00Days 00Hours 00Minutes RSVP TODAY! Facebook Instagram Donate Artists About Register Volunteer Humberger Toggle Menu ARTISTS ABOUT REGISTER VOLUNTEER https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_saNsAget9Y INTERMUSIC SF PRESENTS SF MUSIC DAY 2024 A Daylong Celebration of Bay Area Music Featuring 80+ Artists, 19 Groups, and Over 7 Hours of Free Performances Sunday, October 20, 2024 | 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Free San Francisco War Memorial + Performing Arts Center, San Francisco401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102 SF Music Day is a free music festival that presents 19 local ensembles, over 80 artists, performing for 7+ hours of continuous music. With musical performances featuring blues, chamber-folk, classical, early, experimental, jazz, new, tango, world music – and everything in between – it’s a full-day of concerts, with something for everyone. Guest-curated by vocalist and performing artist Sidney Chen, SF Music Day invites audiences to experience the brilliant artistry that defines the Bay Area music scene. The 2024 lineup features instrumentalists and vocalists, reflecting the rich diversity of the Bay Area’s musical landscape. Read below to learn more about the artists, the performance schedule, and what to expect at the 2024 SF Music Day. REGISTER for TICKETS Plan your day and learn even more about the musicians of SF Music Day 2024 by reading our 2024 Digital Program Book. Download WITH GUEST CURATOR SIDNEY CHEN Sidney Chen is a multi-faceted musician and performing arts producer, dedicated to dissolving boundaries and fostering personal connection through creative work. Throughout the day, SF Music Day’s festival announcers—Chloe Veltman, Barbara Heroux, and Maggie Clennon Reberg—will welcome you and guide you through the day, introducing the artists performing on the Herbst Theatre, Green Room, and Taube Atrium Theater stages. Read more about these talents below. HERBST THEATRE Chloe Veltman Chloe Veltman is a staff correspondent for NPR’s culture desk. She is based in San Francisco. Chloe is also a longtime amateur musician. She plays the oboe in many community orchestras and chamber groups around the Bay and is a member of the alto section of Ensemble Continuo, a chamber chorus based in Mountain View, CA. GREEN ROOM Barbara Heroux Barbara Heroux has been the Executive Director of the contemporary music vocal ensemble Volti and the Artistic Director of Lamplighters Music Theatre. She is a freelance stage director of opera, operetta, and musical theater. TAUBE ATRIUM THEATER Maggie Clennon Reberg Maggie has made a career telling stories through music — from the concert hall, onto the operatic stage, and into the airwaves. She’s been a professional voice-over artist for four decades and began her successful radio hosting career in Chicago before joining the on-air staff at KDFC San Francisco as the new host of The Morning Show in October 2021. Maggie passionately believes that classical music is absolutely for everyone. Ash Walker • Beneath A Tree with Kjell Nordeson • Beth Schenck Quintet • Bethany Hill • Chelsea Hollow + Taylor Chan • Choi-Lee-Teicholz Trio • Circadian String Quartet • Diana Gameros + Patrick Wolff • Geechi Taylor Quintet •...
INTERMUSIC SF PRESENTS
SF MUSIC DAY 2024
A Daylong Celebration of Bay Area Music Featuring 80+ Artists, 19 Groups, and Over 7 Hours of Free Performances
Sunday, October 20, 2024 | 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Free
San Francisco War Memorial + Performing Arts Center, San Francisco
401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102
SF Music Day is a free music festival that presents 19 local ensembles, over 80 artists, performing for 7+ hours of continuous music. With musical performances featuring blues, chamber-folk, classical, early, experimental, jazz, new, tango, world music – and everything in between – it’s a full-day of concerts, with something for everyone.
Guest-curated by vocalist and performing artist Sidney Chen, SF Music Day invites audiences to experience the brilliant artistry that defines the Bay Area music scene. The 2024 lineup features instrumentalists and vocalists, reflecting the rich diversity of the Bay Area’s musical landscape.
Read below to learn more about the artists, the performance schedule, and what to expect at the 2024 SF Music Day.
Plan your day and learn even more about the musicians of SF Music Day 2024 by reading our 2024 Digital Program Book.
