We’ve been meaning to go to Flower Piano for awhile now. An annual event, Flower Piano is presented by Sunset Piano & San Francisco Botanical Gardens and its now in its 5th year. Pianos are set up throughout San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park every summer for people to play and from small children to professionals, music lights up the skies, warms people’s hearts, heals people’s souls and entertains visitors.
They have singalongs as well as professional performances. For kids, they had a Rabbit Hole Theater Scavenger Hunt through the garden. They sell plants and offer a Friday evening Flower Piano at Sunset, which is a new family-friendly addition which allows a young talent showcase for musicians 12 years old and under. There’s also Flower Piano by Night, which they charge for, however the weekend day performances are completely free for San Francisco residents and a nominal fee if you’re not.
On the weekend during the day, they have twelve piano extravaganza, which means that there are simultaneous performances at all pianos set up throughout the park. In the Great Meadow, Heidleberg Hill, Garden of Fragrance, the Rhododendron Garden, the Ancient Plant Garden, in the New Zealand and South Africa garden section, as well as the California Native Garden, Redwood Grove, Conifer Lawn, the Moon Viewing Garden and Zellerbach Garden — all of them were alive with music. In the Redwoods, Dawn Oberg did songs about plant life and our friend Noam Eisen played for most of the day. In the California Native Garden, we heard from Steve Abrams Trio, and Eric Chase played music from beloved composers and improvisations.
We also hear from Monty Oxymoron in the Zellerbach Garden — classical jazz improv with a touch of Psychedelia. Other performers included Paulo Sultanum and guests, Jordan Feinstein, Benjamin Gribble, Esther Aeshbach, Samantha Cho and Florin Parvulescu, Sandra Simich, Elektra Schmidt, Lewis Patzner & friends, Martha Cooper & friends, Mark Techler and others. In the Fountain Plaza, the main area in the park, there was an incredible orchestra collective, which included David Moschler (conducting), and featured Serene on piano (so much wow here)! They performed Chopin and Rachmaninoff on Saturday, performances not to be missed.
Below are some photos from the day.
See our video compilation below. For more information, visit their website.
