FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 15, 2010
CONTACT: George Hazimanolis
412-622-1366
ghazimanolis@wqed.org
GIVE THANKS THIS SEASON
WITH MUSIC OF MAJESTIC SPIRIT—
A NEW SPECIAL FROM AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION
Sir Gilbert Levine Conducts the West German Radio Symphony Orchestra
LIVE from the Cologne Cathedral
PITTSBURGH—MUSIC OF MAJESTIC SPIRIT is an uplifting and spiritual concert
that is set in the awe-inspiring Cologne Cathedral in Germany. Led by Sir Gilbert
Levine, a distinguished American Maestro, the West German Radio Symphony Orchestra
(WDR Symphony) performs Anton Bruckner’s IX Symphony. Bruckner’s IX Symphony is
described as a “Cathedral of Sound” so it is only fitting that it be performed in the
Cologne Cathedral, the most famous and beautiful church of the German speaking world.
MUSIC OF MAJESTIC SPIRIT is a new offering from presenting station, WQED
Pittsburgh, and distributed by American Public Television (APT). It showcases
American Maestro Sir Gilbert Levine who is not a stranger to Public Television; for over
20 years, eight of his performance specials have aired on public television. A Musical
Offering from the Vatican, A Celebration of Faiths, and From Heart to Heart:
Beethoven’s Plea for Peace are just a few of Levine’s specials. Sir Gilbert Levine also
holds the highest Pontifical Knighthood earned by a non-ecclesiastical musician since
Mozart. Levine was profiled on 60 Minutes in a segment called “The Pope’s Maestro”
which is also the title of his memoir that was published this year.
Sir Gilbert Levine co-created MUSIC OF MAJESTIC SPIRIT with Emmy-Award
winning producer/director Peter Rosen. Rosen is one of America’s leading arts program
producers. Levine and Rosen have been collaborating on public television programs for
over 20 years.
MUSIC OF MAJESTIC SPIRIT is available for purchase on DVD for $24.95 from SHOP
WQED by calling 1-800-274-1307 or visiting www.shopwqed.org. SHOP WQED is
currently offering free-shipping through the end of the year on purchases over $30.
In addition to the program, Wylie Publishing released a memoir of Sir Gilbert Levine
titled The Pope’s Maestro. The memoir was published in 2010 and is about the unlikely
friendship between Sir Gilbert and Pope John Paul II who united to bring people together
through faith and music.
WQED Pittsburgh, honored with the 2007 and 2006 Mid-Atlantic Emmy® Award for
Station Excellence, was founded in 1954 as the nation’s first community-supported
broadcaster. The people of WQED create, produce and distribute quality programs,
products and services to engage, inform, educate and entertain the public within their
community and around the world. WQED Pittsburgh is one of the first broadcasters in
the country to be fully high-definition (HD) in its studio and field production capabilities.
It is the parent company of WQED-TV (PBS); WQED: The Neighborhood Channel;
WQED: The Create Channel; WQEX-TV (A ShopNBC affiliate); Classical WQED-FM
89.3/Pittsburgh; Classical WQEJ-FM 89.7/Johnstown; local and national television and
radio productions; WQED Interactive (www.wqed.org); and The WQED Education
Department.
American Public Television (APT) has been a leading distributor of high-quality, toprated programming to America’s public television stations since 1961. In 2009, APT
distributed 56 of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles. Among its 300 new
program titles per year are prominent documentaries, news and current affairs programs,
dramatic series, how-to programs, children’s series and classic movies, including For
Love of Liberty: The Story of America’s Black Patriots, A Ripple of Hope, Rick Steves'
Europe, Newsline, Globe Trekker, Simply Ming, America's Test Kitchen From Cook’s
Illustrated, Lidia's Italy, P. Allen Smith's Garden Home, Murdoch Mysteries, Doc Martin,
Rosemary and Thyme, Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, The Great American Songbook
and John Denver: The Wildlife Concert. APT also licenses programs internationally
through its APT Worldwide service. In 2006, APT launched Create™ – the TV channel
featuring the best of public television's lifestyle programming. For more information
about APT’s programs and services, visit APTonline.org.
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