Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To read this entire feature FREE with photos cut and paste this link: http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/classic/sfo/symphony/maxim/maxim.html

Twenty-seven-year-old Russian violinist Maxim Vengerov starts his second encore of his solo performance by dragging a chair out from backstage at Davies Symphony Hall, in San Francisco.

"I have been performing since I was five years old," he says in lightly accented English. "It is a great privilege to play for audiences like you, and you come to hear me play. Between us there is music. But I never get to communicate in words. So, he sits casually and crosses his legs, "I want to talk to you. Ask me some questions."

So starts an extraordinary conversation between a remarkable old soul violinist and 1,500 of his closest friends. One person asks why he held his bow so high during first number, Bach's 'Toccata and Fugue in D minor'. Written originally for organ, this complicated piece requires a specially rounded bow to make playing easier, he replies. "And you may have noticed that I did not play that piece on my Baroque violin. It's ill with all changes in humidity and weather."

"Tell us about your violin," another person tosses across nearly sold out auditorium. "My instrument was made in Crimea in 1727 by Antonio Stradivarius. It is an ex-Kreisler instrument, meaning that it once belonged to great violinist, Fritz Kreisler. And I was lucky enough to get it at Christie's auction in 1998." This raises murmurs of appreciation from audience.

"Will you compose in future?" Vengerov chuckles, "I'm not very popular in composing world because I like tonal music, music that has a melody that you can take home with you." The audience cheers in agreement.

"Tell us about your UNICEF work." Vengerov loses his characteristic smile and light-hearted nature. "I have traveled to Uganda, Thailand, and Kosovo and seen what terrible things have happened to children there. Some have lost limbs; some have lost ability to speak. They have no expressions. Then I see what music can do for them. They start to dance, smile and forget their worries. Here, I will play for you what I played for them." And he plays 'Balalaika', a piece completely plucked, to his third standing ovation.

Love of Bach

Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To read this entire feature FREE with photos cut and paste this link: http://jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/film/vegas/film.html

Las Vegas has been known forever as "Entertainment Capital of World," It is emblazoned on Convention and Visitor's Bureau letterheads and sloganed in TV commercials. Vegas has come a long way since just T&A shows filled Strip showrooms. Now we are family entertainment, too! The city has it's own orchestra; Artemis Ham Hall at University presents world-class concerts, stage plays and lecture series. An with Vegas so close to Hollywood (360 miles), Sin City is a natural and sunny draw for film shooting and film festival viewing..

The newest Vegas film festival arrival is New York International Independent Film and Video Festival. What new draw lacks in quality films, it makes up in sheer volume of screenings at Brenden Theaters at new Palms Hotel and Casino, akimbo to Strip. The festival has been held for over eight years in New York, and I hope it catches on in this uncultured landscape, because potential for it is enormous. Even though screenings are limited to one theater, each day saw over 10 films at two hour intervals. Four films were actually produced, filmed or written for Vegas, by Vegans: 'Grip' by Vegas filmmaker Ron Atkins; premier of 'Angel Blade,' by Michael Hemenway who is presently shooting his latest local opus, 'Terror on Strip'; tennis docudrama featuring local home town tennis hack Andre Agassi in 'Beyond Baseline'; and 'If I Could,' a documentary about social problems.

More than 150 short and full-length films from 4,000 entrants were picked to be screened at NYIIFVF event at Vegas stop of tbe festival, which was also presented in New York and Los Angeles.