Masterful metal/rock reversions of traditional Christmas music. Seizure-inducing lightshows and perfectly synchronized pyrotechnics. One of the most powerful choral ensembles in modern classical-influenced music.
All of those and more make up the brilliant band/ensemble known as the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. An annually-touring group, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, or TSO, was founded by one composer named Paul O'Neill, and brought long-time friends Jon Oliva, Robert Kinkel, and Al Pitrelli together. Since 1996, the year of their founding, TSO has wowed audiences young and old with amazing Christmas and classical music married perfectly to a rock opera sound style.
Not only does TSO play amazing music and put on an epileptic's nightmare of a lightshow, but they're also philanthropic. For the layman, TSO is a big supporter of charity. Here's the Wikipedia paragraph:
Not only does TSO play amazing music and put on an epileptic's nightmare of a lightshow, but they're also philanthropic. For the layman, TSO is a big supporter of charity. Here's the Wikipedia paragraph:
Wikipedia: TSO
TSO signed on as an official supporter of Little Kids Rock, a nonprofit organization that provides free musical instruments and instruction to children in poor public schools throughout the USA. The band has donated grants to LKR to help them hold free teacher trainings. They also sit on LKR's Honorary Board of Directors.
At most tour stops, the group donates $1 from each ticket sold to a local charity in the city they are performing in. For example, in 2009, when in Council Bluffs, IA, the group donated over $3,000 to the Salvation Army, the November 28th performance in Charlotte, NC donated more than $11,000 to the Levine Children's hospital, more than $6,000 was donated to the Richmond Animal League when in Richmond, VA, and at the Nov. 21, 2009 8pm performance in Philadelphia, the group donated over $12,000 to the Marine Toys-for-Tots Foundation--the check was presented to two active duty U.S. Marines who received a standing ovation from the crowd when they were introduced. On Dec 13, 2009, TSO donated $11,800 to the Hunger Task Force and presented the check at the opening of the show. The orchestra regularly salutes the armed forces at the intermission, calling them the greatest heroes of all.
At most tour stops, the group donates $1 from each ticket sold to a local charity in the city they are performing in. For example, in 2009, when in Council Bluffs, IA, the group donated over $3,000 to the Salvation Army, the November 28th performance in Charlotte, NC donated more than $11,000 to the Levine Children's hospital, more than $6,000 was donated to the Richmond Animal League when in Richmond, VA, and at the Nov. 21, 2009 8pm performance in Philadelphia, the group donated over $12,000 to the Marine Toys-for-Tots Foundation--the check was presented to two active duty U.S. Marines who received a standing ovation from the crowd when they were introduced. On Dec 13, 2009, TSO donated $11,800 to the Hunger Task Force and presented the check at the opening of the show. The orchestra regularly salutes the armed forces at the intermission, calling them the greatest heroes of all.
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I've been to one of these performances in Tulsa, OK, in 2008, about to make another trip this year in Dallas, TX (2009), and if you don't go at least ONCE in your life, you are really missing out on a fantastic experience. :3
My favorite tracks from TSO are Wizards in Winter and The Requiem (Beethoven's Fifth). The former is one of their, if not THE, most famous pieces, and was on their album The Lost Christmas Eve.
Have YOU ever been to a Trans-Siberian performance? If so, what did you think of it? Where was the performance held, as in what arena or hall in the city you attended it in? And of course, what are your favorite tracks?
