Interesting Music Facts about 
Kristi Yamaguchi

Did you know that a composer/pianist named George Peter Tingley composed a piece of music just for Kristi?

"George's association with Olympic figure skating champion Kristi Yamaguchi began in 1992 when he completed a composition written especially for her entitled 'Kristi's Theme'. A Warner Bros. publication, the piece was arranged for full symphony orchestra and recorded at the Fantasy Studios in Berkeley featuring Mr. Tingley as piano soloist. Kristi has skated to the music on such programs as CBS This Morning, ABC Wide World of Sports. and the IBM Skates of Gold, as well as in live performances at the Boston Garden, and in New York, at the Rockefeller Center and in Central Park." (excerpt by S.E. Stachel)

For Kristi's performance to "Doop-Doop" (by Dancelife Orchestra) she was choreographed by Barry Lather to create funky steps and movements. Barry has choreographed numbers for Janet Jackson, Micheal Jackson and for the Artist Formerly Known as Prince.

Kristi was one of the featured "public figures" in Garth Brook's high impact video for the controversial song "We Shall Be Free" which was first aired at Super Bowl '93's pre-game show. Other public figures included: Michael Bolton, John Elway, Whoopi Goldberg, Jay Leno, Marlee Martin, Warren Moon, Eddie Murphy, Martina Navratilova, Patrick Swayze, ELizabeth Taylor and General Colin Powell.

Kristi was the Grand Marshall at the 1992, 22nd Annual Fiesta Bowl Parade. The parade took place on the eve of the Fiesta Bowl college football game played on New Year's eve (Jan. 1) in suburban Tempe, Arizona. John Junker, the Fiesta Bowl executive director said this at the time: "We want(ed) to find someone for our parade who can serve as a role model for our kids, someone who inspires dreams."

A band called Rats of Unusual Sizes, wrote a song titled "Kristi Yamaguchi" in their album The Prime Directive Cannot be Denied The song is an "...sax-driven ode (rhyming her surname) with Bonaduce, Gucci, cootchie-cootchie and Asian-American community." You can read this review at Eric's Music Geek Page. As soon as I find this obscure album - I will post the lyrics!

The following are quotes Kristi (and others) has said about her programs:

"Trouble"

• "With that kind of music, you have to have a certain attitude. I was having fun out there." (During the '97 U.S. Pro Comps) source: The Record 10/20/97

"SWAK"

• "It's probably one of the more complicated programs that Sandra (Bezic) and I have come up with lately. There's alot of different moods." The Record 10/20/97
• "Traditionally I've always done something classical for the technical program. (at the first night of the '97 World Pro Champs) After 5 years, we decided to do something alittle more lighthearted." CNNSI 12/12/97

"It's Oh So Quiet"

• "We tried to put things in it that the audience would never expect to see 'Kristi Yamaguchi' do. I actually pick an audience member and play to that person. I even roll around on the ice alittle bit. It was alittle scary at first, but I'm comfortable with it now." The Detroit News 2/8/96

"The Seasons" -Glazunov

• "Sandra [Bezic] and I call it 'Skating 101' because it's very elementary. It's really just a straight forward skate" Detroit News 2/8/96

"Blue Danube" -Johann Strauss

• Inspiration: "(Sandra) Bezic found inspiration for her choreography not in any "story" or dramatic line. Simply in the thought of a girl at a mirror realizing that she is now a woman." Time 2/10/92
• "It's strong music, so I have to move more strongly to it; using deeper plies for more power and smoothness" Time 2/10/92
• At the 1992 Olympics after the technical program: "I tried to skate out there and create a romantic mood and something easy and flowing and nice to watch." Salt Lake Tribune 2/20/92
• Christy Ness says after the technical: "She (Kristi) really skated the program, not just doing the moves. It really had good flow." St. Louis Post Dispatch 2/20/92