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