Lennon piano inspires songs of peace
[Posted by Katie Hickox on Monday, 12/01/08 6:35 am] [Comments] [Full Blog] [Tweet This]The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus marks 30 years tonight, and the centerpiece of the event will be the world premiere of a suite the chorus commissioned from Steve Schalchlin called "New World Waking - Songs on the Road to Peace." The composition was developed thanks to a piano owned by John Lennon, the piano he used to compose "Imagine."
The upright Steinway, complete with the ex-Beatle's cigarette burns, is now owned by pop singer George Michael. For a photo project, he had been transporting the piano to places where acts of violence had occurred. One of the places was the Olympia, Wash., home of Alec and Gabi Clayton, whose son, Bill, committed suicide after suffering a gay-bashing attack in 1995.
 | | Steve Schalchlin and the Lennon Piano |
Schalchlin wrote a song dedicated to Bill called "Will It Always Be Like This?," so he was invited by the Claytons to play the Lennon piano at their home. What came out that day were the beginnings of "New World Waking," which Monday will start with "Will It Always Be Like This?," then progress through three parts: "Violence at Home," "Violence in the World" and "Awakening Suite."
The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus 30th anniversary concert takes place tonight, Monday, December 1, at 7:00 p.m. Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco. Tickets are $20 to $100. Call (415) 865-2787 or go to www.sfgmc.org.
(Info thanks to the San Francisco Chronicle.)
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