WITH GUEST CURATOR SIDNEY CHEN
Sidney Chen is a multi-faceted musician and performing arts producer, dedicated to dissolving boundaries and fostering personal connection through creative work.
Throughout the day, SF Music Day’s festival announcers—Chloe Veltman, Barbara Heroux, and Maggie Clennon Reberg—will welcome you and guide you through the day, introducing the artists performing on the Herbst Theatre, Green Room, and Taube Atrium Theater stages. Read more about these talents below.
HERBST THEATRE
Chloe Veltman
Chloe Veltman is a staff correspondent for NPR’s culture desk. She is based in San Francisco. Chloe is also a longtime amateur musician. She plays the oboe in many community orchestras and chamber groups around the Bay and is a member of the alto section of Ensemble Continuo, a chamber chorus based in Mountain View, CA.
GREEN ROOM
Barbara Heroux
Barbara Heroux has been the Executive Director of the contemporary music vocal ensemble Volti and the Artistic Director of Lamplighters Music Theatre. She is a freelance stage director of opera, operetta, and musical theater.
TAUBE ATRIUM THEATER
Maggie Clennon Reberg
Maggie has made a career telling stories through music — from the concert hall, onto the operatic stage, and into the airwaves. She’s been a professional voice-over artist for four decades and began her successful radio hosting career in Chicago before joining the on-air staff at KDFC San Francisco as the new host of The Morning Show in October 2021. Maggie passionately believes that classical music is absolutely for everyone.
Ash Walker • Beneath A Tree with Kjell Nordeson • Beth Schenck Quintet • Bethany Hill • Chelsea Hollow + Taylor Chan • Choi-Lee-Teicholz Trio • Circadian String Quartet • Diana Gameros + Patrick Wolff • Geechi Taylor Quintet • Heartbeat of Oakland Drums • JazzMobile • Karen Stackpole • Kyle Tingzon + Benjamin Liupaogo with Ellen Ruth Rose • Liu Xi 柳溪 Willow Stream • Manik Khan + Arjun K. Verma with Eman Hashimi • Oakland School for the Arts: Jazz Messengers • Quartet San Francisco • Renegade Duo • Roco Córdova • Sidney Chen • Sierra Ensemble • Simon Barrad + Kseniia Polstiankina Barrad
SONIC WELCOME • 1ST FLOOR 12:00 PM
Karen Stackpole
Karen Stackpole, gongs
EXPERIMENTAL | SOUNDSCAPE
Karen Stackpole began as a rock drummer in the late ’80s and soon became captivated by improvised music and multimedia collaboration. She became active in the creative music scene, pushing beyond established boundaries while working with dancers, spoken word, and experimental film.
Karen has a passion for gongs and has developed techniques for drawing harmonics from tam-tams using various implements. She specializes in dynamic soundscapes and has contributed gong sounds to conventional genres and film soundtracks. In addition to solo work, she has performed with projects like Machine Shop (a duo with Drew Webster), Sabbaticus Rex, and Vorticella. Recently, she has focused on duo performances with Krys Bobrowski, Bill Noertker, and Fred Frith.
Karen will perform three solo gong recitals throughout the day in the lobby of the Herbst Theatre: 12:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 6:00 PM. Her final performance will feature a collaboration with Ash Walker, various voices, Roco Córdova, and community members.
HERBST THEATRE • 1ST FLOOR 12:00 PM
Beth Schenck Quintet
Beth Schenck, alto saxophone + compositions | Cory Wright, tenor saxophone + bass clarinet | Matt Wrobel, guitar | Lisa Mezzacappa, bass | Jordan Glenn, drums
CHAMBER JAZZ | ORIGINAL MUSIC
Beth Schenck is a San Francisco-based saxophonist, composer, and educator. Since moving to the Bay Area in 2013, she has become a distinguished performer in the West Coast jazz, improvised, and chamber music scenes.Her projects include solo saxophone works, her quartet Social Stutter, the Beth Schenck Quintet, and House of Faern, each exploring new musical boundaries.
As a composer, Beth has written for the Sunset Jazz Festival (Japan), Women’s Work Festival (New York), Outsound Summit (San Francisco), Silla Festival (Korea), and schools across the U.S. She leads the music department at San Francisco Day School, where she also directs the jazz program. Additionally, Beth teaches at the Stanford Jazz Workshop and advocates for jazz education through the California Alliance for Jazz.
