VietNamNet Bridge - "I want to send it as a gift to friends in Vietnam who are far from halfway around the world. I understand that you had big losses in war with millions of dead people, and you are the spirit of this work," Ambassador Swanee Hunt says.

"Citizens must be inspired to believe that peace is possible”

On June 9th 2013, an impressive concert was held in Bethel AME Church in Boston. The place was so crowded that many people didn’t have seats but they were willing to sit on the floor.

In the concert, people could see many famous artists such as conductor Benjamin Zander, composer Larry Bell, violinist Julie Leven and lots of characters and social activists in the Boston Elite; they were all listening intently and excitedly to Ambassador Swanee Hunt speaking about her work ‘The Witness Cantata’.

Mrs. Hunt spoke passionately like she was lost in thought for a distant world full of kindness. "The last seven words of God are expressed totally new here. I wrote this music to give the listener the way I tried to blend melody and message. The words of King James are understood and described by a narrator and then through the further explanation of modern authors, they highlight the issues of political oppression, racism, isolation, ideological struggle, and the great loss. These heavy words lead to persistent questions, something that we do not know before but still prevail wildly for centuries."

"The Witness Cantata is a reminder that suffering is an inevitable thing in life. Not simply to avoid, but to understand and synthesize the general meaning of human existence. Now, more than ever, the synthetic harmony helps to calm us, to connect with the misery that we have endured, have caused, and has eased. That way, we will get over it all. Thereby, we radiate love, tolerance for human beings and the world that we are living in," Mrs. Hunt said.

After her speech, the Boston Landmark Orchestra and New England Spiritual Ensemble performed "The Witness Cantata". The crowd enjoyed the music and highly immersed in deep melodies caress their heart and soul with the voice vibrates al participants.

Although the work has been performed at many prestigious theaters such as Harvard University's Sanders Theater and Boston Symphony Hall from many years ago, but all those who watched the show the first days in June were still fully emotional.

"I see it as a symbol of the spirit through the International event Boston marathon bombing on April 15th," violinist Julie Leven shared as soon as the last notes of the music to stop lethargy.

Mrs. Hunt and Conductor Benjamin Zander.

After the concert, every person lined up to say congratulations and warm thanks to Mrs. Swanee. Renowned conductor Benjamin Zander stood for a long time beside the author to share his feelings.

Mrs. Hunt had a brief conversation with VietnamNet after the show.

Still fully emotional about the concert and about her spiritual child, Mrs. Hunt sent a message to Vietnam: "It's a great, beautiful and memorable afternoon. The melody, the lyrics have been stopped but they are still vivid in my mind. I want to send it as a gift to friends in Vietnam, who are far from halfway around the world."

"I understand that you had big losses in the war. You are the spirit of this work. Your people have so much sacrifice, loss, suffering, but you have passed it and eased it; Vietnamese people have compassion and tolerance. Well, this work is not just for the Americans. I would like to give you Vietnam, where I and Charles Ansbacher had a memorable April in 2010 in the Hanoi Opera House."

Although conductor Charles Ansbacher has passed away, Swanee Charles still continues the mission to bring classical music to every people. She wants to give the people from remote areas such as mountainous, rural and island a message.

"Life can be difficult, lack of material things such as old houses, foods or convenient transportations, but do not be sad. Be cheerful, believe that tomorrow will be better; enjoy the large space which is not obstructed by where you live to looking up at the sky, watching the stars. And please enjoy the special dish for noble souls, classical music. You will feel every moment of this life is beautiful and precious. I would like to send The Witness Catana as evidence to you," she said.

Mrs. Hunt also shared: "We are preparing for the U.S. Independence Day, the Fourth of July. I want to say that America has done many things both right and wrong. For example, the United States joined the World War II to save the human race. After the war, we were involved in reconstruction efforts in Europe, Japan though they were enemies of the U.S. in WWII."

"Hillary Clinton and I founded the program to support women in the world to be equal and participate in leadership. The program promotes more and more effective. The United States also has many mistakes and paid dearly like some ridiculous war. The United States quickly recognized the mistake and the realized mistakes were immediately corrected. The United States has learned a lot and grown up a lot from the mistakes like that."

With watery eyes, she looked up and said: "Charles is here today with us, accompanying us, with Charles Ansbacher music clubs in the mission to bring classical music to the people in this world."

Ambassador Swanee Hunt is the daughter of an oil billionaire in Texas but she is very simple. She has donated a lot of assets to serve the society. She and Hillary Clinton founded and manage an organization supporting female leaders in the world. She is the lecturer in Public Policy and the Founding Director of the Women and Public Policy Program at the Kennedy School.

Hunt is not only a scholar, a leader who committed herself to serve the society with a warm heart but also a photographer and a composer. Her musical composition, The Witness Cantata, has been performed in six cities in the US.

Hunt and her husband, conductor Charles Ansbacher, founder the  Free for All Concert Fund. In September 2012 she founded the Charles Ansbacher Music Club to pay tribute to conductor Charles and continue the mission of bringing classical music to the people.

Anh Minh