Press Release

(FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE)

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From: Music In The Mountains

530 Searls Ave. Suite A, Nevada City, CA 95959

Contact: Aimee Retzler, 415-265-8447, aimeeretzler@yahoo.com

For a press kit, concert tickets, or publicity photos, please contact Ms. Retzler directly.

Additional information is available at www.musicinthemountains.org.

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COME TO VIENNA

MIM’s SpringFest Waltzes into the Foothills

Gregory’s Vajda’s 2010 season begins to unfold March 24-28, 2010

Nevada City, CA – February 17^th, 2010 – Music In The Mountain’s (MIM) annual SpringFest doesn’t just signal the beginning of warmer weather for the Sierra Nevada Foothills. This year, SpringFest launches an entirely new annual program of live music performance in classical, jazz, pops, western, bluegrass, opera, and a wide selection of concerts for children and performance opportunities for young musicians.

Gregory Vajda’s inaugural season kicks off March 24^th with Wine, Women, and Song

The Viennese waltz is grand music, and it is also a state of mind. Now sit back and let yourself be transported to old Vienna: the rhythmic beauty of the waltz, visiting homes of the great composers, the Prater Park Ferris wheel, Sacher Tortes at the Café Mozart, walking the Kartnerstrasse… the idealized Vienna Life is something to behold. Famed baritone from the Met, Richard Zeller will assist everyone on their journey to Vienna as he sings songs from Wolf, Schubert and Brahms. Guests can even indulge in rich slices of Viennese Torte compliments of Flour Garden Bakery and enjoy watching Vienna Rhythms perform the Viennese Waltz in full costume. SpringFest continues with a free concert for 700 4^th grade students on March 25th, and weekend concerts featuring the MIM Chorus conducted by Ryan Murray, romantic string music, and a wind serenade.

Music In The Mountains is well known for hosting seasonal music festivals that present a wide variety of classical, jazz, and contemporary music from artists known throughout the world as well as serving over 4000 students annually through their outstanding music education outreach program. Gregory Vajda, MIM’s new artistic director and conductor brings the stage to life through provocatively, entertaining musical performances known for leaving audiences at the edge of their seat. Join us as we celebrate the 2010 season!

Featured Guest Artists sprinkled throughout the 2010 season underscore the diversity and strength of the 2010 Music In The Mountains program:

· One of America's foremost baritones, Richard Zeller, whose opera engagements have included 12 seasons at the Metropolitan Opera, is internationally acclaimed for both his concert and opera roles. He is known for his sonorous dramatic voice, a compelling stage presence and outstanding musicianship. Richard Zeller will be singing at the Wine, Women, and Song concert on Wednesday, March 24^th.

· Heeeeere's Johnny!" That lead-in, followed by a big band trumpet blast, was the landmark of late night television for three decades. The ‘Johnny' was Johnny Carson, the announcer was Ed McMahon and the bandleader was Doc Severinsen. Today, Doc has not lost his flair for outrageous fashions and witty banter. Yet, he is highly regarded as one of the most technically proficient trumpeters. Doc has the best stage presence of anyone out there. He can blow a horn like few others…he is a high note virtuoso, a genuinely funny man, and always a fashion fiend. Doc is playing Friday June 11th.

· For thirty years Riders In The Sky have been keepers of the flame passed on by the Sons of the Pioneers, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, reviving and revitalizing the genre. And while remaining true to the integrity of Western music, they have themselves become modern-day icons by branding the genre with their own legendary wacky humor and way-out Western wit, and all along encouraging buckaroos and buckarettes to live life "The Cowboy Way!" Riders In The Sky are exceptional not just in the sense that their music is of superlative standards (they are the ONLY exclusively Western artist to have won a Grammy, and Riders have won two), but by the fact that their accomplishments are an exception to the rule as well. Riders In The Sky are playing Friday June 18^th.