GREEN ROOM • 2ND FLOOR 12:00 PM
Renegade Duo
Melinda Becker, voice | Jon Mendle, guitar
SECULAR JEWISH | CLASSICAL | ART SONG
Renegade Duo, with guitarist Jon Mendle and mezzo-soprano Melinda Becker, began when they first collaborated as students at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Founded in 2017, their partnership celebrates music they find compelling.
Using both historical and modern instruments, they perform rarely heard repertoire for guitar and voice, spanning genres from Renaissance lute songs to reimagined jazz standards and contemporary works. Melinda’s New Mexican and Jewish heritage influences her performances in Spanish, Ladino, and Yiddish. Jon, an active performer on historical instruments, has toured with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble.
Renegade Duo’s SF Music Day program celebrates Jewish heritage with Sephardic and Ashkenazi songs and arrangements by Amy Winehouse and Leonard Cohen.
TAUBE ATRIUM THEATER • 4TH FLOOR 12:30 PM
Quartet San Francisco
Jeremy Cohen, violin | Joseph Christianson, violin | Chad Kaltinger, viola | Tyler DeVigal, cello
CLASSICAL | CONTEMPORARY JAZZ
Founded in 2001 by violinist Jeremy Cohen, the multi-Grammy-nominated Quartet San Francisco (QSF) has become the Bay Area’s premier crossover string ensemble. Cohen envisioned a group that draws inspiration from popular music while maintaining the integrity of traditional chamber music. “QSF was born out of the desire to create a genre of string chamber literature that gathers its material from popular music elements of recent decades,” Cohen explains.
Since its inception, QSF has received three Grammy nominations, with its recordings earning a total of seven. Known for exploring a diverse range of styles, both historical and contemporary, the group now focuses on the works of African American violinist Eddie South. Their performances captivate audiences, bridging gaps between genres and showcasing their artistry.
HERBST THEATRE • 1ST FLOOR 1:15 PM
Oakland School for the Arts,
Jazz Messengers
Ayo Brame, soprano + tenor sax | Vito Marcacci, trombone | Lucy Khadder, violin | Kingston Melancon, violin | Sophia Sparks, mandolin + guitar | Marcel Santos, piano | Sebastian Emley, bass | Clare O'Grady, bass | Victor Kali-O'Connell, drums | Kaleo Green, drums | Joaquin Ortiz, drums | Luca Parenti, drums
JAZZ FUSION | SWING
The Oakland School for the Arts (OSA) Jazz Messengers is an award-winning advanced high school jazz nonet, directed by two-time Grammy-nominated bassist Daniel Lucca Parenti. The ensemble is dedicated to exploring jazz’s rich legacy, from the timeless works of Duke Ellington and Miles Davis to the cutting-edge sounds of modern jazz visionaries like Roy Hargrove, Esperanza Spalding, Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, and Snarky Puppy.
Under Parenti’s guidance, the Jazz Messengers blend technical mastery with heartfelt expression, delivering performances that inspire and captivate. Their commitment to excellence and innovation reflects a deep respect for jazz’s historical roots while embracing its future. Through their music, they honor the legends of jazz and chart new musical horizons, celebrating the genre’s enduring beauty.
GREEN ROOM • 2ND FLOOR 1:15 PM
Liu Xi 柳溪 Willow Stream
Diana Rowan, Celtic harp | Winnie Wong, guzheng
TRADITIONAL CHINESE + IRISH FUSION
Diana Rowan and Winnie Wong form a remarkable musical partnership, blending the delicate tones of the Celtic harp with the resonance of the Chinese guzheng. Diana, an Irish-born harpist with a Ph.D. in Music Theory, has performed on six continents, showcasing both traditional and contemporary music. Winnie, born in Hong Kong and raised in San Francisco, began her guzheng journey at age four. As the founder of China’s Spirit Music Ensemble, she fosters the next generation of musicians. Honored with the “Musician of the Heart” award, Winnie blends tradition with modern arrangements. Together, they create a borderless sound, merging Celtic, Chinese, and world music influences. Their program includes La Rosa Enflorece and General’s Aria.
