The River of Life can be played with orchestral or solo tuning:
1) Orchestral Tuning - play the double bass part marked 'Orchestral Tuning'
2) Solo Tuning - Guitar uses a Capo on the 2nd fret and plays as usual and the double bassist uses the bass part marked 'Orchestral Tuning'
3) Solo Tuning - the guitar plays without a Capo and the double bassist plays the part marked 'Solo Tuning'

The River of Life was premiered by Shani Inbar (guitar) and Michael Klinghoffer (double bass) at Galicia Graves (Conservatorio de Culleredo) in Spain on Friday 18 February 2017.

Bassist and composer Simon Garcia was born in Mugardos (Spain) in 1977 and graduated in double bass from the Conservatorio Superior of Salamanca. He has worked as a double bassist in the Royal Orchestra of Galicia, having also performed in many orchestras throughout Spain, and is the bassist in the Symphony Wind Orchestra of A. Coruna. He has collaborated with many musicians and ensembles, particularly in the field of contemporary music, and has recorded and performed on many commercial recordings and for television and radio broadcasts.

Simon Garcia has composed more than thirty works for double bass, ranging from two to six players, alongside transcriptions of these pieces for various chamber ensembles. His music has been performed in Mexico, Venezuela, Uruguay, Denmark, Spain, Japan, Italy, Austria, Germany, Canada, USA and UK by The Bass Gang, Bass Instinct and Il Quint-etto amongst others, and some of his music was used as teaching material in the 2011 ISB Year of Collaborative Music.

Simon Garcia's music is lively, jazzy and rhythmic with great forward momentum and drive. Accessible for players and audiences alike, he writes colourful music of distinction and energy, employing the entire range of the double bass.