Contact: Madelyn Appelbaum 9/25/98
MEDIA ADVISORY
MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO "YEAR OF THE OCEAN"
WILL CHRONICLE INSIDE STORY OF "FREE WILLY"/KEIKO
Media are invited to attend the Washington Symphony Orchestra's
tribute to the Year of the Ocean, to take place on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at
7:30 p.m., at DAR Constitution Hall, 1776 D Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
The free concert is being presented by the Washington Symphony Orchestra
with the participation of the U.S. Commerce Department's National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration.Ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau will show never-before-seen video footage of the "Free Willy" Keiko story, which chronicles the whale's journey toward freedom as he was transported from the United States to a special facility in Iceland.
The tribute will open with remarks by Commerce Secretary William M. Daley. Concert highlights will include Ralph Vaughan Williams' Sea Symphony, music from the film "Free Willy," and a sea chantey sing-along.
The concert is intended to reach out to area children and help them learn more about the importance of the ocean to their lives. Many hundreds of children from D.C. schools will be bused to the concert in addition to children who will attend with parents. Children and adults will be asked to sign the Ocean Ambassador Pledge. The pledge is designed to motivate individuals to take action from picking up trash on the beach to never pouring pollutants down the drain -- to help save the ocean for future generations.