July Newsletter

The ministries of the Christmas Lutheran Church are not only thriving, but expanding and improving in new and creative ways. A new center for artisans, Dar al-Balad, just opened in Beit Sahour, a Christian village adjacent to Bethlehem. Bethlehem Star Music continues to grow, now under the joint leadership of Joseph Duqmaq and myself. Joseph, a native of Bethlehem and graduate of Amman Conservatory of Music, joined the staff during my recent itineration in the United States. The music program of Dar al-Kalima College, offering the first music performance degree available in Palestine, will begin courses on September 12.

The Palestinian Authority, which has accredited the college and its music program, requires that at least one full-time music staff member hold a master’s degree in music. I am scheduled to finish studies for a Master of Music Education degree from Boston University at the end of this summer. As the head of the music program, I will be the only full-time staff member in the music program—and only the sixth full-time faculty member in the entire college. Five Palestinian music teachers will join me, all of whom will be part-time and who hold bachelors degrees in music. This means that, at this time, in order for the music performance degree to begin, I must be in Bethlehem. Unfortunately, the music program is the least funded of all college programs and cannot afford my stipend.

You can provide the necessary funding for my stipend, and thus enable the first music performance degree in Palestine to be launched on September 12, 2008. When you donate to “Matt’s music ministry,” 100% of your money goes toward my stipend and is tax deductible. Attached is a form with the mailing address for your donations, and a form that you may include with your donation so the money is credited accordingly.

Checks may be mailed to

Bright Stars of Bethlehem
212 East Capitol Street NE
Washington DC 20003
*In the memo line, write “Matt’s music ministry.”

Without your support, this unprecedented opportunity for young musicians in Bethlehem will not succeed.

Thank you for your previous and continuing support for musicians, and for my work here.

Yours sincerely,
Matthew Middleton

Donate a Piano

The piano you see in the photos during the performance of Vivaldi's Gloria is no longer in the Christmas Lutheran Church. Due to the change of venue of the National Conservatory of Music and the addition of Dar Al-Kalima College, there is no longer any piano on which to make music either during performances or worship services. Rather, performances and services are being accompanied by an aging, small, and damaged keyboard.

If you would like to donate a piano to the Christmas Lutheran Church, contact me, Matt Middleton, via email at mmiddleton@annadwa.org, or our sales representative for price and shipping options, Steve Tunnell, stunnell@steinwaydallas.com.

Vivaldi Gloria

On March 29, 2008, two Bethlehem Star Music ensembles performed the famed oratorio of Antonio Vivaldi, Gloria. The Chorus rehearsed for 10 months prior to performance, being joined by the Chamber Ensemble in the last two months of preparations. With performers from Palestine, Germany, the United States, United Kingdom, Sweden and more, the eclectic group gave a cohesive performance and one that reflected their commitment to making beautiful music despite the challenging circumstances in which they find themselves.

Our two soloists were both from the United States. Janet Lewis, soprano, is now the regional liaison for the United Methodist Church in Palestine and Israel. Faith Rowold, mezzo-soprano, is a communications officer for Diyar Consortium and Bright Stars of Bethlehem. We were also joined on double-bass by the principal of Talitha Kumi School in Beit Jala, Dr. Georg Durr, who is committed to have every one of his 800 students learn at least one musical instrument. Four advanced students from the National Conservatory of Music in Beit Sahour composed the violin section, and several elders from the Christmas Lutheran Church participated in the Chorus, among other professional musicians and volunteers.

Valentina Returns!

After spending the summer in her native Ukraine, Valentina Mustafa recently returned to Bethlehem and I am thrilled that we have resumed rehearsals. We are currently preparing for fall concerts in Bethlehem and Ramallah. One of the reasons I enjoy working with Valentina, besides the fact that she is the hardest working member of the music program and a fantastic soprano, is her cheerful and dramatic personality. Few people could ever rival her sense of spontaneity combined with dedicated and productive work ethic.

Valentina and I are basing our fall concerts on similar but expanded repertoire as last spring, romances from the great Russian composers, refining our musical collaboration and delving deeper into the works of Tchaikowsky and Rachmaninoff. Make no mistake, these guys rarely wrote an easy piece and we have plenty of work to do in our near future. However, bringing to life the poetry and music of late nineteenth century and early twentieth century Russia, a rare event in the West Bank, is more than enough reward.

Why Teach Music?

In founding a fine arts institution in the Middle East, the staff of Dar al-Kalima College are making a concrete statement that music and the arts in general have the ability to improve quality of life. Anthony J. Palmer, Professor of Music at Boston University, presents a defense of including music as a part of education. Here is what he has to say:

"To ask why the human species makes music is a fundamental question. If we can discover even partial answers, we might be better able to understand what the music making process is about, what benefits it bestows on makers and recipients, and what potential it might hold for an increase in life's satisfactions and understandings.

"I have argued previously that there is a genetic disposition to make music (Palmer, 1997). That is, there is a psychological imperative to express through an organized sound system - developed by all cultures - their innermost thoughts, desires, longings, joys, and vicissitudes of life's experiences. Music is a human expression that helps to answer the basic questions of life's existence: Why am I? Why am I here? What is this 'here' of which I am aware?

"The arts, and music in particular, helped to ease the reconciliation between opposites like good and evil, the physical and the metaphysical, the explicable and indefinable, and the phenomenal and numinous. Humankind lives a psychic existence and finds that music is a necessary expression that permeates the mental world in which it exists. Music is both expressive of and expressive for the inexplicable and mysterious experience we call life."

Taken from "Cultural Interpretation and Contemporary Music Education" by Anthony J. Palmer.

Welcoming the first cellist on staff

Our newest personnel addition to the music program is a young American musician, linguist and environmentalist, Nachy Kanfer. A recent Yale graduate and Fulbright Scholar in Damascus, Syria, Nachy will be playing cello in the Bethlehem Star Quintet and working directly with me as his accompanist. The first task we adopted is a bit daunting, the magnificent cello sonata of Sergei Rachmaninoff. I am hoping that the Quintet will act as a nucleus for a larger amateur chamber ensemble with advanced performers from the National Conservatory of Music and Dar al-Kalima College.

Nachy is also co-founder of LifeSource, an environmental organization designed to research and document water rights and access in Israel/Palestine. If you are interested in learning more or want to support this largely unprecedented research and upcoming documentary film, contact Nachy directly at nachy@thelifesourceproject.org.

Dandanat 2007

A gathering of Swedish and Palestine bands, the 2007 Dandanat Festival held at the International Center of Bethlehem (ICB) began on Thursday, July 6. Young adult rock, hip hop and rap musicians spend their days in music workshops, sharing ideas and preparing for one of three concerts held during the four day festival. Swedish band members have the opportunity to learn about Palestinian and Israeli culture during their tour, while Palestinians learn and explore new musical ideas from their European counterparts.

One Palestinian rap artist living in Ramallah, Jad, says his lyrics are designed both to tell of his people's suffering under occupation, while encouraging listeners to be proactive, productive and hopeful. Friday's concert will mark his debut performance in Bethlehem.

Young singer, guitarist and budding composer Garo Demerjian (pictured below) also made his debut at the ICB's Addar Auditorium. Garo has been a member of the Bethlehem Star Band since its launch 5 months ago. Though currently a student at Bethlehem University, Garo has accepted a place on the bachelor of music program at Amman Conservatory, Jordan, beginning in August.

Garo's departure highlights the necessity for the West Bank to offer its own collegiate music program, a need that will be met first within the coming years by Dar Al-Kalima College.