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Author: Alfredo Casuso

Silverback celebrates a record breaking 6 months

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media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

Silverback celebrates a record breaking 6 months producing and supporting major live events in San Francisco and abroad.

13 November 2024 — San Francisco, California: Silverback, a west-coast leader in large-scale production and event management closes out the third quarter supporting 20 clients and over 1,500,000 participants, attendees and spectators across the last 6 months of unique and iconic events.   

The dynamic SF based production agency provides a vast array of event management, staffing and government liaison services in the endurance space, to parades & music festivals, graduations, sailing and tennis events, amongst others. 

Silverback kicked off the season with the delivery of SailGP Bermuda on May 4-5th working in partnership with the SailGP to design a first of its kind Race Stadium venue on the island’s remote stretch of Morgan’s Point. Ultimately resulting in the company’s 7th successful delivery of on-shore operations around the world for one of sports fastest growing leagues.  

Two weeks later came the 113th edition of the iconic Bay To Breakers footrace on May 19th.  Produced in partnership and co-owned with Motiv Sports, the team provides full-service race direction and production for this bucket list race of more than 20,000 participants and tens of thousands of spectators, making it one of the most unique experiences and oldest events in the running industry. 

Headlining the month of June, Silverback was selected as the executive producer of the San Francisco Pride Festival Celebration, June 29-30th.  San Francisco Pride is one of the largest LGBTQ+ celebrations in the world with 200 + parade contingents and exhibitors located in the heart of San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza and the Market Street area.  This is San Francisco’s largest annual event that welcomes over 1,000,000 people from around the world.  

Tapped again by SailGP for Season 4 Grand Final San Francisco.  Silverback executed a sold-out event, across multiple venues spanning from the Yacht Club Peninsula to the 300,000 square foot tech base at Pier 80, where the team managed all production, permitting and on-shore site operations. The internationally televised league saw viewership increase to 193 Million dedicated viewers across the globe, a 48% increase from Season 3.  And for the first time ever, Spain was crowned as Champion.

July’s anchor event was the 47th edition of The San Francisco Marathon, in continued partnership with Jumping Fences, Inc., owners of the event. Silverback provides full-service event production, permitting and race management for the 30,000-person event. The San Francisco Marathon is known for its beautiful yet challenging course route featuring a Full Loop Marathon over the Golden Gate Bridge, First Half Marathon, Second Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Kids and Ultra distance races, all in one weekend. 

Lastly, the team supported Another Planet Entertainment with the annual Outside Lands Music Festival at Golden Gate Park, San Francisco’s biggest 3-day music festival attracting 75,000 attendees each day.  For the fourth consecutive year, Silverback provided hospitality, project management and transportation services for the festival’s exclusive Golden Gate Club. 

“What the team at Silverback has accomplished over these past 6 months is nothing short of incredible. We have been entrusted with the management and production of some of the world’s most iconic events, a responsibility we never take for granted.  The team continues to deliver week in and week out across one of the most diversified event portfolios out there. We’ll keep building on our foundation while honing our craft, as we look forward to the next chapter,” said Kyle Meyers, CEO/Co-Founder of Silverback.

Other key events rounding out 2024:

  • November 3rd, Golden Gate Half Marathon & 5k 
  • November 17th, Berkeley Half Marathon, 10k & 5k 
  • November 21-23rd, Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix 
  • December 8th, California International Marathon 

For more information about Silverback, visit www.gosilverback.com  and follow the event on Facebook and Instagram.

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Conozca a Isabel Dobarro, una de las pianistas españolas con mayor proyección internacional

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Conozca a Isabel Dobarro, una de las pianistas españolas con mayor proyección internacional

“Isabel Dobarro aúna una técnica impecable con un gran sentido interpretativo”
Tomás Marco (Scherzo, 2022)

La Dra. Isabel Dobarro está considerada una de las pianistas españolas con más proyección internacional. “Mujer a Seguir en la Cultura del año 2021” Profesora del Centro Superior Katarina Gurska, Presidenta del Centro Europeo de Música España e invitada como visiting Professor en la London Performing Academy of Music en Londres (UK), Isabel ha desarrollado su carrera en los Estados Unidos, España, Alemania, Rusia, Bélgica, Francia, Argentina, Italia y Portugal. Su próximo debut solista discográfico tendrá lugar con el prestigioso sello Naxos.