TAUBE ATRIUM THEATER • 4TH FLOOR 1:15 PM
Beneath A Tree with
Kjell Nordeson
Gail Hernández Rosa, violin, viola + vocals | Daniel Turkos, contrabass, octave mandolin, guitar + vocals | Kjell Nordeson, vibraphone
BAROQUE FOLK
Beneath A Tree (BAT), led by Gail Hernández Rosa and Daniel Turkos, is a multi-genre ensemble exploring Baroque musical styles and instruments. BAT breaks traditional concert norms, creating new pathways for audiences to connect with Baroque music through innovative programming and collaboration.
Founded in 2017 in Philadelphia and relocated to Northern California in 2018, BAT has performed at venues like the California Jazz Conservatory, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Herbst Theatre. They have been featured by Early Music America, Boston Early Music, and Valley of the Moon Music Festival.
In 2024, BAT was nominated for “Best Early Music Ensemble” and “Best Chamber Ensemble” by the San Francisco Classical Voice Audience Choice Awards.
HERBST THEATRE • 1ST FLOOR 2:15 PM
Chelsea Hollow + Taylor Chan
Chelsea Hollow, soprano, commissioner + curator | Taylor Chan, piano
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL
Cycles of Resistance is a musical journey of resistance, resilience, and inspiration performed by soprano Chelsea Hollow and pianist Taylor Chan. Commissioned by Hollow in 2018-2021, the program represents diverse perspectives and languages not yet common in the classical canon: Mandarin, Dutch, Turkish, and Czech in addition to English, chronicling examples of human resilience: Chinese feminist poetry from the early 1900s; a Dutch sonnet on love conquering all evils; the unity of young Czech girls imprisoned in Room 28 at Theresienstadt Internment Camp; harrowing tales of the Turkish Femicide; and inspiring speeches by U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and activist Valarie Kaur. Featuring intimate vocal restraint, harmonic expansion, and techno-inspired synths, Cycles of Resistance celebrates the extensive range of soundscapes possible in contemporary classical music.
GREEN ROOM • 2ND FLOOR 2:15 PM
Bethany Hill
Bethany Hill, vocals
VOCAL | FOLK | EARLY
Bethany Hill is an acclaimed Australian soprano and theatre-maker, now based in the U.S. Specializing in historical music, she also explores new compositions, blending folk and electronic elements to create unique soundscapes. In 2018, she co-created the children’s opera Can You Hear Colour? at the Adelaide Festival of Arts. Now, she is one half of the San Francisco-based experimental-folk duo, Turas Ensemble, which began touring in 2023. Bethany premiered her one-woman theatre piece Femmina Super at the 2024 Hollywood Fringe Festival, earning a nomination for the Loud Karma Emerging Playwright Award.
Program highlights for SF Music Day 2024 include re-imagined works by Hildegard von Bingen and Barbara Strozzi, alongside Australian and American folk music.
TAUBE ATRIUM THEATER • 4TH FLOOR 2:15 PM
Sierra Ensemble
Matthew Vincent, violin | Janis Lieberman, French horn | Marc Steiner, piano
CLASSICAL | WORLD | CONTEMPORARY
Sierra Ensemble, a violin, horn, and piano trio, has performed worldwide since 1998. The ensemble builds community and expands horn trio repertoire through commissions, education projects, and accessible performances. In 2013, they received ArtsLink and U.S. State Department grants for the Turkish American Composers Project, commissioning works by Russell Steinberg, Aida Shirazi, and Tolga Özdemir. Winners of the 2021 InterMusicSF commission grant, Sierra Ensemble premiered Richard Aldag’s Trio and now collaborates with Anthony DeRitis.
Today, they perform Brahms’ Trio in Eb Major, Op. 40. Hornist Janis Lieberman will demonstrate the natural horn calls featured in the piece, offering historical context. Jean Bartlett of the Pacific Tribune praised their performances as “the poetry of the day.”
