Composer dedicates music to slain Russian reporter
People lay flowers at the grave of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya in Moscow in this October 10, 2006 file photo. Estonian classical composer Arvo Part is dedicating all performances of his music during the 2006/7 concert season to the memory of Politkovskaya..
Photo Credit: REUTERS/Alexander Natruskin
TALLINN (Reuters) - Estonian classical composer Arvo Part is dedicating all performances of his music during the 2006/7concert season to the memory of recently slain Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya.
The move is reminiscent of U.S.
composer Steve Reich's memorial piece for Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was beheaded in 2002 in Pakistan, where he was investigating a story on Islamic militants.
"In my grief at such a tragic loss, I ..
. would like to make a memorial gesture," Part said in a statement on Monday.
"I will dedicate all performances of my works during the 2006/2007 concert season, wherever they might take place, to the radiant memory of Anna Politkovskaya.
"Anna Politkovskaya gave all her talent and energy, and eventually her life, so that people would know and be aware of the appalling crimes being committed in Russia."
Part asked for all musicians performing his music to make known his wish to audiences.
Politkovskaya, an ardent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and of Kremlin policies in Chechnya, was shot on the staircase of her apartment building on Oct.
7.
Investigators say her murder was linked to her reporting and her supporters said it showed Russia was failing to safeguard free speech.