As L.A. River morphs into impromptu stage for nature-loving musicians, gentrification fears remain

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Set us as preferred Yo-Yo Ma closed his eyes as he drew a bow slowly across his cello, playing the first notes of the Catalan lullaby “The Song of the Birds.” But this venue wasn’t like any vaulted concert hall he had toured globally.At Maywood’s Riverfront Park, Ma was accompanied by the vroom of nearby traffic, cascade of a yucca rainstick and burbling hum of a water synth.An oblivious biker pushed past the world-renowned classical musician.

The music flowed on.Ma’s pop-up show in Southeast Los Angeles was part of his ongoing efforts to highlight people’s relationship to nature through music.He is among a new wave of artists who have been hosting shows along the L.A.

River, a waterway with a complex history.The river once terrorized Angelenos; its unconstrained flow was prone to flooding until most of its 51 miles were lined with concrete starting in the 1940s.While it’s been neglected, trashed and often forgotten over time, myriad governmental and nonprofit groups have been working for years to restore habitat, add park space and establish recreational elements (sometimes in conflict over the vision).

And recently, creatives and activists, who dream of transforming it into a hospitable greenway, have been hosting arts events.Climate & Environment Melanie Winter has long advocated for change along the L.A.

River.As she undergoes cancer treatment, she remains focused on healing L.A.’s relationship to water.“Awareness around the river itself is changing,” said Maria Meija, executive director of L.A.

River Arts, one of the organizations bringing attention to its history and cultural significance through public programming.She sees the serpentine stretch of the river as a natural highway that connects Angelenos from the San Fernando Valley to Long Beach.

“We believe that if the river is properly ac...