Event Management for Educational Events

CHALLENGE

Princeton University desired a fitting tribute and recognition event for worthy of his accomplishments and years of service. Dr. Cornel West, prominent academic, social activist, author, and intellectual, was retiring from his endowed professorship at Princeton University.

 SOLUTION

A celebratory concert event, including a hand-picked ensemble of speakers and musical entertainment, taking place in the historic McCarter Theatre at Princeton University.

Key to the success of this event was celebrity talent procurement and the precision choreography of multiple speakers and a diverse range of musical performances within a compact evening agenda. This included the complete production of the show, organization of acts, creating a schedule for the evening, organizing sound checks and call times for all performers, and execution of riders for all performers.

Musical performances included:

• George Clinton and the Parliament/Funkadelic – legendary funk musician
• Terence Blanchard – Grammy Award-winning jazz trumpeter and musician
• Maude Maggart, Tony Award-winning cabaret singer
• Lupe Fiasco – popular rap/hip-hop artist
• The Cornel West Theory – Hip-Hop/Jazz fusion band
• Princeton University Gospel Ensemble

Spoken word tributes included:

• Harry Belafonte – iconic singer and actor
• Toni Morrison – Nobel laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winning author
• Bootsy Collins – funk music pioneer
• Shirley Tilghman – President, Princeton University
• Assorted Princeton students and faculty

RESULT

A flawlessly executed tribute and celebration for one of Princeton’s most distinguished faculty members and an evening to remember for the almost 1,100 in attendance…and most importantly, for Dr. Cornel West himself.

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