Ha actuado en Carnegie Hall, el DiMenna Center, Steinway Hall, Tenri Cultural Institute, Septodont Audiorium, Carson Auditorium, Provincetown Playhouse, Frederick Loewe Theater, Blackbox Theater, Borden Auditorium y Greenfield Hall entre otros en EEUU, Iberoamerikanische Institut de Berlín y Casa Mendelssohn de Leipzig, Conservatorio Tchaikovsky de Moscú, Teatro Colón de Buenos Aires, Casina Pio IV en la Ciudad del Vaticano, Monastero delle Trentaré en Nápoles, Sala Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli en Bolzano, Balassi Center en Bruselas, Villa Viardot en Bougival (París), Auditorio Nacional, Teatro de la Zarzuela, Palau de la Música Catalana, Círculo de Bellas Artes, Teatros del Canal, Reales Alcázares en Sevilla, Fundación Juan March, Teatro Jovellanos, Museo Thyssen Bornemisza, Auditorium de Galicia, Ateneo de Madrid, Escuela Superior de Canto, Consello de la Cultura de Galicia, Teatro Rosalía, Palacio de Festivales de Santander, Pazo da Cultura, International Institute y Teatro Jofre, entre otros, en España.

Isabel ha recibido numerosos premios en competiciones internacionales tales como el segundo premio en el American Protegé InternationalPiano Competition, tercer premio en el Grand Prize International Virtuoso Competition y el primer premio en los Concursos Internacionales de Cidade do Fundao en Portugal y Ciutat de Berga y galardones por su carrera incluyendo el Young Peacemaker Award en el Foro de Premios Nobel de la Paz, el Premio Executivas de Galicia 2022 y el Alfiler de Oro 2022. Fue además finalista en el Future Women in Classical Music Award en Londres.

Su labor ha sido reconocida por medios nacionales e internacionales tales como eldiario El Mundo (en el que apareció en portada), El País, ABC, La Vanguardia, Vogue, Telva (considerada una de las 10 españolas del siglo XXI), Televisión Española, Telecinco, Antena 3, Opera News (USA) siendo su CD selección de la crítica, Pianist Magazine (UK) donde eligieron sus grabaciones para conmemorar a Teresa Carreño, Fanfare Magazine (USA), Westdeutscher Rundfunk (Alemania), La Nación (Argentina), Radio Nacional, La Ser, Cope, Onda Cero, El Español, Scherzo, Platea, Melómano, Doce Notas, etc.

Por su trabajo en la recuperaciónde obras de compositoras, Isabel ha sido invitada a hablar en la Women Now Conference junto a su Majestad la Reina Letizia y Kathleen Kennedy. Asimismo, en el año 2016, junto a la mezzo-soprano Anna Tonna, Isabel Dobarro creó el Proyecto Women in Music, iniciativa que promueve la música compuesta por mujeres. En esta difusión de la música de compositoras destaca su actuación en el Palau de la Música Catalana como solista, interpretando el Concierto para Piano y Orquesta de Clara Schumann op.7 y Frágil de Clara Gil junto a la orquesta OSSB, dirigida por Claudia Dubé.

Meet Isabel Dobarro, one of Spain’s most internationally promising pianists

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Meet Isabel Dobarro, one of Spain’s most internationally promising pianists

“Isabel Dobarro combines impeccable technique with a great interpretative sense.”  
– Tomás Marco (Scherzo, 2022)

Dr. Isabel Dobarro is considered one of Spain’s most internationally promising pianists. Named “Woman to Follow in Culture 2021,” she is a professor at the Katarina Gurska Higher Center, President of the European Music Center in Spain, and a visiting professor at the London Performing Academy of Music (UK). Isabel has developed her career in the United States, Spain, Germany, Russia, Belgium, France, Argentina, Italy, and Portugal. Her upcoming solo recording debut will be with the prestigious Naxos label.

She has performed at Carnegie Hall, the DiMenna Center, Steinway Hall, Tenri Cultural Institute, Septodont Auditorium, Carson Auditorium, Provincetown Playhouse, Frederick Loewe Theater, Blackbox Theater, Borden Auditorium, and Greenfield Hall, among others, in the U.S.; the Ibero-Amerikanische Institut in Berlin; Mendelssohn House in Leipzig; Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow; Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires; Casina Pio IV in Vatican City; Monastero delle Trentaré in Naples; Sala Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli in Bolzano; Balassi Center in Brussels; Villa Viardot in Bougival (Paris); and various notable venues in Spain, including the National Auditorium, Teatro de la Zarzuela, Palau de la Música Catalana, Círculo de Bellas Artes, Teatros del Canal, Reales Alcázares in Seville, Fundación Juan March, Teatro Jovellanos, Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, and others.

