Public Information Office ˇ
115 South Ludlow Street ˇ Dayton, Ohio 45402-1812 ˇ (937) 542-3052

December 8, 2003 Jill Moberley, Public Information Director

Maestro Zonic and Stivers Philharmonic welcomes world-champions girls Choir Little Stars

Stivers School for the Arts is proud to present the Stivers Spectacular winter concert at Daytons Masonic Temple, 525 W. Riverview Ave., Dec. 18 and 19, at 7:30 p.m. with a featured guest performance by the Little Stars, from Zagreb, Croatia.  The world champion girls choir, lead by Maestro Zdravko Sljivac, serves as cultural ambassadors of the European Union and will be making their United States debut during the December tour.

We are fortunate to have the top childrens choir in the world to perform in our winter concert.  It is an exceptional opportunity for our students and our community, said Stivers Music Director Maestro Edin Dino Zonic who invited Little Stars to United States. Stivers Philharmonic Orchestra, vocalists and will take part in the winter concert under the musical direction of Maestro Zonic.

 A Concert with a story  that is how its author describes Circle.

Duality, one of the elemental, literal themes of the twentieth century can be read in the thematic framework of the Circle story by Dino Zonic. It is based around a hero torn between the love for his woman and his love for freedom. The tragedy is defined by setting, but Sarajevo is not just a stage of agony but also a source of new energy that will conquer it, Circle is a story about tragedy and the resolution that it brings. The universal circle originates in Sarajevo-the circle of love which the destiny of all. The project has original music and choreography with a unique style of performance.

Specific to this project is the possibility it offers to answer hatred with positivity.

That is what makes a nation grow spiritually Sarajevo Circle is a story about courage and power, where from the deepest struggle grows something higher then us.

ARTISTS OF THE FUTURE IN CELEBRATION OF MUSIC, DANCE AND ART

Philharmonic Orchestra and Wind Symphony Orchestra String Orchestra, 21^st Century Stivers Chorale Vocal and Instrumental Soloists, All Choirs and Dance Ensemble

Maestro EDIN DINO ZONIC, Composer / Conductor / Music Director

Special guests: Maestro ZDRAVKO SLJIVAC Guest conductor  (Director Little Stars, Zagreb-Croatia, World Champion Girls Choir), NIKICA LESIC, Piano-Croatia MICHAEL BASHAW AND PUZZLE OF LIGHT

DAYTON: The days of large orchestras have gone the way of LP records.

Don't tell that to Maestro Edin Dino Zonic. The world-wide known composer, conductor ,director lives in a grandiose world. Here to work as composer and conductor with students of the Stivers School for Performing Arts, University of Dayton, professionals from Miami Symphony Orchestra, he has dreamt up a larger than life concert event, "Through Our Eyes." Concert goers will be treated to a 150 piece orchestra joined by 160 choir members including The Sinclair Chorale and Cantari Chamber Choir, performing his score from the movie "Gladiator" and his arrangement of the Led Zeppelin classic, "Kashmir". Zonic has created works for the 2000 Winter Goodwill Games in Lake Placid and as Cultural Ambassador and Music Director of Dayton Peace Accords he create the symphony that honored President Clinton as the first recipient of the "Dayton Peace Prize among others.

Spend five minutes in a room with Zonic and you'll feel like you've just completed a Tony Robbins course in inspirational/motivational thinking. Never one to shy away or believe that something is unachievable Zonic is known for coaxing the best work out of those around him. Gathering supporters like a snowball rolling downhill in a Saturday morning cartoon, Maestro Zonic delivers his message of peace through music with every opportunity.

Just last year this performance couldn't have taken place in Dayton. It's only because of the size of the Schuster Centers stage that Maestro Zonic can perform his magic. With the flair of P.T. Barnum, Zonic promises a once in a lifetime performance.

Nov. 13, 2000

BOSNIAN-BORN COMPOSER AT BROADWAY

SARAJEVO CIRCLE, MUSICAL - HOPE IS BORN OUT OF HORROR OF WAR

DAYTON, Ohio -- It wasn't that long ago that Maestro Dino Zonic heard the crack of mortar shells and screams of anguish as he helped defend Sarajevo during the war in Bosnia. Today, the 34-year-old composer hears only enthusiastic applause whenever he stages excerpts from his humanistic opera, "The Circle", a musical of hope born out of the horror and devastation of war in Bosnia. His nightmares about surviving war have turned into dreams about succeeding on Broadway. That is, when he's sleeping. Thanks to the belief and backing of musician and Dayton native Mark Fraze, Zonic is literally working night and day to prepare a scaled-down version of the highly acclaimed piece to audition tentatively Jan. 29-30 at the Irish Theatre, Broadway in New York City before an audience of prospective investors and producers.

