Yerba Buena Gardens Festival 2010 Press Releases | Nice Guy Trio

2010 Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THE 2010 YERBA BUENA GARDENS FESTIVAL PRESENTS
THE NICE GUY TRIO + STRINGS
PERFORMING two world premieres

Darren Johnston’s "Waking Music”
Rob Reich’s "Sidewalks and Alleys”

September 4, 2010, 1:00pm-2:30pm, Free
Yerba Buena Gardens, Downtown San Francisco

(San Francisco, CA – July 27, 2010) – The 10th Anniversary Yerba Buena Gardens Festival (YBGF) today announced the World Premiere of two YBGF-commissioned pieces from The Nice Guy Trio + Strings on Saturday, September 4 from 1:00pm to 2:30pm, free, at Yerba Buena Gardens in downtown San Francisco.  The YBGF commissioned pieces are trumpeter Darren Johnston’s “Waking Music” and accordionist Rob Reich’s “Sidewalks and Alleys.”

The Nice Guy Trio is Johnston, Reich and bassist Daniel Fabricant in an exclusive collaboration with some of the world’s most accomplished and versatile string players; Grammy-winning Mads Tolling on violin, Anthony Blea on violin, Dina Maccabee on viola and cellist Mark Summer. With an emphasis on spontaneity, they will create a sound that is both intimate and reflective of their contrasting yet complimentary musical backgrounds.

YBGF Executive & Artistic Director Linda Lucero says, “The Festival takes great pride in our ability to consistently commission new works from a wide variety of Bay Area artists.  One of the many goals of the Festival is to provide artists with performance and composition opportunities and this project is a dream come true. I am very excited to hear what Darren and Rob come up with for this special occasion.”

Johnston says of his composition, “’Waking Music’ is a song cycle drawing inspiration both from the literal state of awakening from a dream, and the metaphorical awakening of consciousness.  It is the spirit as an individual or a society that deepens with their understanding of the infinite, and they begin to see through the illusions that hamper our connection to each other and beyond.”

"’Sidewalks and Alleys’ was inspired by countless hours spent wandering around the streets of cities, particularly San Francisco and New York,” says Reich.  “City living brings out the brightest and the darkest aspects of humanity.  It is full of contradiction, full of inspiration.  This music gives expression to impressions of modern urban life.”

YBGF is celebrating its 10th year in 2010 with 100 free events including music, theater, circus, dance, poetry, family festivals and children’s programs.  Yerba Buena Gardens is located between Mission Street and Howard Street and 3rd and 4th Streets in downtown San Francisco.  The Festival continues through October 31. For more information, visit www.ybgf.org or call (415) 543-1718.

The Nice Guy Trio + Strings
Yerba Buena Gardens Festival
Saturday, September 4, 2010, 1:00pm-2:30pm, Free
740 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 543-1718, www.ybgf.org

MEDIA CONTACT:
Marshall Lamm
(510) 928.1410
marshalllamm@earthlink.net

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Yerba Buena Gardens Festival | 760 Howard St | San Francisco, CA 94103 | Phone: 415 543 1718 | Fax: 415 543 1755 | info@ybgf.org
produced by Yerba Buena Arts & Events | Festival Photos: John Spicer | ©2010 YBGF