News 102, Media Reports

Excerpted from The Orange County Register, Orange County, California, USA
December 13, 1998 (Originally in English)

One World...
of peace through music.
Benefit Concert to Feature "The Prince";
Maria Newman's Regal Musical Adaptation of
Supreme Master Ching Hai's poetry
By Elliott Davis

Daughter of the legendary composer Alfred Newman, Maria Newman is an effervescent and talented composer, who has composed an orchestral piece around lyrics of the internationally recognized poet Supreme Master Ching Hai entitled "The Prince." When first reading Supreme Master Ching Hai's work, Newman immediately felt that the strong imagery created by the description of the poet's surroundings at the time would be offered beautiful support by orchestral harmonies.

Together, choir frogs around the lotus pond.
And the weeping willows blow elegant kisses.
The aloof pine trees and cool
Faced water quiver
In silence.

George Thatcher, an internationally renowned trombonist and composer, has played in many hit movie scores such as Jurassic Park, Men in Black and Toy Story. Thatcher shares Newman's warmth for both the poem and the poet Supreme Master Ching Hai, whom he describes as one of the most inspiring artists and humanitarians he has ever come across. Both Newman and Thatcher were struck by the poem's sensual and sincere portrayal of love, which carries the obvious earthly awe of beauty and gentleness so graciously alongside that of a deeper and more spiritual nature:

O welcome!
Welcoming the Prince of Grace!
Whose melodious voice's clear as the sound of a mountain spring,
And whose embracing eyes
Are blue as the water of the peaceful Azure Coast.