The City of Santa Monica will plant six trees in Palisades Park in honor of National Arbor Day on April 26, 2017.

Right after the official launch of Santa Monica’s Heritage Tree Program, three Italian stone pines (Pinus pinea) and three New Zealand Christmas trees (Metrosideros excelsus) will be planted by volunteers. It will take place near Ocean and Marguerita Avenues in Palisades Park.

There are multiple organizations that will play an active role in the event: The City’s Urban Forest Task Force, Kiwanis Club of Santa Monica, UCLA Circle K Kiwanis Club, Santa Monica Lions Club, Santa Monica Bay Women’s Club, Soroptimists Club, Santa Monica Breakfast Club, Santa Monica Jaycees, Y’s Men Club of Santa Monica, Rotary Club of Santa Monica, and the Santa Monica High School Key Club.

Arbor Day is a holiday that encourages the planting of trees. Officially becoming a holiday in 1872, this year will be the 145th anniversary. It is also Santa Monica’s 36th year as a Tree City USA, recognizing Santa Monica’s obligation to effective urban forest management.

Those who want to join in on the National Arbor Day event can RSVP at trees@smgov.net!

SANTA MONICA, CA – Tongva Park’s Art @ Tongva launches the fourth annual The Wonder Room exhibition on April 5 and 6.

Featuring works by L.A. choreographer, Sarah Elgart, Grammy Award-winning vocalist Rosalie Rodriguez with Pepe Flores and Gino Gamboa, TED Fellow and light artist Christine Marie, visual artist Deborah Aschheim, musical guests The Blasting Company, and San Diego’s Animal Cracker Conspiracy, the art event will take place for two consecutive nights for the first time.

With multiple performances and visual art exhibitions to see, audiences are given free reign of their journey in the park and can choose to explore on their own. They can wander around Tongva Park’s unique layout of gardens, vistas, and pathways as designed by the creative minds behind New York’s High Line, James Corner Field Operations.

After The Wonder Room, Tongva Park will also host Great Explorations on May 13, and a two-evening dance performance on June 7 and 8.

SANTA MONICA, Calif.

Once inside the lights dimmed and it seemed we were listening to professional musicians performing at the Walt Disney Concert Hall as sixth, seventh, and eight grade students performed music from Bach, Sheldon, Shaffer, Owens, and Brubeck.

Some may think that middle school kids can’t really play and that this is just an opportunity for parents to be proud of their children.  But nothing could be farther from the truth.  ALL of the students who participated in Spring Concert last night are outstanding musicians in their own right.

The first group to perform was the Jazz Band.  The band started out with a piece called Take Five by Dave Brubeck and finished with Just a Little off the Top, by Jay Chattaway.

Click on this link to hear how incredible these kids sound.

After the Jazz Band finished, Ms. Klenk, IA for the student musicians, stepped onto the podium to conduct the Symphonic, Intermediate, Concert Bands, and the Wind Symphony.

Klenk, an accomplished musician herself, in an e-mail wrote, “seeing kids grow in their confidence and abilities,” is one of the rewards of teaching.

Klenk added that for many youngsters, confidence and the fear of performing is a big challenge for some students.  While many students don’t always overcome this fear of performing, Klenk said, “students learn to cope and use it as a tool for the rest of their lives.”

The Concert Band performed several compositions by Robert Sheldon.  The kids were incredible.  To experience their music, click here, close your eyes and relax.

The night ended with the Wind Symphony playing Puszta by Jan Van der Roost.   As the applause echoed throughout the Music Hall, I realized that the students and the music they performed united everyone in that Hall as one community.  The music transported us to a different place and for a few brief moments we left our jobs, conflicts, and other issues behind.  For that brief hour – we were all a community of musicians.

The music performed here was by students for academic purposes.  The content is not for resale or to be distributed for personal gain.  Photo courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net and Mister GC.