The John Lennon Real Love Project
Comes To Liberty, NY

The week of November 1, 2021, the John Lennon Real Love Project (JLRLP) came to Liberty Middle School in Sullivan Country, NY. It was the first JLRLP school program of the 2021 fall semester and the first-ever held on-site at a public school. (The launch of the program in June at Livingston Manor Central School was fully virtual.)

After watching a 40-minute overview of John Lennon’s life, three separate classes of 5th, 6th and 8th-graders, working collaboratively with program leaders Beth and Scott Bierko, students wrote new lyrics to John Lennon’s “Real Love,” including a verse in Spanish:

Cantando del corazon
No requiere una razon
Lo que nos falta de hacer
Es cantar por ti

After rehearsals, the students recorded their version of the song accompanied by John Lennon’s original piano and vocal track.

“The students thoroughly enjoyed the creative and collaborative process of songwriting, performing and singing,” said Eric Aweh, the school’s Director of Music. “Their initial ideas rapidly developed into an inspiring message of peace and love.”

The JLRLP was made possible at Liberty Middle School with underwriting support from the Siegel Family Music and Arts Endowment Fund.