AMELIA ROMANO – Harp

Harpist and teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area, Amelia Romano uses music as a medium for social change. Having played in a variety of harp ensembles, duets, and as a solo harpist, she explores new avenues of multicultural, contemporary and original music.  Her compositions and sound are influenced by her experiences and exposure to music styles in the San Francisco Bay Area, and year in South Africa.

She began studying harp at age nine with Diana Stork and later Cheryl Ann Fulton.  Amelia recently worked as a music teacher, educator, and school coordinator for youth with the Playing for Change Foundation at Ntonga Music School outside Cape Town, South Africa, from July 2010-2011www.harpntonga.blogspot.com.  Since returning to the Bay Area she has continued instructing privately and directing harp ensembles in underserved communities. 

Jessica Pearlman currently holds the position of principal oboe of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra in Orange County, CA. Ms. Pearlman moved to Southern California after completing her Master of Music degree in 2009 at The Juilliard School. While in New York, she performed and toured with some of the city’s most esteemed ensembles, including the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the New York City Ballet and the Metropolitan Opera. As a soloist Ms. Pearlman has been featured with the San Jose Chamber Symphony, the Colorado College Summer Music Festival and the Mansfield (OH) Symphony Orchestra where she also served as principal oboe during the 2005 – 2006 season.

An avid chamber musician, Ms. Pearlman performs with Orli Shaham on the Pacific Symphony Orchestra’s prestigious Café Ludwig chamber music series and tours regularly with her innovative New York-based chamber group “Shuffle Concert.” Shortly after moving to Southern California Pearlman was introduced to the world of Hollywood studio music. Ms. Pearlman has played on such films as “Salt”, “Toy Story 3” and “Snow White and the Huntsman” and was the principal oboist of Steven Spielberg’s 2011 films “War Horse” and “The Adventures of Tintin” under the musical direction of acclaimed composer and conductor John Williams.

Intrigued by both science and music, Ms. Pearlman earned Bachelor’s degrees in oboe performance and neuroscience from Oberlin College as a pre-med student. Her summer research in brain tumor models was presented at the 2006 conference of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Ms. Pearlman is an adjunct faculty member Long Beach City College in addition to maintaining a private teaching studio. Please visit Ms. Pearlman online at www.jessicapearlman.com

Lozen, Chihenne-Chiricahua Apache Warrior

Lozen was a Chihenne-Chiricahua Apache warrior, shaman, and sage, or seer. She was born in the 1840s, in a section of New Mexico/Arizona/Northern Mexico known at that time as Apacheria, within sight of the Sacred Mountain near Ojo Caliente where the People began.

At a ceremony at the time of her adolescence, Lozen was given the power to find the enemy which she did by going alone to a deserted spot, standing with her arms outstretched, her open palms facing skyward. She stood waiting, turning slowly until she felt a tingling in her palms. After this spiritual-physical experience, she knew that she had found the direction of the enemy. She could tell the distance of the enemy by the intensity of the tingling. She was legendary for such powers, Diya and Inda-ce-ho-ndi (or “Enemies-Against-Power”), in battle.

She was not the lone woman warrior in her band. She had a companion, Dahteste. Both women fought alongside Geronimo. In addition to her considerable skill as a warrior, Lozen was also a skilled reconnaissance scout and clever battle strategist. She took part in warriors’ ceremonies, sang war songs, and directed the dances of the war parties before going into battle.

Lozen and Dahteste, with Geronimo, were eventually taken as prisoners to Mount Vernon Barracks in the U.S. region called Alabama, a Muskogean Indian word. Lozen died there, presumably of tuberculosis, at the approximate age of 50. Her brother, Bidu-ya, is quoted to have said that “Lozen is my right hand… strong as a man, braver than most, and cunning in strategy. Lozen is a shield to her people.”

Song: Joshua Tree Windsong