On July 22, California’s New West Symphony participated in a special event celebrating the Special Olympics World Games 2015 Final Leg Torch Run. The event, held at Westfield Topanga, a shopping mall in Canoga Park, honored nearly 1,000 athletes and coaches from Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Greece, Malta, Serbia, Timor-Leste, Venezuela, and Vietnam, who are being hosted in nearby California cities during the games. The orchestra presented a performance by pianist James Lent, and the New West Symphony Music Van in the mall’s center court allowed athletes and spectators to try their hand at playing instruments of the orchestra. Cindy and Paul Idell, New West Symphony supporters who are parents of an autistic child, announced the arrival of the torch. “We wanted to demonstrate that music and sports can unite us toward common goals,” said Kiren Bansal, the New West Symphony’s director of community engagement and development. “We are inspired by the athletes who traveled thousands of miles to carry this message and create a better world by fostering the acceptance and inclusion of all people.”
Posted July 31, 2015
