More than 200 guests gathered on July 30 beneath the stars at the Southampton home of philanthropists Lauren Day Roberts and Bob Roberts for an unforgettable evening of music and philanthropy as two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Grammy Award winner Sir Rod Stewart performed a private concert benefiting TeachRock, the national education nonprofit founded by Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Stevie Van Zandt.
The invitation-only evening was curated by creative director Mark Aldridge, whose immersive experiences bring world-renowned artists into extraordinary private settings, and produced by BlueDog Group CEO Nick King. Together, the evening raised $1.7 million in support of TeachRock’s mission to bring arts-integrated education into classrooms nationwide. The nonprofit equips educators with free, standards-aligned curriculum that uses the history of popular music to engage students across history, social studies, language arts and science.
Guests began the evening with a cocktail reception featuring cuisine by Daniel Boulud and a signature cocktail made with Stevie Van Zandt’s Malvado Maple Mezcal before gathering outdoors for Stewart’s intimate performance. The night also featured a live auction of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, including dinner with Van Zandt and members of The Sopranos cast in New York City’s Little Italy, an intimate dinner with Sir Rod Stewart and Lady Penny Lancaster, and dinner at Andrea Bocelli’s private villa in Tuscany followed by a private concert.
One of the evening’s most memorable moments came when Van Zandt joined Stewart onstage for performances of “We’re Having a Party” and “Stay With Me,” a full-circle moment for the musician, who has long cited Stewart as one of his greatest musical influences.
“When I started TeachRock, I hoped we’d build a community of artists who believe music belongs in every classroom,” says Van Zandt. “To see someone I’ve admired for so long lend his talent to this mission, and to watch people come together to support teachers, students and the next generation through music, is incredibly moving. Rod didn’t just give us an unforgettable performance this evening; he gave our mission a tremendous boost. Every dollar raised helps us put free arts education into more classrooms, and that’s something worth celebrating.”
The evening left a lasting impression on Stewart as well. “Playing alongside the legend that is Stevie Van Zandt for TeachRock—what a night,” shares Steward. “Music changed my life, and TeachRock is making sure it can change theirs too.”
Reflecting afterward, Aldridge shared that the singer described it as “one of the most special performances” he could remember. He was deeply moved by the intimacy of the setting, the energy of the audience and the opportunity to share the stage in the Hamptons with his longtime friend Stevie Van Zandt. “In more than 50 years of performing, nights like that are rare,” Aldridge recalled Stewart saying.
Today, TeachRock reaches more than 1 million students nationwide through its free educational resources, empowering teachers to use music as a gateway to deeper learning while helping ensure arts education remains accessible regardless of school budgets.
The evening brought together leaders from entertainment, media, fashion, business and philanthropy, including Georgina Chapman, Chris Cuomo, Cristina Cuomo, Maria Bartiromo, Penny Lancaster, Maureen Van Zandt, Fern Mallis, Stefano Tonchi, Ramona Singer, Jonathan Steinberg, Dr. Garry Boxer and Steve Boxer.
