In keeping with High Holy Day themes which urge us to look inside ourselves to effect change in our lives, we are also obligated to look at the world around us to see what transformations we can promote through our efforts. This is why, on September 20, 2014, the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah, Falmouth Jewish Congregation will join with hundreds of organizations and individuals throughout the world  to support Playing For Change Day, an event whose purpose is to raise funds for music education throughout the world. Scroll down to read about FJC's benefit concert.

"Playing For Change Day unites a global community through the power of music to affect positive social change. Communities will gather as musicians from all over the world perform on stages, street corners, schools, yoga studios, and cafes all with the goal of bringing music into the lives of young people.

In response to the enthusiasm of those inspired by 'Songs Around the World'  (a series of marvelous CDs featuring collaboration from musicians around the world) and the mission of the Playing For Change Foundation, PFC Day was created in 2011 so that everyone can get involved and become a part of our global community." Learn more about Playing For Change by clicking on this link.

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On Saturday, September 20th, musicians and music lovers around the world will gather on stages, street corners, and schools for a global day of action to bring music into the lives of children and to promote positive social change everywhere. Join us at Cape Cod's first Playing for Change Day event that day at 7pm at the Falmouth Jewish Congregation at 7 Hatchville Road, East Falmouth. Cape Codders will join with hundreds of organizations and individuals throughout the world to support Playing For Change Day, an event whose purpose is to raise funds for music education throughout the world. This coffee house-style concert will benefit the Playing for Change Foundation. Check out it out, as well as Playing for Change's CD series ‘Songs Around the World,’ featuring collaboration from musicians around the world, online at www.playingforchangeday.org and on YouTube.

This benefit features a variety of musical groups and styles, as well as good company and refreshments for sale. The three acts are: the Goucher-Jellinek Jazz Duo (Ted Jellinek on keyboard & Lynn Goucher on violin playing jazz standards and American Songbook); Three-Legged Dog (folk and contemporary music for voice, guitar and percussion, with Elias Lieberman, Wendy Nelson & Pamela Rothstein); and Ensemble Passacaglia (renaissance, medieval, and world music, with Jan Elliott (recorder, crumhorn, cornamuse, concertina); Lisa Esperson (riqq, darbuka, tambourine, tar, and other percussion); Tom Hanna (lute, guitar, mandolin, oud); and Molly Johnston (viola da gamba, vielle).

This coffee house-style concert will take place at the Falmouth Jewish Congregation, is open, welcoming, and accessible to all. Donations will be accepted at the door for the Playing for Change Foundation. Refreshments will be available for sale.

Playing For Change is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect,  and bring peace to the world through music. The Playing For Change Foundation (PFCF) was established in 2007 as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to create positive change through music education. To date, PFCF has created  nine music schools and programs in Ghana, Mali, Rwanda, South Africa, Nepal, and Thailand. Hundreds of children who wouldn’t otherwise have access to music education currently participate in regular music and dance classes. Dozens of teaching jobs have been created and instruments for the programs are sourced from local artisans, creating economic opportunity. Projects also meet basic local needs, including the provision of clean water, food, medicine, clothes, books, and school supplies, with over 15,000 children and community members benefiting through these efforts. Recent program evaluations reinforce the real and positive impact of music education to improve students’ learning in math and language, increase their self-esteem, and foster joy and peace in the community.

Proceeds from 2014 Playing for Change Day events will provide direct support for the Playing For Change Foundation’s free music education programs around the world that give children the opportunity to develop new skills and find personal expression through music. This year’s event will build on the success of PFC Day 2013, in which thousands of volunteers organized more than 300 events worldwide in 56 countries on six continents. This year, the Playing For Change Foundation is joining forces with Celerity Global Development in an effort to support underserved children both academically and creatively and to inspire them to become valuable contributors to their communities and the world. Celerity Global Development’s mission to provide quality education in under-served communities by creating alternative schools that focus on the potential of every child, fostering the develop of each child’s intellectual, artistic, and physical talents to the highest degree. The two organizations will be jointly founding a new International Music Program headquartered in Los Angeles, as well as introducing a new integrated curriculum beginning with Celerity Schools in California, Louisiana, Florida, and   Ohio.

Those who are unable to attend this Playing for Change Day event will be able to watch one of the many performances streamed live online. For futher information, call 508-540-0602 and visit: www.playingforchangeday.org; http://playingforchange.com, www.solsticesingers.org/passacaglia.htm; https://www.facebook.com/pages/Three-Legged-Dog/1441669916052192, and http://celerityglobal.org.