In his spare time, Zonic is also composing a new piece that the US Air Force Wind Symphony Orchestra will premiere Saturday, Nov. 18, when the first Dayton Peace Prize is awarded as part of the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords.

"Like writers, composers should focus on areas that they know and have lived. Dino lived through the bigest siege in modern military history. He has experience the tragedy and brutality of modern mechanized warfare, lost many beloved friends and family, and is, quite frankly, lucky to have survived. There are few schooled composers who have lived through an experience such as this. He is the voice of a generation of young Bosnians, a great many of whom perished in that horrible genocidal war."

Most people who meet Zonic are mesmerized by how he uses music to heal wounds. Mark Fraze, a professional musician and renowned interprenour once he got to know the composer, who speaks with spellbinding emotion and conviction about the power of music, he realized, "He's such a genius. Dino knows no rejection. His enthusiasm is amazing, but what's really amazing is that he's a genuinely talented person. He's the real thing, and I have faith in him. This is a Cinderella story, and it's not over yet.">

Nov. 2, 1999

WORKING AT UD, BOSNIAN COMPOSER BRINGS MUSIC OF

PEACE TO DAYTON AUDIENCE

"There's a light and shimmering thread that encircles and unites us all in this fine and glittering web." From "Shimmering Thread" by Edin Dino Zonic

DAYTON, Ohio - Though his instruments and composing tools were destroyed by the bombs of war, the heart and soul of Maestro Edin Dino Zonic's music could not be crushed. From the ravages of war-torn Bosnia, it survived, flourished, and was recreated stronger and better than before.

Maestro Zonic, a composer, conductor Director before bringing his family to Dayton in late August, has devoted most of his energies in the last few weeks preparing for an inspirational "Concert for Peace" to be held at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at Memorial Hall in Dayton. The concert, featuring the Dayton and Sarajevo philharmonic orchestras, will be held in conjunction with activities commemorating the fourth anniversary of the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords project that ended the Bosnian war.

 Aside from the arduous task of coordinating and leading travel for 60 musicians from several European countries, Maestro Zonic had to transcribe his "Shimmering Thread" -- a musical message of hope and peace -- which will close the commemorative concert.

"The traditional music of Bosnia had become tinged with the extreme nationalism of the country," Hitchner said. "I was looking for music that emphasized many cultures and the musical voice of freedom and tolerance. Dino was the only musician in Bosnia to compose music based on the siege and his experiences during the siege."

Aside from his upcoming performance at the "Concert for Peace," Zonic has already been booked to perform in concert at Carnegie Hall in the spring.

Hitchner described with enthusiasm the evolution of "Shimmering Thread," borne of Zonic's yearning for peace in his Sarajevo hometown, into a fully-orchestrated concert piece fit for the stage at Memorial Hall. "What's so exciting is that Dino's music will now be performed as the finale, in concert and with two orchestras," he said.

Maestro Zonic was equally excited in his announcement that a total of 370 artists - including members of both orchestras and a chorus - would fill the stage to bring dramatic life to "Shimmering Thread." To facilitate the performance, Zonic had to re-score his music for symphony orchestra. He accomplished the task in record time -- less than a week, Hitchner said.

There is a light and shimmering thread that encircles and unites us all. In this fine and glittering web we are standing forever bound!.

... from the musical Circle

A platform performance of a new musical born out of the pain, terror and devastation of war in Bosnia.

Composed and conducted by Maestro EDIN DINO ZONIC, from Sarajevo, the original cast of singers & actors were choreographed by UK-London based Royston Maldoom.

Tonight, as part of The City of London Festival we welcome of the original artists to present an electrifying and moving concept performance that encapsulates all the raw beauty of the original production.

The prestigious Theater an der Wien has decided to lend its support to the international premier musical - extravaganza Circle with its performance on March 13^th. Bosnias own Maestro Dino Zonic, composer / conductor / director from Sarajevo composed The Circle to expose through music the raw emotions which he personally experienced from the Bosnian war.

