Latest News Release...

 ORCHESTRAL ROCK PROJECT 2

Press Release: Uptown Music Collective and the Williamsport Symphony Youth Orchestra present The Orchestral Rock Project II
Who: The Uptown Music Collective (a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit School of Music) and the Williamsport Symphony Youth Orchestra
What: The Orchestral Rock Project II (A musical collaboration)
Where: Community Arts Center, 220 West Fourth St. Williamsport, Pa 17701
When: Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 7:30pm
Cost: $10.00 Advanced and $15.00 Door
Tickets: Community Arts Center Box Office, Alabasters Coffee, K&S Music, and the Uptown Music Collective
Contact: Jared Mondell (jared@uptownmusic.org, 570-329-0888, uptownmusic.org)

On January 7, 2012 the Uptown Music Collective and the Williamsport Symphony Youth Orchestra will team up once again to present the Orchestral Rock Project II. The concert will take place at 7:30pm at the Community Arts Center in Williamsport and feature highlights from last year’s performance, alongside new arrangements of classics from Fiona Apple, Pink Floyd, Regina Spektor and Metallica.

A year ago, students from the Uptown Music Collective and the Williamsport Symphony Youth Orchestra took the stage together for the first time to present the Orchestral Rock Project. That highly successful performance, funded through a grant from the Williamsport-Lycoming Community Foundation, featured the orchestra and rock groups from the Collective powering their way through orchestral rock classics like the Moody Blue's I'm Just a Singer in a Rock and Roll Band and The Beatles Strawberry Fields Forever. It also forged an enduring relationship between the two youth centered organizations that has culminated in a retreat/concert together this past summer, as well as this upcoming concert.

Rock music in all of its rebellious nature, has always had an illicit love affair with the orchestra. Early rock songs routinely featured extensive string and horn arrangements. As rock grew, so did this relationship, ultimately inspiring great music from a wide variety of rock artists from Emerson Lake and Palmer, the Beatles and the Electric Light Orchestra, to recent releases by Metallica, Kiss and Collective Soul.

Established in April of 2000, the Uptown Music Collective (a 501c 3 non profit school of music) has developed a reputation as the premier source of music education in the area, with an enrollment of over 120 students. Offering private lessons at all levels on guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and vocals, as well as classes and workshops in music theory, songwriting, and styles such as the Blues, Jazz, Classical and Rock. The primary age range of the Collective is 10 – 18 yrs old, but is open to all ages and levels. Along with private lessons, the UMC offers a myriad of programs including its flagship Performance Program. This program educates students about the ins and outs of major and minor performances, including direction, production, preparation and technical aspects of the performances. The program brings outstanding student run performances to the area, including most recently 42nd and Broadway, a collaboration between the Collective and the Community Theater League.

“It is an incredible experience for our students to have this amazing opportunity to play rock music on stage with a symphony orchestra” said Dave Brumbaugh, Executive Director of the Uptown Music Collective. “Last year’s concert was so well received by the audience that we knew we needed to do it again. We have enjoyed getting to know the members of the Williamsport Symphony Youth Orchestra over this past year of working together and although the WSYO has gone through a leadership change,” stated Brumbaugh, “the organization has remained committed to this project. We look forward to taking the stage with them again and making this great music together.”

The Orchestral Rock Project II is sponsored by sponsored by Jersey Shore State Bank, Don & Shelly Fuller, Turn Key Electric, and Pete and Linda Schultz. Media sponsor for this event is Backyard Broadcasting .Tickets for the performance are $10.00 in advance and $15.00 at the door with the proceeds benefiting the Uptown Music Collective (a 501 c3 Non-Profit School of Music) and the Williamsport Symphony Youth Orchestra. Tickets are available at The Uptown Music Collective (848 West Fourth St., Williamsport) and The Community Arts Center Box Office (220 West Fourth St., Williamsport) as well as Alabaster Coffee (410 Pine Street, Williamsport) and K & S Music (1116 West Southern Ave, South Williamsport). For more information about, The Orchestral Rock Project II, or the Uptown Music Collective, check out www.uptownmusic.org/mediaroom or call 570-329-0888.