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