· For more than 30 years, the Kronos Quartet—David Harrington, John Sherba (violins), Hank Dutt (viola) and Jeffrey Zeigler (cello)—has pursued a singular artistic vision, combining a spirit of fearless exploration with a commitment to expanding the range and context of the string quartet. In the process, Kronos has become one of the most celebrated and influential groups of our time, performing thousands of concerts worldwide, releasing more than 45 recordings of extraordinary breadth and creativity, collaborating with many of the world's most eclectic composers and performers, and commissioning more than 650 works and arrangements for string quartet. Kronos' work has also garnered numerous awards, including a Grammy for Best Chamber Music Performance (2004) and "Musicians of the Year" (2003) from Musical America. The Kronos Quartet is playing Thurs. June 24^th.

· Bela Fleck is often considered the premier banjo player in the world.  Some claim that Béla has virtually reinvented the image and the sound of the banjo through a remarkable performing and recording career that has taken him all over the musical map and on a range of solo projects and collaborations. If you are familiar with Béla, you know that he just loves to play the banjo, and put it into unique settings. Already a powerfully creative force in bluegrass, jazz, pop, rock and world beat, Béla at last made the classical connection with "Perpetual Motion", his critically acclaimed 2001 Sony Classical recording that went on to win a pair of Grammys, including Best Classical Crossover Album, in the 44th annual Grammy Awards. Béla Flecks' total Grammy count is 11 Grammys won, and 27 nominations. He has been nominated in more different categories than anyone in Grammy history. Bela Fleck is playing Friday June 25^th.

· Internationally acclaimed soprano, Veronika Kinsces will be singing a series of “Unexpected Songs” while her son, Gregory Vajda, conducts the MIM orchestra and MIM chorus soloists. Veronika appears in many international operas, most notably as a charming Cio-Cio-San in Hungaroton’s Madama Butterfly with Peter Dvorský, and she sings secondary roles in recordings of Medea and Fedora . On the recording, “Songs and Duets from Operettas”, she is vivacious, coquettish, tender, flirtatious, whatever the mood of the piece calls for. Her voice has a warm radiance, with a sweet clarity and an interesting, central European tang. Veronika Kinsces performs on Wednesday, June 30^th.

The high quality of performing guest artists along with MIM’s orchestra and chorus helps to bring legions of fans into the area and will assist local businesses as they look to fill rooms, palettes, and shopping bags over the festival season. Hosting new guest artists that haven’t performed in this area before will also help attract locals that are looking for new forms of entertainment as they support MIM in their endeavor to continue to offer outstanding music education offerings in area schools.

Music In The Mountains benefits music education throughout Nevada County Schools

MIM’s seasonal festivals are one way that Nevada County school children have an opportunity to enjoy live musical performances as part of their overall music education and enrichment experience. Music In The Mountains serves over 4000 students annually through their outstanding music education outreach program. Their mission is to bring classical music and education to youth by presenting outstanding performances of predominantly classical music and by offering exceptional educational opportunities for youth and adults in music appreciation, performance and composition.

One example of their programming is Brummitt Taylor. BT consists of a kit of 8 classical CDs with lesson plans and instructions for teaching and playing music in the classroom for 5-10 minutes a day, 5 days a week, for 5 years. Music in the Mountains makes these $300 kits available to teachers free of charge as part of our educational outreach program. If you are interested in volunteering or making a donation to extend the current music education offerings, please contact Mark Vance, Music Education Coordinator at mark@musicinthemountains.org.

TICKETS FOR SpringFest

Single tickets for Gregory Vajda and the orchestra’s 2010 season are on sale now. Tickets for SpringFest range in price from $5 to $32. Become a MIM donor and enjoy the many expanded benefits associated with giving back to the music community. This year you can even get an iPod with Gregory’s favorite tunes already loaded. Ticket information is available through the Music In The Mountains website at www.musicinthemountains.org and at the box office by calling 530-265-6124. For complete season details visit www.musicinthemountains.org. For over 28 years, MIM has been the premiere producer of classical music in the foothills and as a tax-exempt (501c3) public benefit organization, all proceeds from the seasonal festivals are directed toward MIM’s mission-related campaigns and programs.