Two Musical Groups Featured at Free Concert at Historic NYC Location Next Week

The Richmond County Orchestra will be presenting TWO groups, The Dal Segno Trio and Utopia Winds, Sunday June 5th at 3pm at the Conference House, 298 Satterlee Street, Staten Island, NY 10307 in a FREE concert open to the public. Bring a lawn chair, bring a blanket, bring a friend. For information visit: https://fb.me/e/3nNLDlSyp.

Featured musical groups are the clarinet quartet Utopia Winds performing popular classic and Broadway numbers and the Dal Segno Trio with Dr. Darrell Smith on drums, Yago Vazquez on keyboard and David Kingsnorth on Bass.

From humble beginnings in the basement of his home in Staten Island, to the halls of the esteemed Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School (a.k.a. "The Fame School"), and The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, Dr. Darrell Smith has been recognized for his prodigious talent with numerous awards and honors (including a scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College Division and the Principal's Award for Excellence in Contribution to LaGuardia High School). His educational foundation from some of the most prestigious institutions in New York, along with instruction and mentorship from acclaimed musicians like Kenny Washington, Ali Jackson, Dafnis Prieto, Bernard Purdie, and Billy Hart, has propelled him to success as one of the most sought-after young drummers in the city.

Dr. Smith recently graduated with his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from SUNY Stonybrook as a student and graduate teaching assistant with jazz program director Ray Anderson.

In 2021 Dr. Smith was named Music Director of The Universal Temple of The Arts Annual Staten Island Jazz Festival.

Born in Vigo (Spain), Yago Vazquez has been an active member of the New York City music scene since 2008 after receiving a scholarship to attend The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music where he graduated with honors in 2010.

His music has been critically acclaimed by the press worldwide, "his prodigiousness is quite noticeable"- All About Jazz; and in 2018 Vazquez received the "Martin Codax Music Award" for jazz artist of the year.

Bassist David Kingsnorth has performed with the John Abercrombie/Rob Scheps Quartet, Eliot Zigmund, Joshua Breakstone, Oscar Brown Jr., Richard Wyands, Frank Jackson, theNew Jersey Ballet, and the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea, he studied with John Clayton and received degrees in math and music from the University of California, Berkeley. He also received a master's degree in classical performance from Montclair State University, where he studied with Linda McKnight.

Although utopia means "nowhere," Utopia Winds group members think clarinet quartets should be everywhere. Their goal is to present live performances of music for any combination of four clarinets. They perform at parties, street fairs, and other events. With more than 100 pieces in their repertoire, which spans several centuries and includes compositions written specifically for their instruments, transcriptions of famous string quartets, and arrangements of jazz and pop standards. When not "quartetting," the members of Utopia Winds perform with orchestras, opera companies, and other ensembles in the New York area. Collectively, they have decades of professional experience.

Founded in 1998, under the direction of Maestro Alan Aurelia, The Richmond County Orchestra continues its effort to enhance the musical and cultural life of Staten Island and students throughout NYC and strives to inspire a love of music through a presentation of the classical repertoire and programming that encourages interaction with audience members. The orchestra offers live performances in the three council districts of Staten Island, presenting works of living composers as well as music from the past, providing its listeners with an opportunity to explore a new artistic language. In addition, the RCO offers educational innovations designed to capture the interest of young students who want to pursue a career in music. Musicians from the RCO have gone into NYC high schools and middle schools and coached students in after-school programs which have culminated in Side-By-Side concerts with the students and the Orchestra.

The popularity of the RCO has grown so much over the years that they have been called upon to perform in various venues throughout the tristate area, including at Carnegie Hall, NYC; the Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Natural History, Fairfield University, Washington Square Park, Asbury Park and more. Tickets to all Richmond County Orchestra concerts are free for students and children.