Whittier College News Release

Whittier College
Office of Public Relations
13406 Philadelphia St.
P.O. Box 634
Whittier, CA 90608-0634

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: 562.907.4974 or mediarelations@whittier.edu

MUSICIAN & ACTIVIST PETER YARROW TO LECTURE, PERFORM IN FOUR-DAY RESIDENCY AT WHITTIER

WHITTIER, CA (February 15, 2006)—Member of famed 60s folk group Peter, Paul & Mary, activist and educator Peter Yarrow has been selected as this year’s Feinberg Lecturer at Whittier College. On Wednesday, February 22, at 7:30 p.m. in the Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts, Yarrow will speak on Jewish Culture and Its Relationship to “Operation Respect”—the latter is Yarrow’s nationally implemented-program for character education in K-12 schools. Tickets are $20 general and group discounts are available. Reservations are recommended and may be made by calling the Shannon Center Box Office at 562.907.4203. The Ruth B. Shannon Center is located at 6370 Painter Ave., on the Whittier College campus.

Additionally, on Friday, February 24, at 8:00 p.m. in the Shannon Center, Yarrow will headline a special musical concert, joined onstage by daughter Bethany Yarrow and Rufus Cappadocia, a cello and voice duo who have gained fame in their own right. Tickets are $35 general and may be purchased in advance by calling the Box Office, 562.907.4974.

Both the public lecture and concert are among the activities scheduled during Yarrow’s four-day stint as Whittier College’s guest professional-in-residence.

A successful artist and activist, Peter Yarrow's talent is legendary. His gift for songwriting has produced some of the most moving songs that Peter, Paul & Mary have recorded, including "Puff, The Magic Dragon," "Day Is Done," and "Light One Candle." This musical creativity has always gone hand-in-hand with Yarrow's commitment to social change.

Many issues have moved Peter Yarrow to dedicate his time and talent over the years: hunger, homelessness, nuclear threat, education, equal rights and more. Among the many honors bestowed upon him, Yarrow is most proud of the Allard K. Lowenstein Award, which he received in 1982 for advancing the causes of human rights, peace and freedom. Throughout everything, his music has been an advocacy, and he has proven that when we come together and work for a common goal, positive change can take place.

Yarrow's most recent project utilizes music and video along with character education curricula to help establish safe, compassionate and nurturing environments in schools and summer camps across America. Launched in over 10,000 academic centers, Operation Respect was hailed by virtually the entire educational community as a key initiative in our nation's response to the challenge of physical and emotional violence among children. Yarrow feels that this program, of which he is founding director, is perhaps the most important advocacy effort of his entire career

About Bethany & Rufus

The musical blend of vocalist Bethany Yarrow and cellist Rufus Cappadocia slides elegantly between groove, jazz, and psychedelic folk. The duo’s self-titled debut album is praised by reviewers as “simple and beautiful work,” combining Bethany’s electrifying voice—likened by critics to the husky power of Nina Simone or Cassandra Wilson—and the “mind-blowing, genre-bending” cello playing of Rufus Cappadocia. With a deeply soulful sound Bethany and Rufus have transformed timeless songs such as “900 Miles,” “East Virginia,” and “St. James Infirmary,” pushing the boundaries of American folk far into the territory of intense groove and sweet soul.

About the Feinburg Lecture Series

Established by former Whittier College Trustee Sheldon Feinberg and his wife, Betty, the Feinberg Lecture Series was created to invite major scholars to the college to discuss the broad historic, religious and political issues encompassed by Judaism and its role in a changing world.

Previous Feinberg Lecturers include radio talk show host and author Dennis Prager; John Loftus, prosecutor of Nazi criminals; Seymour Martin Lipset, Hazel Professor of Public Policy at the Institute of Public Policy at George Mason University; David Myers, professor of history at UCLA; KGO talk show host John Rothmann, Whittier College; William Helmreich, professor of sociology and Judaic studies at City University Graduate Center and City College of New York; and Rodger Kamenetz, author of the national bestseller The Jew in the Lotus.

Founded by Quakers in 1887, Whittier College is an independent, four-year college offering a traditional liberal arts program integrated with both professional and pre-professional courses of study. With an emphasis on diversity, community, and curricular innovation, the College’s primary mission is to endow students with the education, skills, and values appropriate for global leadership and service.

Whittier Law School, which is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools, is located on a separate campus in Orange County.