Isabel has won numerous awards in international competitions, such as second place in the American Protegé International Piano Competition, third place in the Grand Prize International Virtuoso Competition, and first prizes in the Cidade do Fundão International Competition in Portugal and Ciutat de Berga. She has also received career accolades, including the Young Peacemaker Award at the Nobel Peace Prize Forum, the Executivas de Galicia Award 2022, and the Golden Pin Award 2022. She was a finalist for the Future Women in Classical Music Award in London.

Her work has been recognized by national and international media, including *El Mundo* (where she appeared on the cover), *El País*, *ABC*, *La Vanguardia*, *Vogue*, *Telva* (named one of the top 10 Spaniards of the 21st century), Spanish television stations (TVE, Telecinco, Antena 3), *Opera News* (USA), *Pianist Magazine* (UK), *Fanfare Magazine* (USA), and various European and Latin American publications.

For her work in recovering compositions by women, Isabel was invited to speak at the Women Now Conference alongside Queen Letizia of Spain and Kathleen Kennedy. In 2016, she founded the Women in Music Project with mezzo-soprano Anna Tonna, promoting music composed by women. A highlight of this work was her performance at Palau de la Música Catalana, where she played Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto op.7 and Clara Gil’s *Frágil*, accompanied by the OSSB orchestra under Claudia Dubé’s direction.

She premiered Louise Héritte-Viardot’s quartets in Spain and Marianna Martínez’s Piano Concerto in G Major, performing with the Málaga Camerata and Italy’s Orchestra San Giovanni.

Isabel has collaborated with the New York Philharmonic through their Very Young Composers Program. Additionally, she has played with the OSSB of Barcelona, OSCAN, Cruz Diez Orchestra, Real Filharmonía de Galicia, Braga Philharmonic Orchestra, OST, Málaga Camerata, and others, under conductors such as Michael Thomas, Manuel Jurado, Claudia Dubé, Diego Masson, Paula Sumillera, Filipe Cunha, Santiago Otero, Aona Green, and Beatriz Gutiérrez.

She has given masterclasses at institutions like New York University, the International Opera Festival in Morelia, and Veracruz’s Pianistic Improvement Festival. She has lectured at numerous renowned venues, including the Vatican’s Casina Pio IV (where she was received by Pope Francis), the UN General Assembly, the European Parliament, Harvard University, Columbia University, the King Juan Carlos I Center, and many more.

Her publications include an article on Joaquín Rodrigo’s reception in the United States for Harvard University-Observatorio Cervantes and another on Sustainable Development Goals and Music for IIASA in Vienna. She is preparing a book on Spanish women composers, scheduled for release next year.

She organized a tribute to the composer Pauline Viardot for her bicentennial, which included events at Harvard University, New York University, Teatro Jovellanos, Alcázar de Sevilla, Institut Français, and others, along with a CD, scholarly articles, and global conferences. Her album “The Unknown Pauline Viardot: Chamber Songs and Duets” has been acclaimed by critics, including *Opera News*, *Fanfare Magazine*, and *Operawire*, and won Spain’s Golden Melomano Award.

In 2016, she organized the Granados Festival at NYU, a series of conferences and concerts dedicated to Enrique Granados. Three years later, she organized the Rodrigo Festival: The Guitar and Beyond, involving Harvard University and New York University.

A champion of contemporary music, Isabel has premiered works by numerous composers, including Eduardo Soutullo, Juan Manuel Ruiz, Miguel Bustamante, and others. Her recording of Diana Pérez Custodio’s *Ostinato Rap 02* with mezzo-soprano Anna Tonna has been included in the London Music Nights Series CD.

She performs regularly with National Music Award winner and RTVE Orchestra concertmaster Miguel Borrego, guitarist José María Gallardo del Rey, and flautist Rubén Torres Melero.

Isabel holds a doctorate from New York University, where she began teaching at age 19 as an Adjunct Instructor. Her studies include a Professional Studies Degree from Manhattan School of Music, a Master’s from NYU, and a degree from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid. She also holds a Law degree from UNED, has studied law at NYU SPS, sustainability at SDG Academy, International Relations at Harvard University, and business at Harvard Business School HBX. She completed a leadership course at Cambridge University and a dual master’s in law and bilingual legal advisory at IE Law School.

