Pete Seeger
Tribute to Pete Seeger (1919 - 2014) -- "Turn!, Turn!, Turn!"
Please join LAUSD students by singing, dancing or playing along as the district pays honors one of the great social activists of the twentieth century – Pete Seeger.
In honor of folk music legend, Pete Seeger, the LAUSD Arts Fest 2014 will feature a mass performance of "Turn!, Turn!, Turn!" on Saturday, March 15. The performance will take place in Grand Park at 1:00 PM on the large Event Lawn area at the foot of City Hall.
Seeger, who died on January 27 of this year at the age of 94, uniquely reflected and embodied the conscience of the nation through his life and his music. Bruce Springsteen said at Seeger's 90th birthday, "he'd be a living archive of American music and conscience, a testament to the power of song and culture to nudge history along, to push American events toward a more humane and justified end."
Seeger co-wrote many folk classics including "If I Had a Hammer" and "We Shall Overcome," as well as the music to the piece which will be performed in the mass tribute -- "Turn!, Turn!, Turn!"
All LAUSD bands and orchestras have received instrumental parts, and all district choirs have received vocal parts arranged by Panorama HS teacher and composer, Steve Burch. Elementary dance teachers Denise Gonzales, Andrea MacDonald, Maureen Matthes and Gaby Mendoza have created a simple choreography to the music. Song sheets with the lyrics will be available on the day of the performance.
All event attendees are invited to take part in this tribute. As Seeger once said at a concert, "There is no such thing as a wrong note as long as you're singing it." This performance will be a testament to the power of art to bring people together as well as a tribute to the man who created this timeless and profound song -- "To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die...."
For more information or instrumental parts contact Paul Strand, pns9065@lausd.net, 213 241-3369.
Please bring the photo/video release form to the "Information/Sign-In" tent on the day of the event.
