Community Concert: Notes from the Peace Corps

A Celebration of Global Music Honoring the Peace Corps

On Saturday, March 19, 2022, the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band partnered with the Northern California Peace Corps Association on a concert at SF State University’s Knuth Music Hall. The program highlighted the Peace Corps mission and experience, and the regions where Peace Corps Volunteers have made a difference.

The Peace Corps Mission

The mission of the Peace Corps is to promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals:

1. To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
2. To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
3. To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.

The Third Goal through Music

Through music, the Northern California Peace Corps Association and the Band promoted a better understanding of cultures across the globe. The program included music that speaks to the values of the Peace Corps and the work of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, as well as music by composers from countries where the Peace Corps has served.

The program included music that speaks to the values of the Peace Corps and the work of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, as well as music by composers from countries where the Peace Corps has served:

• Hands Across the Sea | John Philip Sousa
• State Anthem of Ukraine, “The Glory and Freedom of Ukraine Has Not Yet Perished” | Mykhailo Verbytsky, lyrics by Pavlo Chubynsky
• In the Steppes of Central Asia | Alexander Borodin, transcribed by Randy Navarre
• Canton Folk Song Suite | Traditional, arranged by Jack Loh
• Lesotho Variations | Daniel Carr (Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Lesotho, 1995–97), featuring soloist Carlos McMillan Fuentes
• Peruvian Fanfare No. 1 | Antonio Gervasoni
• Folksong of Midu | Li Chan
• Persian Dance No. 2 | Amir Molookpour
• “Danza final (Malambo)” from Estancia | Alberto Ginastera, arranged by David John
• Zacatecas | Genaro Codina, arranged by Andrew Glover