AMEPA Expert weighs in on Amsterdam attacks

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Dear Colleagues: in light of last night’s anti-semitic attacks in Amsterdam, we are able to provide expert analysis and opinion from a variety of experts. Specifically today, we are making available Richard Priem, Chief Executive Officer, of Community Leadership Service.

best,

David Perry / (415) 676-7007/ news@davidperry.com

https://thecss.org/about/leadership

Richard is the interim Chief Executive Officer of CSS after spending four years as its COO and Deputy National Director where he was responsible for building out all security operations and programs around the country.

After completing his military service in a paratrooper reconnaissance unit of the Israel Defense Forces, Richard’s two-decade career includes leading roles in counter-terrorism and Jewish security in the United States and around the world. In the Netherlands, Richard held a leading role in the official security organization of the Jewish community, working closely with counterparts across Europe to raise the level of security around Jewish institutions in the face of rising antisemitism and terrorist threats.

Richard subsequently worked for the United Nations Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate and Department of Peacekeeping Operations’ Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions. In these roles, he assessed national security frameworks and trained intelligence and law enforcement agencies in more than a dozen countries. He was stationed in Southeast Asia for two years to research transnational organized crime and terrorist groups for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

Before joining CSS, Richard served as the New York Director for International Affairs at the Anti-Defamation League. After the attacks on the Chabad of Poway, he developed a protocol for the ADL’s regional offices on responding to terrorist attacks against the Jewish community. This was implemented after the 2019 attacks on Jews in Jersey City and Monsey, NY where he was directly involved in liaising between Jewish organizations and law enforcement. Richard earned a Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a Bachelor’s in History and Arabic from the University of Amsterdam.

Palm Springs Sister Cities Welcomes Delegation from San Miguel de Allende for a Cultural and Culinary Exchange

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 6, 2024

Media contact: David Perry Associates, Inc / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Palm Springs Sister Cities Welcomes Delegation from San Miguel de Allende for a Cultural and Culinary Exchange

Palm Springs, CA – Palm Springs Sister Cities is thrilled to announce the arrival of a delegation from our Sister City, San Miguel de Allende,  Mexico from November 7-10, 2024. The visit coincides with the Palm Springs Food & Wine Festival and features a lineup of initiatives designed to deepen cross-cultural ties and mutual economic benefits.

Key highlights include Palm Springs Passport (PSP) a cocktail exchange program, where participating Palm Springs restaurants and bars will serve cocktails curated by San Miguel’s top mixologists. With each cocktail purchased, one dollar will be donated to support Palm Springs Sister Cities’ projects. This unique initiative aims to delight patrons while contributing to meaningful cultural programs.

“Palm Springs and San Miguel de Allende share a vibrant spirit of creativity and hospitality,” said Palm Springs Mayor Jeffrey Bernstein. “When we come together in moments like these, we celebrate our shared cultural heritage and lay the foundation for lasting connections that enrich both communities.”

An educational component is also central to the visit. Fourth-grade students from Vista Del Monte Elementary in Palm Springs are collaborating on an art exchange with students from Newland School in San Miguel, creating a platform for young learners to appreciate the beauty of diverse artistic traditions.

“Our partnership with San Miguel de Allende is a testament to the power of cultural diplomacy,” said Palm Springs Sister Cities President Andrea Davis. “Through food, art, and thoughtful conversation, we’re building bridges that will support our cities for generations to come.”

The delegation will also actively participate in VillageFest, participate in a boutique hotel tour, and hold strategic discussions with city stakeholders on cultural tourism, examining how both cities can enhance visitor experiences and boost economic development. 

Participants for the economic discussion on cultural tourism include Wayne Olson, Chief Economic Development Officer for Palm Springs, Steven Biller, Editorial Director, Palm Springs Life Magazine, Gary Armstrong, Chair, Palm Springs Public Arts Commission, as well as tourism executives and hotel/ restaurant owners from San Miguel.

Wayne Olson expressed enthusiasm about the potential impact: “Palm Springs Passport, the cocktail exchange effort, is a creative way to drive more foot traffic to downtown establishments, enriching our city’s culinary scene and drawing visitors to experience everything Palm Springs has to offer.”

With shared experiences and innovative initiatives on the horizon, this cultural and culinary collaboration is set to leave a lasting mark on both communities.

For more information on the Sister Cities initiatives, please visit sistercitiesps.org.