Consort Caritas CD

Dear Supporter of the Landmines effort,

We thought you might be interested to know that Consort Caritatis has just launched a critically acclaimed CD of Verdi's Requiem to raise money for the landmines cause. The launch took place at a landmines benefit concert that raised more than $50,000. Jody Williams, International Ambassador for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) and Susan B. Walker, ICBL Co-Coordinator, participated in the event. In Ms. Williams' words, "It was a moving experience made even more so because these fabulously talented people gave freely of their time to produce this wonderful music in order to help landmine victims."

Consort Caritatis, a charitable organization that performs and produces music for humanitarian causes, recorded the CD of Verdi's choral masterpiece in Prague last summer with the Virtuosi di Praga orchestra. Virtually all of the costs of producing both the CD and concert were covered by generous donations from more than 100 individuals and corporations. Proceeds will go to the landmine projects of World Vision and the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), both members of the ICBL. Donating their time were conductor Howard Dyck, well known on CBC radio, internationally recogniz soloists and a professional level choir from across Canada and three other countries.

Verdi's Requiem is an appropriate work to support landmine relief efforts.
"(Verdi's) text, with its vast expressive range (sorrow, consolation, fear, hope, penitence, joy) is in fact a mirror of human experience" as described by Howard Dyck. In Adrienne Clarkson's words, "This version of the Verdi Requiem is an outstanding wor of great purity and excitement. I felt as if I had never heard it before." The first Consort Caritatis CD, of excerpts of Handel's Messiah, received rave reviews and has sold more than 20,000 copies to date, raising more than $125,000 for humanitarian p jects.

After the ratification of the historic U.N. landmine treaty this Fall, what is needed now is financial assistance to capture the momentum and turn words into action. Please help this cause by not only buying a CD for yourself but also sharing CDs with family and friends as a gift of music as well as a gift of hope for those ffected by landmines. Each CD sold will contribute directly toward landmine survivor aid, community education and awareness, and landmine removal efforts worldwide. If you know anyone who might be interested in purchasing a CD, please forward this letter

A two-CD set, the Verdi Requiem is priced at $26.95 Canadian (or about $18 U.S.), plus applicable shipping and taxes. To order CDs in Canada, please call World Vision at 1-800-268-1650. In the U.S., please call MCC at 1-800-313-6226. Elsewhere, your name, mailing address, number of CDs requested, credit card number and expiry date sh ld be faxed to MCC at (519) 745-0064 or e-mailed to mccon-at-mennonitecc-on-ca. Your e-mail address, phone or fax number would be useful. Please order as soon as possible to ensure that your CDs arrive before the holidays.
For corporate gift-giving or oth bulk orders, please call (519) 585-1112. Our website provides more information about our efforts at www.consort-caritatis.ca. Please join us in helping to make a difference through music in the war against landmines. Thank you.

Sincerely yours,

Ken Frey, President, Consort Caritatis