MIDDAY CALLING • 1ST FLOOR 3:00 PM
Karen Stackpole
Karen Stackpole, gongs
EXPERIMENTAL | SOUNDSCAPE
Drummer and percussionist Karen Stackpole has specialized in the deep exploration of sonorous metals for over three decades – particularly gongs. She has played both solo and collaboratively in a wide range of experimental and conventional genres as well as soundtracks.
Karen will perform two solo gong recitals throughout the day, in the lobby of the Herbst Theatre: 12:00 PM | 3:00 PM. Her final performance, at 6:00 PM, is a collaboration with Ash Walker, various choral voices, Roco Córdova, and community members.
HERBST THEATRE • 1ST FLOOR 3:15 PM
Manik Khan & Arjun K. Verma with Eman Hashimi
Arjun K. Verma, sitar | Manik Khan, sarod | Eman Hashimi, tabla
INDIAN CLASSICAL
Manik Khan and Arjun K. Verma, lineage holders of the 500-year-old Seni-Maihar Gharana of Indian Classical Music, bring the profound sounds of the sitar and sarod to life, following in the footsteps of Maestro Ali Akbar Khan and Pandit Ravi Shankar. As faculty at the Ali Akbar College of Music, they educate and inspire a new generation to carry forward this ancient tradition. Performing globally, from the United Nations to Bogotá, they honor Indian Classical music’s healing roots.
Hashimi, a protégé of Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri and from a renowned Afghan musical family, learned traditional rhythms from his father, Ustad Tooryalai Hashimi, bringing his unique expertise to this powerful musical collaboration.
GREEN ROOM • 2ND FLOOR 3:15 PM
Kyle Tingzon + Benjamin Liupaogo with Ellen Ruth Rose
Kyle Sanchez Tingzon, countertenor | Benjamin Liupaogo, piano | Ellen Ruth Rose, viola
CLASSICAL | ART SONG | OPERA
Filipino countertenor Kyle Sanchez Tingzon has been praised for his “meltingly beautiful tone” (The Wall Street Journal). In 2023, he was an apprentice artist with The Glimmerglass Festival, singing Goffredo in Rinaldo. During the 2023/24 season, he performed with American Bach, the International Bamboo Organ Festival, and Bach Academie Alden Biesen. Upcoming debuts include Munich, Gävle, and Detroit Opera.
Benjamin Liupaogo, a Samoan tenor and pianist, lectures in vocal studies at Stanford University. He performs with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus and Philharmonia Baroque and has coached at Tanglewood and the University of San Francisco.
Violist Ellen Ruth Rose, a member of Earplay and Eco Ensemble, teaches at UC Berkeley and UC Davis.
TAUBE ATRIUM THEATER • 4TH FLOOR 3:15 PM
Circadian String Quartet
Monika Gruber, violin | David Ryther, violin | Omid Assadi, viola | David Wishnia, cello
MODERN CLASSICAL | WORLD-FOLK | TANGO
The Bay Area-based Circadian String Quartet (CSQ) was founded in 2013 to perform classical and contemporary repertoire of folkloric and cultural significance. Known for bold programming that breaks boundaries, CSQ enjoys working with composers, premiering works by Sahba Aminikia, Ben Carson, Noam Lemish, Ian Venables, and Davide Verotta. In 2016, they commissioned Aminikia’s The Weight of the World, a blend of texts by Allen Ginsburg and Hafez. CSQ also creates original transcriptions; their versions of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and The Firebird premiered in 2017 and 2019. In 2024, they premiered Eurydice’s Defiance, an opera by David Ryther addressing family separation, featuring a libretto by Kimiko Guthrie.
HERBST THEATRE • 1ST FLOOR 4:00 PM
Simon Barrad +
Kseniia Polstiankina Barrad
Simon Barrad, voice | Kseniia Polstiankina Barrad, piano
VOCAL | CLASSICAL | CABARET
Grammy-nominated baritone Simon Barrad is known for his genre-bending performances across the U.S. and Europe. His innovative programming blends new and old, jazz and drama, and classical and folk styles. Recent highlights include performances at the Metropolitan Opera, Wigmore Hall, Ravinia Festival, and Marlboro Music Festival. Based in the Bay Area, he serves as the cantorial soloist at Congregation Sherith Israel in San Francisco and co-founded JIVE: Jewish Innovative Voices & Experiences.
