Bright-colored lights sprang from the Wild Beast music pavilion at CalArts as listeners were taken on a journey through the history of African music Saturday evening.
A wide variety of bands and dancers graced the stage as over 300 people were in attendance to enjoy the concert, African Beats: From Ghana to L.A., a Tribute to Steven Lavine, who is the outgoing president.
“I am interested in how the wild beast lives in the jungle, not in the zoo,” read a quote from Morton Feldman displayed on the outside of the stage.
And listeners got the opportunity to experience the wild beast that is song and dance as bands played a hybrid of African music and other genres to create a unique experience.
The African Music and Dance program at CalArts has allowed students to immerse themselves in the music and dance of West Africa ever since its inception in the early 1970’s.
The concert also celebrated outgoing President Steven Lavine, who ran CalArts for 29 years.
“I am looking forward to the CalArts community coming out to celebrate Steven Lavine’s accomplishments,” said Dave Bossert, the master of ceremonies for the event and a current member on the board of trustees.
