What’s a rock symphony anyway?

This is not your grandmother’s concert. But if you brought her along, she’d probably love it.

It’s not elevator music. It’s rock ‘n roll. It’s a full rock experience with singers, rock band and orchestra. Take a listen.

Surprisingly, it’s not a new idea. Having a rock band incorporated with an orchestra has been around since the late 60’s. There are orchestral elements in the Beatles and Rolling Stones album material, with songs like Penny Lane, All You Need Is Love, As Tears Go By and She’s A Rainbow.

The idea became a fully fledged genre in the early ’70’s with groups like The Moody Blues and Emerson, Lake and Palmer and the Electric Light Orchestra. It was a natural combo for these bands, as their featured musicians were classically trained but had a love of rock and pop music.

London is the only city in Canada with its own rock symphony – The Jeans ‘n Classics Rock Symphony – a handpicked 40 piece orchestra with wind, brass, percussion and string players.

What makes these musicians so talented is that they are able to assimilate and adapt to the different styles and genres – from Led Zeppelin to Katie Perry, they can play it. They perform with conviction and technical expertise. But they play with emotion and passion.

Check out the Jeans ‘n Classics Rock Symphony for yourself on Saturday, October 4th at the London Convention Centre – to benefit Habitat for Humanity Heartland Ontario. Go to www.jeansnclassics.com. Oh, and see if your grandmother wants to come too.