Types of Events
I've Played
Fairs/ Shows/ Festivals/ Home Parties
Farmers markets, open houses, special theme concerts, horse shows, weddings, receptions, fairs, events at ranches, and live radio shows, are among the many types of performances Greg plays for. With his diverse music repertoire, and the added ability to improvise and compose music on the fly, Greg’s music is a natural for these events and more. Greg has been a regular at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, CA since 2001, and a regular performer at Hagemann Ranch open house events in Livermore, CA for over 7 years, and a variety of other venues.
Playing in the great outdoors is a particular passion for Greg. “There is nothing like playing outside in a beautiful location. It seems like the outdoors makes the music better. I get ideas for my original music most often when I am hiking.”
Hagemann Ranch – Open House events, Livermore, CA
Alameda County Fair – concert performances, Pleasanton, CA since 2001
Niles Farmers Market – Fremont, CA
San Ramon Farmers Market – San Ramon, CA
Livermore Farmers Markets – Livermore, CA
The Canyon View Event Center - San Ramon, CA
The Bankhead Theater Wine Stroll Event – Livermore, CA
Community Presbyterian Church Singles Program Concert – Danville, CA
Classic Movie Night – Performances at Cornerstone Church – Livermore, CA
Movie Music Concert at the Livermore Library – Livermore, CA
Concerts for Christian Singles Network – Sacramento, CA area / Meadow Vista, CA
Concerts for Christian Singles Newsletter Events – Danville, Fremont, Benicia, CA
Goat Hill Fair, Goat Hill Farm – concert performances, Los Gatos, CA
LARPD Senior Center – Irish Music Concert, Livermore, CA
Movie Music Concerts at Classic Movie Nights – Classic Vine Theater, Livermore, CA
Yarra Yarra Horse Ranch – music played for horse show action, Dublin, CA
Concerts for Lafayette / Orinda Presbyterian Church Singles Program, Lafayette, CA
Chalk Art Festival – Pleasanton, CA
Silent Films
Since Greg plays from memory / ear and can improvise and compose music on the spot, playing music for silent films is a natural for him. “I remember first auditioning for the Silent Films at Niles in early 2005 after finding out that the singles group I was in listed the silent films at Niles, as an activity on their events schedule. This sparked my curiosity to see if I could play there and the rest is history.” Greg has been playing for silent film showings at Niles since 2005.
As it became known that Greg plays for silent films, some of the retirement centers, churches, and other organizations that he had contact with, started hiring him to play music for silent films at their location as well. “After I got started playing for the Silent Film showings at Niles in 2005, retirement centers and senior groups I was already playing music for, had hired me to come and play for silent films for their residents. It snowballed into a very fun thing. Many seniors cannot get out or even dream of going down to Niles to watch the silent film showings. This is very convenient for them.”
See the list of places Greg has played music for silent films at. Also coming sometime down the line, is a list of many of the silent films that Greg has played for, and there are many!
The Niles Essanay Silent Film Theater, Fremont, CA – performances since 2005Santa Rosa Junior College, Petaluma, Ca CampusPacific Locomotive Association – Train Films at Niles, Fremont, CAStoneridge Creek Retirement Center, Pleasanton, CABethesda Home, Hayward, CACornerstone Church – Seniors Fellowship, Livermore, CABellevue Club, Oakland, CAPleasanton Arts Council – Music recording for silent film for archives – Pleasanton, CASalem Lutheran Home – Oakland, CA
Wineries / Restaurants
Greg’s music is perfect for wineries / restaurants and related businesses because not only does he have a huge, diverse repertoire, but his set up is simple, usually just involving the digital piano and a pair of speakers spaced apart on pedestals, and a speaking mic. Of course, if an establishment owns a nice well-tuned piano, that can be performed on as well. Greg has played for a nice variety of establishments and his music has been received very well. There is a song for everybody within his sets. “Sometimes people that you would never imagine would be super enjoying the music, are the ones coming up showing the most gratitude. It is incredible! I am very happy when people are touched by my music.”
