Those in attendance at the Kurt Bestor benefit concert for Utah County Democratic candidates on Friday, August 23, were treated to a beautiful selection of moving compositions reflecting Bestor's deepest feelings for family--his parents, his children, his extended family, and the whole family of mankind.

Bestor is an Emmy-award winning composer whose works have been featured in more than 30 film scores and more than 40 themes for national TV programs and commercials. His music has introduced Good Morning America, NFL Monday Night Football, and ABC's Sunday Night Movie. He was awarded an Emmy for his collaboration with Sam Cardon on the original music for ABC's coverage of the 1988 Winter Olympics.

At the concert, performed in the intimate Centre Stage theater at UVU to an audience of about 130, Bestor shared stories about how he acquired his passion for music. He told how his mother inspired him with a love for composition at a young age by asking him to play for her "what a sunrise sounds like." The experience gave him an immediate fascination with the ability to describe visual imagery through music, and an outlet through which he could express himself.

He performed several numbers inspired by his love for nature, including "Fishing the Sky," "New England Air," and "Fire on Ice." He also played some pieces in tribute to his family, including one celebrating the life of his grandmother, and another dedicated to his father, who, with his mother, was in attendance at the concert.

Bestor explained that his concern for the well-being of families has grown beyond his own family to encompass the entire family of the human race, especially children. His feelings for the children of war-torn Yugoslavia inspired his famous "Prayer of the Children," which he also performed at the concert. Bestor plays an active role in several organizations for children, including Primary Children's Medical Center, Children's Miracle Network, and the Make a Wish Foundation. He is a National Advisor for ASCEND, A Humanitarian Alliance, which provides sustainable development programs for children living in poverty in Africa and Latin America. Bestor interacted with children in the audience and delighted them with a medley of popular patriotic tunes.