The Official Website of Los Angeles Music Week

LOS ANGELES MUSIC WEEK

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The Artistic Mission of Los Angeles Music Week

Fulfilling the motto, "An Instrument of Unity, " Los Angeles Music Week serves all the residents of the Greater Los Angeles area, including its surrounding basins. The performances, projects and events impact people of diverse cultures, ages, ethnicities, religions and socio- economic groups. The scope of events offers Angelenos opportunities to hear musical genres that they have never experienced and invites them to explore venues in various parts of the city. The educational activities of LAMW are enabled in elementary, middle and high schools through various interactive resources. LAMW takes an active role in Los Angeles' cultural tourism industry by offering a wide variety of performances that showcase the city's musical heritage.

Due to the drastic cutbacks in music curricula in schools over the past decade, the majority of the city's children know little or nothing about the rich musical heritage of the city they live in and have no scope of the musical genres available to them, from classical to jazz to ethnic musics. Many children have very few musical skills or lack the resources for acquiring them. LAMW's program elements, such as field trips, in-school presentations and opportunities to interface with living musical legends, broaden musical understanding and have created musical bridges between the communities over the past twelve years. The sponsors and partnerships listed on this page dutifully enable LAMW to accomplish the educational goals and facilitate field trips for the school children in order to link music with other aspects of culture and learning. The children derive so much pride and motivation from learning how many famous musicians from all aspects of the music business grew up in their own communities. Face-to-face dialogue with successful living legends gives them the impetus to explore their own God-given talents and capabilities, inspiring them to learn. The Children's Day field trips open up a world of amazing wonder and possibility. In the words of Founder/Executive Director Margie Evans describing the 1999 Children's Day event, "Serious joy was had by these wonderful children." One parent, accompanying her child to the California Science Museum trip, commented, "This is what it's all about, giving children a chance to succeed." During the 2001 LAMW celebration at the Warner Grand Theatre, selected schools were elated to receive a cash donation of $500 for their music departments, while parents, honorees and children raved about everything from the musical performances, to the unique LAMW t-shirts provided by Target, to the superbly tasty submarine sandwiches from the Busy Bee in San Pedro.

LOS ANGELES MUSIC WEEK 2005 HONOREES

VAN ALEXANDER

DANNY GOULD

BENJAMIN WRIGHT

BARBARA BRIGHTON

CATALINA POPESCU

ELLIOTT CAINE

PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS LOCAL 47

VICKI EVANS

LYNN CRANDALL

WILLIAM MARSHALL

GARY ST. CLAIR

NEWT W. OLIVER

BRIDGET PTAK

PHILLIP R. DONALDSON

KING SOLOMON BURKE

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TWELVE YEARS OF CELEBRATION

December 7, 2005 Children's Day
Fifty Second Street School's Music Department
and students receive instruments and school supplies.

December 7, 2005 Children's Day
Performances, Presentations and Progress
at Fifty Second Street School
in Los Angeles, California
in Local School District 7

Instruments and one year of beginning music instruction
are awarded to these excited music department students,
who have faithfully demonstrated their skills,
without any instruments of their own, until this day.

2003 Honoree John Balbuena of Fair Avenue Elementary
and Roberto Miranda of Milliken Middle School, a 2004 LAMW Honoree,
distributed the instruments during Children's Day as they continue the students' tutelage.

In Dec., 2005, LAMW donated three acoustic guitars, a violin and an electronic piano,

along with numerous school supplies to 52nd. Street School in Local District 7.

Educator, Musician and Composer
James McCauley teaches the assets of the guitar
to willing students during Target's Children's Day, 2002.

Music students happily receive instruments, one year of
music lessons and Supreme Master Ching Hai's gifts,
a donation of $4000.00 and her book, "One World of Peace
through Music" during LAMW Children's Day, 2002.

It became very clear over the years that we were witnessing the future of jazz. Zane Musa was just 17 when he opened the series. He has become well known as one of the indisputable "monsters" on the saxophone. Anthony Wilson, who was nominated for a Grammy and is presently performing with Diana Krall, showcased his octet for the very first time in our second month. Trombonist Isaac Smith performs with many jazz greats, including the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.

Mark Ferber has become a first call drummer, as has Willie Jones, III who now plays with Roy Hargrove and has recorded with Arturo Sandoval, Horace Silver and many other fine musicians. We have also showcased several school Jazz Bands such as Washington Prep High School, LA High School for the Arts, and Agoura High. The World Stage has presented an All-Star Band, as has the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. We have presented students from Cal. Arts, USC, CSUN and other colleges. Nearly every talented young jazz musician in L.A. passes through the Young Artist Jazz Series. There is no doubt that you will be knowing the names of some of our alumni, including Gerald Clayton, Raya Yarbrough and Matt Roberts. The list is endless, and each time we hear of the success of one the young talents who have been part of our series, it makes it all worthwhile.