A Concert for Hope

What would you do, to start a ripple?   What can we do about American Poverty and Inequality? Director Lauren Speeth interweaves transcendent musical performances, stirring speeches, and enchanting animations at the historic launch of the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality online and on campus; the result is a compelling call to action as relevant now as it was in 2007.  Now subtitled in five languages and available on our YouTube channel, and coming soon to DVD.  Recorded live at Stanford University’s Memorial Church. Featured speakers include Stanford Dean of Humanities and Sciences Richard Saller, Center Director Professor David Grusky and Elfenworks Foundation CEO Lauren Speeth. Visual feast includes animated story, slides from the Stanford Center and striking excerpts from the film Faces of Poverty. 

Highlights include:

• Debut performance of a new major composition, La Povertà by Stanford composer / professor Giancarlo Aquilanti.  Maestro Mitchell Sardou Klein conducts the Elfenworks Festival String Ensemble [comprising players from the Peninsula Symphony: Christina Mok, Violin 1; Randall Weiss, Violin 2; Rick Shinozaki, Violin 3; Pat Burnham, Violin 4; Patricia Whaley, Viola 1; Janet Sims, Viola 2; Peter Gelfand, Cello 1; Cheryl Fippen, Cello 2]   with sopranos Shawnette Sulker and Rebecca Plack. Set to music:

  ***Deuteronomy 15:11: For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

  *** Mother Teresa: Serve the poorest of the poor. Do not wait for leaders. Do it now, person to person. <

• Special gospel music I Shall Not Be Moved and a second original composition, In Harmony With Hope celebrating the opening of the center, written by pianist / composer / arranger / long-time Stanford Jazz Workshop faculty member Tammy Lynne Hall, Featuring Ms. Hall conducting and at the piano, with Rhonda Benin, Valerie Joi Fiddmont, and La Tonya Reed vocals, Michaelle Goerlitz, percussion and Don Kane, bass.
• Animated "runaway train" story with imaginative ending, answering the opening question posed in the "Story of Bob"
• Copyright © 2008 The Elfenworks Foundation, LLC
• Distributed by The Elfenworks Foundation, LLC
• Produced & Directed by Lauren Speeth
• Speaking: Richard Saller, Ph.D., David Grusky, Ph.D., Lauren Speeth, D.B.A., DMin.
• Audio recording, mixing, and mastering by Stephen Hart
• Editing, effects, and animations by Tim Schaller
• Running time:26 minutes