| San Jose Schools Join San Jose State | | | | also be in attendance. Russell Martin |
| University's Ira F. Brilliant Center for | | | | will sign complimentary copies of his |
| Beethoven Studies in Birthday | | | | book and speak at the event. Everyone |
| Celebration | | | | at this event will receive a private |
| San Jose State University's Ira F. | | | | tour of the San Jose State University's |
| Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies | | | | Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven |
| and the San Jose Jewish Film Festival | | | | Studies, which has in its collection |
| have teamed up with the San Jose Schools | | | | numerous personal letters and musical |
| in an event to celebrate the San Jose | | | | compositions written by Beethoven along |
| State University's Ira F. Brilliant | | | | with the previously mentioned lock of |
| Center for Beethoven Studies twenty | | | | hair clipped right from his head. |
| first year. The celebration event also | | | | San Jose Schools Beethoven Essay Contest |
| includes the premiere of the film | | | | For its part in the birthday celebration |
| "Beethoven's Hair" at the San Jose | | | | event, the San Jose Schools have created |
| Jewish Film Festival. This will be an | | | | a special essay competition. The person |
| event for the whole community held in | | | | behind the essay contest is the |
| downtown San Jose in October. | | | | Assistant Superintendent of San Jose |
| The 2006 San Jose Jewish Film Festival | | | | Schools, Dr. Dr. Bill Erlendson. Dr. |
| will be the central event and is where | | | | Erlendson believes that music |
| the film "Beethoven's Hair" will be | | | | appreciation is an important facet in |
| shown. This film follows the perilous | | | | the education of all San Jose Schools' |
| journey across 179 and two continents of | | | | students. The essay contest will be open |
| a lock of Beethoven's hair. In 1827, a | | | | to almost 30,000 students in grades |
| lock of hair was clipped from Beethoven | | | | fourth through twelfth. The main idea |
| on his deathbed. This lock of hair can | | | | behind the essay is that Beethoven had a |
| now be found in the San Jose State | | | | huge impact on the musical world and |
| University's Ira F. Brilliant Center for | | | | hopefully this essay contest will help |
| Beethoven Studies. The film "Beethoven's | | | | to raise the students' awareness about |
| Hair" examines how the lock of hair was | | | | the importance of music in their lives. |
| passed from generation to generation and | | | | For the San Jose Schools' Beethoven |
| how it survived the Holocaust and World | | | | Essay Contest participating students |
| War II. | | | | must write at least 250 words about one |
| The San Jose Jewish Film Festival will | | | | of four topics. The four choices are: 1. |
| host a fundraiser and celebration event | | | | What important lessons did Beethoven's |
| near the end of October. At this event, | | | | life teach us? |
| which will be held at the Martin Luther | | | | 2. How did Beethoven change music |
| King Jr. library, all participants will | | | | history? |
| screen a private viewing of the film | | | | 3. How was Beethoven's life different |
| "Beethoven's Hair" and meet the director | | | | from/the same as Mozart's? |
| Larry Weinstein for a question and | | | | 4. Beethoven was inspired by nature and |
| answer discussion about the film. The | | | | social events. What things inspireyou to |
| author of the original book "Beethoven's | | | | do a better job? |
| Hair", the source for the film, will | | | | |