May 16, 2008...6:48 pm
Oliver Sacks At Abyssinian Church
World Science Festival to Produce Landmark Pairing
Oliver Sacks, the best-selling author and neurologist who has been described as “the poet laureate of medicine,” will appear with Harlem’s Abyssinian Baptist Church Choir in an event entitled Music and the Brain, as part of the 2008 World Science Festival (www.worldsciencefestival.com).
This special event, which will focus attention on the healing power of music as seen through the empirical experience of this world-renowned neurologist, will be held at The Abyssinian Baptist Church in the City of New York on Saturday May 31, 2008 at 6pm.
The Abyssinian Baptist Choir will illustrate gospel music and its power to resonate and affect the human psyche through live performances.
Dr. Sacks will speak about his work with patients whose experiences illustrate the effects of music on the brain, and those with neurological conditions in which music has played a profound role in treatment.
Dr. Sacks is a professor of neurology and psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center and also the university’s first “Columbia Artist.” He is the author of many books, including Awakenings, which was made into a hit movie starring Robin Williams and Robert De Niro, and his bestseller The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. His latest work, Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain, focuses on his observations on the relationship between music and the brain. Chapters range from everyday experience, such as a song that might stick in one’s mind, to more dramatic tales of the therapeutic powers of music. Dr. Sacks describes, for example, how music can animate people with Parkinson’s disease who cannot otherwise move, give words to stroke patients who cannot otherwise speak, and calm and organize people who are deeply disoriented by Alzheimer’s or schizophrenia.
“Music can be inspiring, moving us to the heights or depths of emotion–and it can also be our best medicine. Music can allow us to express that which is otherwise inexpressible. In a religious context, all of these aspects of music come together,” said Sacks. “And over the last decade or two, neuroscientists have begun to provide direct evidence of the emotional and therapeutic impact of music, now that we have the tools to study the brain in action. I am honored to present this talk in conjunction with one of the foremost gospel choirs in America; it is a tremendous opportunity to combine the rational discussion of treatment with the emotional impact that a gospel choir can bring to uplift the human spirit.”
Under the leadership of Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III, Abyssinian Baptist Church has followed the African-American church tradition of actively building beloved communities and remains an iconic champion of spiritual empowerment, social justice and reform, as well as being one of the most prominent African-American institutions in America. The Abyssinian Baptist Church is in the midst of an 18-month commemoration of its bicentennial anniversary, Abyssinian 200: True to Our God, True to Our Native Land (www.abyssinian200.org) - a celebration recognizing Abyssinian as this nation’s first mega church and for its remarkable contributions to the cultural landscape of America over two centuries, as well as the significant role of the African-American church in the history of America.
In addition to the Music and the Brain program, other special components of Abyssinian’s 200th anniversary include a pilgrimage to Ethiopia; an original jazz/gospel mass composed by Wynton Marsalis for performance with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Rev. Butts, and The Abyssinian Bicentennial Choir; a specially commissioned abstract painting by Harlem artist, Dianne Smith, titled “Til Now We Stand At Last;” and a historical book with contributions by Dr. Maya Angelou and Dr. Cornel West.
“As we continue our bicentennial celebration, we look forward to working with the World Science Festival and Dr. Oliver Sacks in this first-ever event when science and art will converge in the context of gospel music,” said Dr. Calvin Butts. “This will be an enlightening experience in which we’ll see the scientific community validate what we’ve known for 200 years - the power of music to uplift, inspire, and encourage.”
The first annual World Science Festival, an unprecedented celebration of scientific discovery, will take place throughout New York City from May 28th through June 1st, 2008, and will bring together over a dozen Nobel Laureates, leading researchers, top-level technologists, dedicated educators, and high-level policy makers with creative artists, filmmakers, and performers to create more than 40 unique events that will shine a spotlight on science and explore the many ways in which scientific discovery and innovation are shaping modern life.
The World Science Festival springs from the vision of its two co-founders, Brian Greene and Tracy Day. Brian Greene is a Columbia University professor of physics and of mathematics and the star of the PBS series The Elegant Universe, based on his Pulitzer Prize finalist bestselling book. Tracy Day is a four-time National News Emmy Award winning journalist and producer whose credits include Nightline and This Week with David Brinkley.
“We are thrilled to have facilitated such an extraordinary pairing,” said Festival Co-Founder Brian Greene. “Oliver Sacks’ renowned ability to explain the nuances of human cognition and perception brings a sense of wonder to anyone who hears him. And the Abyssinian Baptist Choir will be such a spectacular partner–in conjunction with Sacks, they will provide the audience with a rare opportunity to explore the power of music to stir both the mind and the soul.”
Tickets for this event are priced at $18 for non-members of Abyssinian (free for Abyssinian members) and are available at www.worldsciencefestival.com or by calling 866-811-4111.
The Abyssinian Baptist Church is located at 132 Odell Clark Place (formerly 138th St.) in Harlem, New York.
Music and the Brain is supported by the Rockefeller Foundation NYC Cultural Innovation Fund.
The World Science Festival has been made possible with the generous support of The Simons Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, John Templeton Foundation, and the Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Foundation.
The World Science Festival gratefully acknowledges the support of its Principal Sponsor, Credit Suisse; its Major Sponsor, Con Edison; and its Media Partners, ABC News, Scientific American, Scholastic, and Science Channel.
Major program funding has been provided by the Rockefeller Foundation NYC Cultural Innovation Fund and The Kavli Foundation. Additional program funding has been provided by the William A. Haseltine Foundation for Medical Sciences and the Arts, The Week magazine, NYSERDA, WABC-TV, WNYC, and The Dana Foundation.
Special thanks to Walt Disney Imagineering, NOVA, NOVA scienceNOW, Ryan Partnership, and the Boston Consulting Group. Research Foundation of CUNY/GrantsPlus is the official Administrative Partner of the World Science Festival.
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