Together with an ensemble of 45 fellow friends and musicians who all lived in the war torn cities, he created a musical monument to demonstrate the senselessness of the hatred between his countrymen and, at the same time, to honor those who died and suffered in the battle for Sarajevo.

:Circle is remarkably unique!, said Director Rudi Klausnitzer during the performance today in Vienna, because the artists have seized the opportunity to literally relive on stage the fears and passion what they themselves went through. It was that same passion and truthful expressions by the performers that brought the audience in Linz, Austria, to a standing ovation at the premiering performance of the extravaganza.

The theme is vast and ranges from grandiose to indescribable; however, the attempt to conquer this vastness musically has been mastered, says the Austrian News (Oberostereichischen Nachrichten), and the newspaper Neues Volksblatt honors both Zonics music, which combines the sounds of Hollywoods movie scores with oriental roots to a complete unit, and the remarkable voices of the protagonists. Even though the main focus is a love story about a couple that has been torn apart by the war, Dino Zonic emphasizes the fact that Sarajevo Circle is different from and more emotional than other productions of famous love stories, such as Romeo and Juliet. After the premier in Zagreb and performances in Zadar, Pula and in the Jaemmerin Linz, Austria, the production is ready to capture the international market, with concerts already planned for Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, France and the United States. The production has been introduced favorably to the international market with a performance in the prestigious venue, Theater an der Wien  in Vienna, Austria.

But, what may be the most important date yet for the musical is already scheduled for September 7, when the musical will be introduced to 60,000 people in the Olympic Stadium in Sarajevo.

The energy is amazing& and the energy is the key word for what Circle brought us. Being in the audience we had a powerful feeling for how the music captured the space. In the best spirit of Rock and Blues, and classical orchestra touched us with traditional feeling and purity. The quality of the vocals strongly affected the audience, striking each person directly in the heart.

The excellent music of Dino Zonic, very effective choreography by Royston Maldoom and dramaturgy by Dubravka Zrncic Kulenovic combine to form a magic  synthesis of sound and movement. With the strength of these unique artistic expressions this team of young people leads the audience through all spiritual spheres, from the atmosphere of apocalypse to catharsis. There are few static moments between dance and movement, where dancers simply stand in a circle, Frozen, standing on the stage and even deeper touching blooded ground, radiating firmness. Unquestionable power!

Every segment of the show was seamless. We felt an invincible human heart; strength, suffering, magic and finally selfless love&

This is a story about all of us, about eternal human questions, and about the right to choose between good and evil.

Is it possible with a ballet musical to raise voice of protest against terror, which enters world history by the name of Sarajevo? This is not just anti-war protest like American Hair(which was without doubt an inspiration), it is also so much more. Sarajevo Circles authors solved the mystery of squaring the circle metaphysically. Confronting Sarajevos terror with Love as the law was the only possible exit from madness, which was frightfully close.

A scream of protest, a scream to God, and pain which needed to be overcome. The authors and producers must have great energy. It took over year and a half to prepare this project with the contribution of young singers and dancers, numbering thirty in total. It must be love that gathers them for this protest, deeply rooted emotionally.

That could be felt by every word and motion on stage.   As the writer of this review I am adding the word ballet because the choreography is not a separate part added to the theme but important element woven into the statement of the scene.

Maestro Edin Dino Zonic, a talented composer, arranger and director use his gift to gather a team of the extraordinary artists, among them the English choreographer Royston Maldoom. He knew how to create movement, group composition, and he managed, with every individual dancer and singer how to achieve authentic expressions of movement and gesture without interfering with the pulse of the music.

It was impossible to avoid having a good impression from Circle.

We were at the performance on Monday when the audience saluted every song with joyful applause and at the end, with standing ovations they gave praise to the authors and the ensemble. The group, in return, gave a few encores to the audience. In conclusion, let me say that the young artists from Sarajevo, Mostar, Zagreb, Split and other Croatian and Bosnian cities symbolically represents the unity of all people who raise a voice against monstrous inhumanity. An inhumanity which, every day is transforming one of Europes most beautiful cities into a living skeleton.

We believe that Sarajevo Circle will bring their message to the rest of the world.

Vecernji List, Daily News, Zagreb, June1995. bt Denis Derk