to meet us and help with customs.

The president of Iraq, Jalal Talibani, is Kurdish, originally from Suleimanya. He and his wife, Hiro Ibrahim Ahmed, have been involved in the organization of this year's Unity Academy. The academy is part of a program called American Voices, which provides musical coaching and lessons for performers in conflict-affected parts of the world.

On The Road to Suleimanya

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Hiro Ibrahim Ahmed provided her convoy of five Toyota SUVs to pick us up and take us from the Erbil airport to Suleimanya. The four of us with Michal, another dancer named Rick from Houston, and two journalists were in the two armored vehicles in the middle and the outer cars were full of armed guards in gray suits. Very dramatic. Nothing like drawing attention to ourselves.

The two-hour drive was through mountain passes and valleys was breathtakingly beautiful. The soil was red or dark brown, and we could see mountains and canyons for many miles in the distance.

The landscape resembled southern California or Spain. It is hot and dry, with some olive trees, herds of goats and little towns here and there, but there are good paved roads many of which are being expanded or improved. After one long winding crawl over a mountain range, we saw a lake on the other side created by a dam, like a welcome mirage. The terrain continued to become greener as we followed the river down another valley into Suleimanya. After a dark orange sunset, the temperature dropped to a dry, comfortable level.

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From the author

Sahand, a pianist, and Alan Salih (middle) a violinist who is coming to St. Louis in August. meet with Marc Thayer.

Upon arriving at the hotel, I met up with Alan Salih, a violinist whom I taught last year. He is coming to St. Louis this coming year, thanks to a scholarship at St. Louis University. Another violinist, Zana Jalil, is coming as well. Both will study at SLU and will play in the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra. They will live with me.

We met up with John Ferguson, head of American Voices, and other Iraqi friends, for pizza and some wonderful bakhlava to celebrate Andrew's birthday, the 4th of July, a meaningful date for our arrival in free Kurdish Iraq.

 

Editors' Picks

  • Books

    • From July 10-Sept. 30, the Missouri Botanical Garden will host “Madagascar,” an exhibit by National Geographic photographer Frans Lanting, who will be at the garden at 10 a.m. Sept. for a lecture and book signing. Information: www.mobot.org ; 314-577-9400.

    • Still looking for that perfect summer read? Kiplinger’s editors share their favorites. And yes, “good for you” books can be good reads. 

    • Judge blocks publication of book in Salinger dispute: After considering the merits of the case, she indefinitely extended a temporary order that had shelved the portrayal of Holden Caulfield as a 76-year-old. | New York Times

    • University of Missouri-St. Louis scholar Thomas McPhail's new book "Development Communication: Reframing the Role of the Media" provides an overview of a way of using media to promote social change. For information about the book, click here .

  • Theater/Dance

    • The Orange Girls theater company presents “Collected Stories” by Donald Margulies in the black box theatre at COCA July 16-Aug. 2. $15-$20. Information:  www.orangegirls.org or 314-520-9557.

    • Come to COCA , 524 Trinity, on July 16-18 to enjoy “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” It plays Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. $5-$8. 314-725-6555.

    • Check out "Painting Churches," starring Joneal Joplin at the Heagney Theatre, Nerinx Hall, in Webster Groves. For more information about the play, which runs July 8-12 & 16-19, go to www.insighttheatrecompany.com/home

    • New Line Theatre presents "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" from July 16-Aug. 8, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road.

  • Music

    • Opera Theatre St. Louis garners good reviews: " 'Ghosts' emerged as a more intimate, more enjoyable, more dramatically viable show" | Chicago Tribune, John von Rhein

    • At 8 p.m. on July 1, KFUO FM (99.1 FM and www.classic99.com ) begins an 11-week summer series featuring music by the SLSO from archival recordings as well as more recent live recordings made during David Robertson’s tenure. The SLSO Summer Series will be heard on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. and rebroadcast at midnight on Fridays. 

    • The St. Louis Symphony announces a 15 percent rise in revenues on a 7.8 percent rise in attendance for its recently concluded season.

    • Yet another show added: July 17 sold out. But at 8 p.m. July 18, you can enjoy the musical phrasings of Ken Haller, “Putting It Together: The Music of Stephen Sondheim,” The Kranzberg, 501 N. Grand. $20, www.LicketyTix.com or call 314-725-4200 ex. 10

 
  • Neighborhoods

    • Come to the “Healthy you, healthy planet festival” at the Missouri Botanical Garden, from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. July 18. Start with the biggest stretch and learn about cooking and participate in health screenings. www.mobot.org ; www.siteman.wustl.edu ; 314-577-9400,

    • July 17 is the Third Friday so head to the open house - 6-10 p.m. - at the Third Degree Glass Factory , 5200 Delmar. Glassblowing (6:30-8:30), Union Avenue Opera (7 p.m.) Michael Jonas Band (8 p.m.) and the work of  Karen Woodard and  Jessica Cope-Kopitske.

    • Alice S. Handelman, president of The Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis,has been honored as a 25 year member of National Federation of Press Women.The recognition was presented in Idaho Falls, Idaho, at the annual nationalcommunications conference of NFPW. Handelman was community relations director at Jewish Center for Aged for 18 years.

    • Come to the Missouri Botanical Garden from 9 am. to 5 p,m. the Best of Missouri Market where you can find more than 120 artisans from throughout the state.

  • Visual Arts

    • Tthe galleries at the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts will be open from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 5 (the first Sunday of the month). Bring your out-of-town guests and enjoy Ideal (Dis-)Placements: Old Masters at the Pulitzer.

    • Opening July 1 (and running through July 26) are Sam Moyer & Lesley Vance & Stan VanDerBeek in the The Front Room of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis .

    • Come to the Atrium Gallery from 6-9 p.m. on July 10 for the opening of “Small.” The show, which features small works by several artists, runs until Sept. 6. The Salon level, however, will feature larger works.

    • See "Kit Keith: Present to Past" from  June 5 - Aug. 2 in the Millstone Gallery at COCA , 524 Trinity. An opening reception will be held from 6-8 p.m. June 5.

  • Movies/TV

Honor flights

Reporter Dale Singer travels with his father in law, who is one of a group of World War II veterans who are honored for their service and flown to Washington, D.C., to visit monument to their war. Read the story and see a bigger version of the video.

Voices

  • Fiscal stimulus: too much, too late
    Beacon Columnists

    Posted 6 a.m. Fri. July 3 - Christina Romer's remarks as head of the Council of Economic Advisers go against her writings as an economic historian. R.W. Hafer says that her own studies have shown that monetary policy ends recessions, not fiscal policy such as President Obama's stimulus package.

  • Alcohol at least makes the economy look better
    Beacon Columnists

    Posted 6 a.m. Thurs. July 2 - From "Cash for Clunkers" to higher interest rates on credit cards, M.W. Guzy sees some problems with the way the "recovery" is progressing, as well as ideas such as cap and trade.

  • New Haven's test was flawed - why is it wrong to recognize that?
    Beacon Columnists

    Posted 12:32 p.m. Wed. July 1 - What good is a test that neither helps you rank candidates for promotion nor provides meaningful information about who is qualified or not? Not much. Kira Hudson Banks notes, however, that the emphasis is on the impact, not the faulty instrument.

Editorial Cartoons

  • Cartoons for July 3

    sstanris145soto.jpgPosted 9:48 a.m. Fri. July 3 - Cartoonists head into the holidays by taking aim at childish politicians (Chris Britt), a wise Latina (Scott Stantis) and public officials with private problems (John Sherffius and Bruce Beattie).

 
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