Great Park Asks: 'OC CAN YOU PLAY?'

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether your piano talents are closer to Chopin or Chopsticks, the Great Park wants to know: OC, Can You Play? Come play the piano and participate in a public arts happening at the Orange County Great Park, presented by the Pacific Symphony Orchestra.  OC Can You Play? is a free interactive installation that encourages visitors to tickle the ivories on one of 20 artistically enhanced pianos placed at iconic destination locations across the county. The public piano project kicks off January 16 and runs through February 6.

"The mix of music and art in OC Can You Play? is a perfect fit for the Great Park," says Larry Agran, Chair of the Orange County Great Park Board Corporation. "Bringing art of all kinds into a public space is a key part of the Great Park vision. Events like these are a stepping stone to the Great Park becoming OC's new home for the arts."

The piano used at the Great Park for this event was decorated by Irvine artist and teacher Tom Brown, and features a landscape reminiscent of the El Toro area's agricultural heritage. The Great Park Visitors Center also houses a photography exhibition by The Legacy Group titled Phantoms Phorever: Art + Language at MCAS El Toro. On the way to the Great Park Visitors Center, guests will see the Palm Court and Squadron Complex under construction, which will house artists studios and an art gallery, slated to open in mid-2011.

OC Can You Play? is designed to promote by the Pacific Symphony's "Year of the Piano" project, which features a season of top pianists.  All of the OC Can You Play? pianos are donated by presenting sponsor Yamaha and supporting sponsor Kawai, and the Piano Technicians Guild is providing significant support in preparing and tuning the pianos.  Local Orange County artists donated their time and talent to paint the pianos, which will be donated or auctioned after the event.

The piano will be in the Great Park Visitors Center during normal operating hours, January 16 through February 6.  The Park is open from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays and from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.  Parking is free. For more information go to www.ocgp.org or www.pacificsymphony.org/occanuplay

About the Great Park

The Orange County Great Park, with its 1,347-acre master plan, is the focal point of the redevelopment of the publicly-owned portion of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro. The Great Park is currently 27.5 acres and includes an iconic tethered helium balloon that rises 400 feet in the air, providing an aerial view of Park development. A $70 million development plan to expand the Park to more than 200 acres is currently underway. The plan will build out a core section of the Park for the most immediate and wide-ranging public benefit, including the initial components of the sports park, a 114-acre agricultural area, and an art and culture exhibition space. For more information, please go to www.ocgp.org

About Pacific Symphony

Pacific Symphony enriches the human spirit through superior performances of symphonic music and community engagement.  Pacific Symphony, celebrating its 32nd season in 2010-11, is led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, who marked his 20th anniversary with the orchestra during 2009-2010. The largest orchestra formed in the U.S. in the last 40 years, the Symphony is recognized as an outstanding ensemble making strides on both the national and international scene, as well as in its own burgeoning community of Orange County. Presenting more than 100 concerts a year and a rich array of education and community programs, the Symphony reaches more than 275,000 residents—from school children to senior citizens.

SOURCE Orange County Great Park Corporation