Pelagia Pamel

About this Offering

My inspiration for this project was the wonderful, diverse people that are in my life. Although they are all different, they each face prejudice and inequality predominantly due to the spread of misinformation about their culture or religion. Without a true understanding of a specific culture, assumptions are often made and result in inaccurate perceptions of the people who are part of that culture. Unfortunately, the access of information through social media and news outlets fuels people to jump on the bandwagon of stereotype-driven opinions.

I chose to focus specifically on religion for this project in an effort to promote religious acceptance and unity between the three major Abrahamic religions—Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. These religions are usually portrayed in completely different ways within society, which often draws attention away from the similarities between them. When searching for a song that I could use to create my own anthem of religious unity, Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” seemed like a great fit with its religious references. As I sing over my own piano accompaniment, each verse’s language represents one of the religions: English (Christianity), Hebrew (Judaism), and Arabic (Islam). As a Greek Orthodox Christian, I understand that Christianity could be represented by many different languages. However, I chose English as a common ground for most people to understand and relate it to the need for religious unity specifically in America. During the ending chorus, I sing "Hallelujah" in all three of the languages to unite them.

In efforts to make this as authentic as possible, I consulted native speakers for coaching on pronunciation and translation. Many thanks to Dana Steiner, Sarah Kefri, and Ahmad Zaza for taking the time to help me properly express their languages and cultures alongside my own.

Overall, I have been able to connect to my culture and religion more successfully when I am surrounded by people who are different than me. My multicultural friends often pose questions that I cannot always answer, and this encourages me to discover more about my heritage. Our relationships were only successful because we were able to explore each other’s cultures while still maintaining our own cultural identities. When reflecting on these enlightening relationships, I realize how much of a necessity these conversations are for today’s world!

Peace Builder Biography

My name is Pelagia Pamel and I am a freshman at the University of Michigan pursuing a dual degree in Voice Performance and International Studies. I have been a competitive figure skater for 12 years and a musician (voice, violin, and piano) for 10 years. My love for music comes from my involvement in various choirs, orchestras, and musical theater productions over the years, and has been developed by the inspiring teachers I have had along the way. I am looking forward to exploring my interests and performing around the world!