Some of Santa Monica’s most talented performers will star in the second annual Celebration For the Arts on the Santa Monica Pier this weekend.
They are the award-winning members of well over a dozen student bands, choirs and orchestras from all the middle and high schools in the Santa Monica Malibu School District.
In addition, an elementary school student orchestra will perform, as well as students from local theater and dance schools.
In all, more than 800 students will appear on two stages on the eastern end of the Pier to perform vocal, instrumental, jazz, classical, chorale, operetta and dramatic works.
“This is a wonderful showcase of Santa Monica Malibu’s student talents. A vast number of these students have been selected to join California-wide student orchestras and performing groups,” said Linda Gross, Executive Director of the Education Foundation of Santa Monica Malibu. “And only two weeks ago, Stairway of the Stairs, which featured these very performers, was a series of sell outs. So this will be a stunning weekend of day long free performances at the Pier.”
Several teenage performers will appear on the pier on Saturday afternoon, from 1 to 5 p.m. including Jeremy Sumpter (Peter Pan), Lisa Foiles (“All That”), Steven Anthony Lawrence (“Even Stevens”), Cole Evan Weiss (“Sandlot 2”) and Rose Bloomfield (“Disney Movie Surfers:”).
Also appearing will be Venice, which will headline two benefits – one Friday and one Saturday night at Arcadia on the Pier to raise money for the Education Foundation and For the Arts campaign.
Founded four years ago, For The Arts began fundraising two and a half years ago. Since then, it has raised $1.6 million to endow music, visual arts, drama and dance programs in the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District. Its goal is a $15 million endowment to ensure that every student in grades K through 12 receives a broad education in the arts.
Saturday schedule
11-11:30 a.m. Elementary school musicians
11:30-noon Santa Monica Playhouse student performance
Noon – 12:30 p.m. John Adams Middle School (JAMS) Choir
12:30-1 p.m. Chance to Dance student performance
1-1:30 p.m. JAMS Band
1:30-2 p.m. Creative Playground student performance
2-2:30 p.m. JAMS Orchestra
2:30-3 p.m. Kids on Stage student performance
3-3:30 p.m. Santa Monica High School Jazz Band
3:30-4 p.m. Santa Monica High School and Santa Monica Civic Light Opera performance
4 – 4:30 p.m. Samohi Orchestra
5-5:30 p.m. Samohi choral group
5:30-6 p.m. Samohi wind ensemble
Sunday schedule
11-11:30 a.m. Lincoln Middle School Choir
11:30-noon Dream Winds and SMASH recorder
Noon -12:30 p.m. Lincoln Band
12:30 – 1 p.m. Dream Winds & SMASH recorder
1-1:30 p.m. Lincoln Orchestra
1:30-2 p.m. Santa Monica-Malibu High School poetry reading
2-2:30 p.m. Elementary school musicians
2:30-3 p.m. Music in Motion student performance
3-3:30 p.m. Malibu High School Choir
3:45-4:30 p.m. Malibu High music
4:30-5 p.m. Malibu High drama students in a scene from “Beauty & the Beast”
6 p.m. Celebration Jam
For further information or tickets to the Venice benefit concerts, call Linda Gross, Education Foundation of Santa Monica Malibu (310) 396-4557
