Leonard Bernstein: Take Care Of This House
In honor of National Voter Registration Day, pianist and activist Lara Downes releases this video of Leonard Bernstein’s song “Take Care of This House,” from the musical 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
The performance features a diverse and multi-generational collection of leading American artists and activists. Yo-Yo Ma, Judy Collins, Rhiannon Giddens, Thomas Hampson, Angel Blue, Isabel Leonard, Ailyn Pérez, Lawrence Brownlee, Charles Yang, and others join young musicians from the Brooklyn Youth Chorus and NPR’s From the Top come together to perform this song as a rallying cry for our civil liberties at this critical moment in history
Downes, who produced and directed the video, conceived the project as a way to help drive voter participation, as well as raise awareness and support for the ACLU Voting Rights Project.
Downes says: “I’ve looked to Leonard Bernstein throughout my career as the model of a true artist/citizen, a musician who always showed up and spoke up, in good times and bad. He gave us so much inspiration, including this perfect song that speaks to our American past, present and future in such a powerful way. So here we are, from our homes to yours, pledging to take care of this house together. It’s the hope of us all.”
Take care of each other. Take care of this house. Vote.
Learn more about your voting rights, mail-in ballots, and how to register in your state, at: https://www.aclu.org/voter
