October 2007

Dear Colleagues and Members of the World Cello Organisation,

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all those who were present at the large gathering on the day of rememberance for Mstislav Rostropovich.
The eloquent words of his daughter, Elena, reminded us of Slava's attitude to death as only a final end to human life on earth.
"Our God on purpose has limited the knowledge and the understanding in us of how
beautiful it is up there where he is. Because if we would know, all of us would jump
out of the windows to get there and that is not what he wants us to do." (M. Rostropovich)

The WCO represents a new beginning that reaches towards something that Slava always dreamed of: a global platform to inform and support cellists all over the world.

We would like to thank you all for your participation during this day and we are glad to welcome all new members from various generations.
Let us understand this day not only as a farewell to the great cellist and honorary founder Mstislav Rostropovich but also the active start of an information network that will grow with your help.
We would like to thank you all for your attendance at the benefit concert which will make it possible for the WCO to establish an international database of information on the internet.
Let us all endeavour to draw together all available information on competitions, festivals and masterclasses from around the world to form an international platform for the benefit of the worldwide cello community and its associations.

Please send any such information to info@world-cello-organisation.org together with any other relevant topics.

We look forward to receiving your ideas, thoughts and suggestions.

Marta Casals Istomin	Bernard Greenhouse	Janos Starker

Honorary  founding members of WCO