May 10 – 12: SF Symphony, Respighi’s Pines of Rome

On May 10 – 12 the SF Symphony will be playing Pines of Rome, a piece that depicts pine trees in four locations in Rome and “vivid Roman scenes, from children playing near a Renaissance villa to hymns echoing through the halls of the ancient catacombs.” Kari and I got to hang with Associate Principal Trombonist Nick Platoff to talk more about the show.

Nick has been recognized in both national and international competitions, including the Aspen Music Festival and School Brass and Percussion Concerto Competition, National Brass Symposium Trombone Excerpt Competition, and the United States Coast Guard Band Young Artist Competition. In September 2015, he was the only American to advance to the second round of the ARD competition in Munich.

Nick has performed at the Verbier Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, Britten-Pears Programme, the National Orchestral Institute, and the Aspen Music Festival and School as well, where he was the Per Brevig Trombone Fellow. Recent and upcoming performances include concerts at Festival Mozaic, the Lakes Area Music Festival, and Burning Man. Get to know the man behind the music below.