Concert to honor late faculty member

Peter Woodford taught at Cal Lutheran for a decade

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Peter Woodford directed the Jazz Ensemble, taught guitar classes and gave private lessons.

(THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Nov. 7, 2014) California Lutheran University’s wind and jazz ensembles will perform a tribute to an accomplished member of the music faculty who died in June.

“Wind Ensemble & Jazz Ensemble Fall Concert: A Tribute to Peter Woodford” will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, in Samuelson Chapel on the Thousand Oaks campus.

Woodford taught at Cal Lutheran for nearly a decade. The Granada Hills resident directed the Jazz Ensemble, taught guitar classes and gave private lessons. He had played guitar professionally since 1969 and performed with The Doc Severinsen NBC Tonight Show Band for 19 years.

He accompanied an array of musical artists whose styles included jazz, classical, rock, pop and country. He played with Herb Alpert, Tony Bennett, Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Rosemary Clooney, Natalie Cole, Harry Connick Jr., Bobby Darin, Sammy Davis Jr., Kenny G, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Bob Hope, Tom Jones, B.B. King, Peggy Lee, Jerry Lee Lewis, Lyle Lovett, Patti LuPone, Bette Midler, Kenny Rogers, Donna Summer, The Oak Ridge Boys and The Pointer Sisters.

Woodford’s career encompassed recordings, television shows, commercials, motion pictures, theatrical productions and concerts. His television credits include “The Tony Orlando and Dawn Show,” “The Donny and Marie Show,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “The Helen Reddy Show” as well as various cartoons, telethons, movies and jingles. The films included “Being There,” “The Big Fix” and “Planet Earth.” His many theater credits included “Les Miserables,” “Evita” and “Chicago.”

He also worked as a fretted instrumentalist for various orchestras including the American Ballet Theater Company, the Pacific Symphony and the State Symphony of Russia.

The tribute concert will feature exciting new works alongside traditional favorites. The Wind Ensemble, directed by Michael D. Hart, will perform “Morning Alleluias for the Winter Solstice” by Ron Nelson, “Baron Piquant on Pointe” by Donald Grantham and “Grant Them Eternal Rest” by Andrew Boysen Jr.

An alumni jazz ensemble featuring Woodford's former students will close the concert. The group will present works that were performed during his tenure.

Samuelson Chapel is located at 165 Chapel Lane.

Donations will be accepted. For more information, call the Music Department at 805-493-3306 or visit CalLutheran.edu.

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