Concert for Global Education
“From Pittsburgh to Paris” by Tim Strong
October 27-28, 2022
On the 27-28th of October 2022, a rare musical and theatrical evening will premiere a concert performance of Tim Strong’s 'From Pittsburgh to Paris', with the internationally-acclaimed French jazz ensemble led by Franck Amsallem.
The concert will be produced by Tony and Emmy-nominated Bonnie Nelson Schwartz. It will be hosted by HE Luca Niculescu, the Ambassador of Romania to France, at the Hôtel de Béhague's iconic theatre of the Romanian Embassy in Paris.
The concert is presented by Windle International, a non-governmental organisation empowering people to make lasting changes in their own lives and in society through education. The funds raised will help refugees, people affected by conflict, and those who have been marginalised, to access quality education in eastern Africa.
A concert performance starring Tim Strong
Tim Strong recaptures the magic and history of jazz, blues and concert music that made Paris the capital of American jazz in the 1920s and 30s. Tim has absorbed the heart and soul of Paris as he brings the jazz of “Little Harlem”, his hometown of Pittsburgh, to his adopted city of Paris. Tim’s story begins in the 1970s in Pittsburgh’s Little Harlem, and moves to the cafes, clubs and concert halls of Paris where Black American writers, painters and musicians found their spiritual home in the 1920s and 30s. The French capital became an extension of the creative spirit that flourished in Black Harlem in Pittsburgh, in Chicago, and in New York. The brilliance and daring of life were celebrated and embraced by all who would enter into the city's creative arms. The French would call these years "les années folles" (in English, the "Crazy Years" or "Roaring Twenties.")
In a stunning performance that melds the worlds of theatre, visual design and music, 'From Pittsburgh to Paris' portrays a remarkable singer whose discovery of jazz in the dynamic music scene of Pittsburgh led to an international career of sharing his music with the world. Tim’s jazz and blues-infused music will be framed by a powerful visual and musical performance. This event will carry the audience from Tim’s first observations of jazz crossing borders and race, to making a difference within the global community.
Our journey to Paris is guided by Tim himself. We see rare vintage images of the Paris jazz clubs of the 1920s and 30s revealing the mixing and melding of the “City of Light”, Paris, with Pittsburgh's “City within a City”, Little Harlem.
Secure your place at this prestigious and exclusive philanthropic event today:
Step 1: Select your ticket
Step 2: Make a donation to Windle International in support of Global Education
Conflict and instability in eastern Africa make it one of the world’s most fragile regions, with over 11 million people being forcibly displaced. Forcibly displaced people are 36 times less likely to be able to access tertiary education, or technical and vocational training, compared to the rest of the world. Yet education is a basic human right; in eastern Africa, it protects children and youth from child labour, sexual exploitation, forced recruitment into militia and child marriage.
Windle International empowers people to make lasting changes in their own lives, in their communities and in wider society. Every year, Windle International helps over a million refugees, people affected by conflict, and those who have been marginalised to access quality education. We passionately believe that those who have been affected by conflict and marginalisation should be the architects of peaceful societies.
With over forty years of experience, Windle International’s network of members is based in and operates across eastern Africa, North America, and Europe. Together, we empower children and young people to achieve their academic potential, and contribute to sustainable development, by acting as a lead provider of quality education and training. From managing primary schools to providing higher education scholarships and offering vocational training, we help people to succeed at every educational level.
Produced by Bonnie Nelson Schwartz
The concert will be produced by Bonnie Nelson Schwartz. She is a Tony and Emmy-nominated producer of Broadway theatre, television, and concerts with more than 100 plays, films, television programs and concerts in Washington DC, New York, London, and Johannesburg to her credit.
Her 25 years of concert productions include 'Give My Regards to Broadway', 'A Salute to 125 Years of Musical Theater' at Carnegie Hall; the London production of 'Panbeaters', the 'Concert Against Hate', the 'Martin Luther King Birthday Celebration', 'Legacy & Life: A Tribute to John F. Kennedy' at the John F. Kennedy Center, and 'Vital Signs of the Planet' at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall for the COP26 Climate Summit.
Ms. Schwartz is the founder and original producer of Washington DC’s Helen Hayes Awards. She is the executive producer of the Emmy-nominated 'Traveling While Black' film and exhibition and the creator and director of the 'Global Climate Uprising Festival' featured at the COP26 UN Climate Summit in Glasgow.
A prestigious theater to welcome the concert
The concert will take place at the iconic Hôtel de Béhague, situated in one of the most exciting areas of Paris - near the Eiffel Tower, Hôtel des Invalides, and Champs de Mars.
The hotel was built in 1866 for the Countess Victoire-Félicie de Béhague. Its nickname 'Byzantium of the 7th arrondissement' is drawn from the surprising byzantine room constructed in 1898. With its porphyry columns and Byzantine mosaics, it is the emblem of the place and largest private theatre in Paris.
The Hôtel de Béhague has housed the Romanian embassy since 1939. It is also classified as a historical monument since 2003. This fabulous venue will bring a harmonious and historical symphony to our evening, carrying the sounds of 'From Pittsburgh to Paris' to a magical realm of heaven.
Thank you to all our partners and sponsors, without whom this extraordinary philanthropic concert would not be possible.
For any questions regarding your attendance or if you are interested in sponsoring the event, please do not hesitate to contact:
Marangu Njogu, Chief Executive Director - marangu@windleinternational.org.