Rodrigue Molyneaux Winery – Livermore, CA
Strizzi’s – Pleasanton, CA
Turlock Country Club – Turlock, CA
Cellar Door – Pleasanton, CA
Dante Robere Winery – Livermore, CA
Las Positas Winery - Livermore, CA
Backyard Bayou Restaurant – Livermore, CA
Harry’s Hof Brau – Livermore, CA
The Riata – Livermore, CA
The Rock House Sports Bar and Restaurant – Livermore, CA
The First Street Wine Company – Livermore, CA
Page Mill Winery – Livermore, CA
The Farmhouse Eatery – Pleasanton, CA
Faz – Pleasanton, CA
Steeltown Coffee & Tea – Pittsburg, CA
Morocco’s Restaurant, San Jose, CA
Wente Winery – Livermore, CA
(Arroyo Road – Bridge re-opening Party – 1987)
Charles R Winery – Livermore, CA
Senior / Retirement Centers
Greg has many years of experience playing concerts for seniors / retirement centers and despite fearing playing for them when he was asked to as a kid, now completely embraces them as some of the most spiritually rewarding music performances he does. “If you play with passion, design a good variety of songs, and don’t worry about patronizing seniors with what you “think they will like” based upon their age, they will embrace your music, even treasure it and most importantly, will be incredibly uplifted by the music you present. Residents of Heritage Estates have often said that I ‘play the piano the way it should be played’! I am not only so honored by those comments, but to hear and see the energy they have when making these comments, well it is so special. Clearly the music lifted them and that is the point of it all! At Bethesda Home, I was awestruck as some emotionally and mentally challenged residents just got out of their chairs and danced with joy to the music. Music with the right intention, is a tool for healing and residents of senior centers often automatically demonstrate that in their own natural way. Playing for seniors is some of the most fulfilling music performances one can have if they put away the stereotypes.”
Greg’s music variety is accepted exceptionally well amongst the senior /retirement centers he has performed for.
Corporate, Retail & Promotions
Music can greatly attract people to a business and possibly increase sales and visibility. Nordstrom’s, the high fashion retailer was known for having grand piano entertainment in each of their stores for many years. Greg played for 7 years as the Nordstrom in Pleasanton, Ca and used this opportunity to start expanding his professional music endeavors. As a result of playing at Nordstroms, Greg got hired to do many weddings, receptions, and special events during his time there in the 1990’s.
Greg has played for several real estate showings over the years as well, enhancing the sales experience for the people involved. He has also done special event music, holiday music and many corporate parties. At Triad Systems, he was a regular performer in annual corporate wide Christmas parties and got hired numerous times for departmental off-site parties and celebrations. In 1990 he cut his first recording for sale to the public, “A Celebration of Christmas”, which was on cassette tape. That year during the Christmas Season, the CEO bought a large amount of Greg’s Christmas Tape from him and had it played over the intercom music system throughout the 3 big buildings on site where the company stood in Livermore, Ca.
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Nordstrom’s – Pleasanton, CA 1990-1997
Triad Systems (now Epicore) – Livermore, CA
The Lighthouse Bible Bookstore – Dublin, CA
Alden Lane Nursery – Livermore, CA
Keller Willams - Danville, CA
FJ’s Market -Blackhawk, CA
Ministries
Greg has many years of experience in a variety of ministries and churches. He has served as lead musician on worship teams such as Calvary Chapel (formerly of Livermore, Ca) for over 4 years and on the Cornerstone Fellowship’s Singles Worship Team (also Livermore) for 8 years, provided special music for services and has even done music for prison ministry services.
Greg is gifted in choosing the music from not only a music standpoint, but a spiritual aspect as well and uses his “variety of good music” philosophy for music to invoke and invite the Spirit of God into all the music he plays in ministries whether for a church service, a wedding, a special group, a celebration, or anything else connected with ministry. “It is just wonderful to watch what God does after you dedicate the music you have planned for church services or a ministry.”
Calvary Chapel– Livermore, CA 2001-2005
Cornerstone Fellowship– Livermore, CA,
Singles and Seniors Programs, 2004-2012
Gatetree Baptist Church – Danville, CA
Valley Christian Center – Dublin, CA
macarthur Baptist Church – San Pablo, CA
Vacaville Prison Ministries – Vacaville, CA
New Hope Church – Fremont, CA
Easter sunrise Services - c/o Pleasanton Presbyterian Church, Pleasanton, CA