Rock and classical music don’t always seem to go hand in hand, but Arcadia High School’s (AHS) 2024 Fall String Concert showed that they could make for unforgettable harmony. In conjunction with renowned rock violinist and Trans-Siberian Orchestra co-founder Mark Wood, and the Orchestras’ from the middle schools, the orchestra electrified the Arcadia Performing Arts Center (PAC) on Oct. 4.

Electrify Your Symphony is a music education program initiated by Wood to expand the borders of classical orchestral music. The program brought together the best of both worlds–-rock hits and classical compositions–-for this concert. Selections for the evening included iconic rock anthems like “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC, “Living on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi, and “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon. The high-energy performances were juxtaposed with a modern take on the classical with “Vivaldi Rocks,” a number that mingles the classic style of Vivaldi with rock.

“At first [the students] thought it was a lot, but at the same time I think the students really stepped up.” shared Orchestra Director Pin Chen about her experience working with the students on preparing for the concert. “I think they really enjoyed the process and even having to stay standing up and doing the choreography and moving around.” 

The orchestra directors from AHS and the middle schools came together to collaborate and combine the orchestras to create this concert filled with movement, and rock. This is the first time they have ever done a concert like this with about 430 students moving throughout the PAC and playing pieces they memorized.

“This concert was incredible to experience, especially since it was one of my last few orchestra concerts at AHS,” reflected senior Avani Athavale. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to play with a renowned musician like Mark Wood and feel the electrifying energy that characterized the whole night. As a bassist, I was standing right in front of the audience for most of it, and it felt so special to be more connected to the audience than usual, especially when I heard the crowd singing during ‘Living On A Prayer’.”

The concert broke from traditional formality: musicians were not seated but moved among the audience to introduce electric instruments, including violins.

Beyond just sound, the night was about movement and emotion, something Wood himself emphasized. “I have found that the Arcadia schools and the students have a special talent,” Wood said. “It was a great moment to share the intellectual and mathematical parts of music and the emotion of moving. If you watched our rehearsal, we were moving a lot, and that was a big, important lesson.”

The preparation for the event was huge. For rehearsals, Ms.Chen shared how the students used audio files provided by Electrify your Symphony so they could listen to the guitar and drums and practice along with it and have an extra learning tool to get everything together. 

“When Premier and String Orchestras were playing, Concert and Symphony Orchestras were sitting in the audience and getting really into the playing that the other students were doing and vice versa.” Ms. Chen shared about their final rehearsal experience. “That’s really fun to see where they are actively engaged even when they are not playing and supporting each other and bonding and increasing community building.”

In the days building up to the performance, the orchestras rehearsed with Wood, packing the PAC with musicians all rehearsing together.

“During rehearsals we had Mark Wood come in and work with us for a workshop the day before” Ms. Chen shared. “It was neat to be able to see the students taking in the instruction and add in some extra choreography he threw in there.”

Ms. Chen was able to play and dance along with the students  and further engage with them, as their pieces were memorized. The evening also featured a solo performance by Wood himself and a special giveaway, where one lucky audience member received a signed electric violin designed by Wood, adding to the night’s already memorable moments.

The combination of rock and classical music performance, along with the interactive setup of the concert, absolutely hypnotized the audience with talent and the energy of the musicians. This one-of-a-kind show proved that AHS orchestras could push the limits on music, making this night one to remember.