Ukraine-born pianist Kseniia Polstiankina Barrad has a flourishing transatlantic career. She is a member of the music staff at San Francisco Opera and a guest assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera. Their program features American music, from Paul Simon to cabaret and folk songs.
GREEN ROOM • 2ND FLOOR 4:00 PM
Choi-Lee-Teicholz Trio
Jennifer Choi, violin | Angela Lee, cello | Marc Teicholz, guitar
PLUCKED + BOWED STRINGS | CHAMBER
Award-winning violinist Jennifer Choi has built a career that crosses the boundaries of solo performance, chamber music, and improvisation. Praised by The New York Times as “soulful and compelling,” she has performed worldwide, including at the Library of Congress, Cité de la Musique, and RAI National Radio. A founding member of the Miró String Quartet, she has also appeared with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
Cellist Angela Lee, of The Lee Trio and Ensemble SF, performs and teaches master classes internationally. She released Midsummer Night Magic and coaches at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Guitarist Marc Teicholz, winner of the 1989 International Guitar Foundation competition, tours widely and teaches at SFCM.
TAUBE ATRIUM THEATER • 4TH FLOOR 4:00 PM
Roco Córdova
Roco Córdova, voice + electronics
VOCAL | ELECTRONIC | EXPERIMENTAL
Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Roco Córdova is a versatile vocalist, composer, producer, and improviser based in the San Francisco Bay Area. They hold a B.Mus. in Composition from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music and an M.A. from Mills College. As a touring vocalist with The Art Ensemble of Chicago, they have performed at venues like the Tennessee Theater, Pritzker Pavilion, and the Kennedy Center. In 2023-24, they toured with Dorian Wood’s Canto de Todes, a 12-hour chamber work. Roco fuses influences with electronic media, chance operations, noise, and improvisation. Voice is central to their music-making, incorporating throat singing, overtone singing, falsetto, yodeling, and vocal percussion.
HERBST THEATRE • 1ST FLOOR 5:00 PM
Diana Gameros + Patrick Wolff
Diana Gameros, vocals, guitar + piano | Patrick Wolff clarinet + tenor saxophone
LATIN | FOLK
Diana Gameros is a singer, songwriter, and composer born in Juárez, México, who immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager. Over the past decade in the Bay Area, she has released two albums of original songs in Spanish and English, was featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk, and was the subject of a 2020 KQED documentary. Her music explores themes of family, migration, and home, leading to performances with Joan Baez, Natalia Lafourcade, and the San Francisco Symphony.
Patrick Wolff, a saxophone and clarinet player, has been active in the jazz scenes of New York City and San Francisco. He has released six albums and performed with jazz greats like Matt Wilson, Albert “Tootie” Heath, and more.
GREEN ROOM • 2ND FLOOR 5:00 PM
Sidney Chen
Sidney Chen, music box
CLASSICAL | EXPERIMENTAL
Sidney Chen brings his DIY hand-crank music boxes and intricate, hand-punched scrolls to SF Music Day. A multifaceted performer, Chen sought comfort during the pandemic by creating music on these analog mechanisms—described by the SF Chronicle as “player piano music for a doll’s house.” He explores their potential for sophisticated material, including works by Satie and Aphex Twin. Chen is celebrated for his “expressive and richly mellifluous” bass-baritone voice and has collaborated in productions with Meredith Monk, KT Nelson, and the Stanford Laptop Orchestra. Career highlights include premiering Monk’s Realm Variations at the San Francisco Symphony and co-founding The M6 sextet. He is honored to be this year’s Guest Curator.
TAUBE ATRIUM THEATER • 4TH FLOOR 5:00 PM
Geechi Taylor Quintet
Geechi Taylor, trumpet + vocals | Riley Bandy, alto saxophone | Spencer Allen, pianist | Ron Belcher, bassist | Howard Wiley, drummer
BLUES | JAZZ | R&B | SOUL
Geechi Taylor, a premier trumpeter, entertainer, and educator, commands respect in jazz and hip-hop circles. Best known as a sideman with top bands, he has traveled the world, spreading positive messages through music. For the past nine years, Geechi has honed his skills as a bandleader and lead vocalist, performing at major corporate events, historic clubs, and high-profile weddings.
