Quick Take
UC Santa Cruz alumni will reunite on April 11 to honor the life and legacy of Tom Lehrer, a beloved math educator as well as American musician, singer-songwriter and satirist who taught at the university for decades and died last summer at 97.
UC Santa Cruz alumni will reunite on April 11 to honor the life and legacy of Tom Lehrer (1928-2025), a beloved math educator as well as American musician, singer-songwriter and satirist.
Lehrer taught a class called The American Musical at UCSC from 1975 to 1991. Students had to audition, and only 15 were selected annually. The class drew 255 students over the course of 17 years. Every performance under his direction at the Stevenson College Wagstaff Fireside Lounge sold out — the same room where the celebration of life will take place in April.
FROM 2025
Lehrer joined the faculty at UCSC in 1972, became a reclusive local celebrity and taught math until his retirement in 2001. His most famous songs include “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park,” “The Elements” and “The Masochism Tango.” He died in July at age 97.
Chris Scott, a 1982 UCSC graduate who took Lehrer’s musical theater class in 1978, described Lehrer as “wicked smart.” A child prodigy, Lehrer earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University at age 18, and a master’s degree in mathematics at 19. Lehrer’s songs often blended humor and social commentary, making him a distinctive voice in 20th-century music and comedy. Every once in a while, he would perform his work for his students, including an unrecorded song about Russian composers.
Scott looked back at his time in Lehrer’s class fondly, describing the times Lehrer invited students over to his house for parties, music and performing.
“He is really dear in our hearts, because when you look at it in retrospect, it was just a golden opportunity to grow,” said Scott.
The Tom Lehrer Celebration of Life will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m, featuring videos of Lehrer, alumni stories and a musical singalong led by Luke Shepherd, UCSC senior lead staff accompanist and music lecturer. A Zoom option will also be available for attendees around the world to join in on the celebration.
Click here to RSVP.
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