Update: Due to concerns about the coronavirus, these events have been canceled.
It is week two for the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Power to the People! Festival. And much like the program last week, this week’s schedule reflects another diverse and fascinating series of events.
This week the festival starts very strongly on Tuesday, March 10th when pianist and composer Conrad Tao performs a solo recital featuring works by Aaron Copland and Frederic Rzewski. The centerpiece of the concert is an epic 60-minute composition by Rzewski entitled The People United Will Never Be Defeated! For a more detailed preview go here.
Wednesday, March 11th, Rapper Rakim will join cultural critic and activist Bakari Kitwana; associate professor of African American Studies and Chicana and Chicano Studies at UCLA Gaye Theresa Johnson and moderator Tyree Boyd-Pates (one of the festival’s curator) for a conversation about his book Sweat the Technique: Revelations on Creativity from the Lyrical Genius. They will also discover hip-hop as a force in activism. This is a free event at the California African American Museum. RSVPs are required and books will be available for purchase at the event.
On Thursday, March 12th, Oscar nominee and five-time Grammy winner Terence Blanchard will discuss his career and his collaborations with filmmaker Spike Lee in a conversation at the California African American Museum. Moderating this “Songversation” will be Hamza Walker, executive director of the Los Angeles nonprofit art space LAXART. This is also a free event, but again RSVPs are required.
Friday, March 13th there will be a performance of five “actos” by legendary playwright Luis Valdez at A Noise Within in Pasadena. Valdez is the playwright who gave us Zoot Suit. An acto is defined as a short, realistic play, usually in Spanish, that dramatizes the social and economic problems of Chicanos.
The five actos being performed are “Los Dos Caras del Patroncito,” “Los Vendidos,” “No Saco Nada de la Escuela,” “La Conquista de México,” and “Huelgustas.” Directing the evening is Michael John Garcés. Appearing in the program are Natalie Camunas, Cristina Frias, Michael Garcia, Jeannette Godoy and Bethany Navas.
The movie music of Spike Lee & Terence Blanchard will be performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic on Saturday, March 14th. Joining the LA Phil will be Blanchard with The E-Collective, Anthony Hamilton, Ben Harper and Valerie June. Damon Gupton conducts.
Amongst the Spike Lee joints that Blanchard has scored are Jungle Fever, Malcom X, Clockers, 25th Hour, When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts and BlackkKlansman.
Sunday finds a particular highlight of the festival when Cécile McLorin Salvant performs Ogresse. This 90-minute song cycle is not in the vein of her usual jazz standards. Her Salvant tells the story of a grotesque woman who ends up eating her lover. It may sound odd, but this work, written by Salvant, has garnered terrific reviews and standing ovations. We’ll have a more detailed preview later this week.
For tickets to Conrad Tao go here.
To RSVP for the Rakim event go here.
To RSVP for Terence Blanchard Songversation go here.
For tickets to Luis Valdez’s Actos go here.
For tickets to the Movie Music of Spike Lee & Terence Blanchard go here.
For tickets to Cécile McLorin Salvant go here.