Duke Ellington Students Surprised by Legend at Kennedy Center

students practicing for a performance at the Tuesday, had a little extra vocal support when John Legend joined them this afternoon.

The Washington Post first reported Legend's surprise appearance. 

The Duke Ellington School of the Arts show choir was preparing for a performance Tuesday night, "an evening of soul" on the Kennedy Center's Millenium stage, according to the event website.

Legend was on hand to perform at the launch of the Kennedy Center's "What’s Going On…NOW” project. The digital project is designed "to inspire, engage, and educate youth on the powerful link between the arts and social action."

Young people can use the website to "choose an issue" and use video, music, photos or other art forms to expound on what is happening in their community, life or in the world. Guidelines for the project are available online.

“The Kennedy Center presented this idea and I couldn’t imagine saying no,” said Legend in an interview with the Washington Post. “This album has been really influential to me. And to do it here, in D.C., where [Gaye] is from, that’s quite humbling.”’

The project website states that the goal is to encourage young people to think about how the world has changed in the 40 years since Marvin Gaye made history, performing his original album at the recently-opened Kennedy Center.  

The Kennedy Center will select two participants who submit digital work to the campaign website to attend John Legend’s May 2012 performance at the Kennedy Center with Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and the National Symphony Orchestra, according to the project website.