He has shared the stage with musical greats like Patrice Rushen, Ndugu Chancler, and Lauryn Hill. A dedicated multi-instrumentalist, he mentors young musicians through the Young Musicians Choral Orchestra. His students have earned scholarships to The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, The New School, and Berklee College of Music.
FINAL GATHERING + SEND OFF • 1ST FLOOR 6:00 PM
FINAL GATHERING
At 6 PM, we invite all attendees to take part in a music-making experience: After the final stage performances have concluded, Director Ash Walker will lead a community-wide vocalization. The performance will include collaborations with Karen Stackpole, various choral voices, Roco Córdova, and community members. Join in and explore the power of collective sound in this one-of-a-kind musical journey.
Karen Stackpole
Karen Stackpole, gongs
EXPERIMENTAL | SOUNDSCAPE
Drummer and percussionist Karen Stackpole has specialized in the deep exploration of sonorous metals for over three decades – particularly gongs. She has played both solo and collaboratively in a wide range of experimental and conventional genres as well as soundtracks.
Karen’s final performance, at 6:00 PM, is a collaboration with Ash Walker, various choral voices, Roco Córdova, and community members.
Ash Walker, Director
Ash Walker, Director | Various Voices
ALEATORIC | ABORIGINAL | CHORAL
Grammy-nominated conductor Ash Walker began his musical career with the Philadelphia Boys Choir and Chorale, touring the U.S., Switzerland, Australia, South Africa, and Israel. He earned a B.A. in Music from Millersville University, where he co-founded and directed the Men’s Choir, was Drum Major of the Marauder Marching Band, and served as President of the American Choral Directors Association, Lancaster.
In 2009, he founded the Music for Everyone Lancaster Community Chorus, a non-auditioned choir focused on building community through music. More recently, Ash completed his M.A. in Choral Conducting at California State University, East Bay, winning the Trustees Scholarship. Now based in Oakland, he serves as Chorus Director for the Oakland Symphony.
Roco Córdova
Roco Córdova, voice
VOCAL | THROAT SINGING
At 6:00 PM, Roco Córdova joins Ash Walker, various voices, and all audience members for a community-wide vocalization and sound-making experience.
SEND-OFF
To close out the day, Heartbeat of Oakland Drums leads the SF Music Day audience outside for a lively, percussive celebration of music, dance, and community connection. Get loose, have fun, and enjoy SF Music Day’s grand finale in the streets of San Francisco!
Heartbeat of Oakland Drums
Gregory Harris, dun-dun timpani | Kerry Taylor, djembe | David Stringer, congas | Ash Walker, djembe
CUBO-AFRICAN-RHYTHMS | TRADITIONAL CHORAL
Heartbeat of Oakland Drums is a collaboration of long-time members of Soulbeatz, a community drum circle in Oakland, CA. Established over 10 years ago, Soulbeatz gathers every weekend at the Pergola on Lake Merritt. Gregory, a regular performer, says, “We bring joy through music—this is what we do.” Dancers often call it “medicine for the week.”
This drum quartet merges West African and Afro-Cuban rhythms with the djembe, congas, and dun-dun timpani. The djembe leads with its versatile tones, engaging in call-and-response with vocalists. The congas add warmth, while the dun-dun provides the grounding bass. The ensemble joins Ash Walker and community members in a send-off promoting unity and peace in San Francisco.
We invite you to the 17th edition of SF Music Day this October 20th at the historic San Francisco War Memorial + Performing Arts Center. Experience 100+ artists performing on the Herbst Theatre, the Green Room, and the Taube Atrium Theater stages, all admission-free!
Check out scenes from SF Music Day 2023:
SF Music Day is a free festival and presents 19 local ensembles, with over 80 artists performing for 7+ hours of continuous music. Come for musical performance featuring an array of genres, including blues, chamber-folk, classical, early, experimental, jazz, new, tango, world music – and everything in between — and experience a culturally rich festival that showcases the brilliant artistry that defines the Bay Area music scene.
Register through Eventbrite for updates on planning your day of free concerts at SF Music Day!
Join our volunteer mailing list to learn ways that your special skills can help make SF Music Day a successful musical adventure for our community!
