It's the 21st century and this is NOT your grandmother's classical music (but she might like it!). In a new work joyfully titled, "This Is Not a Quiet Celebration," 25-year-old composer Silas Durocher obliterates the barriers between classical composition and rock n' roll to produce a new sound that will move audiences of all ages. The Sarasota Orchestra will join Durocher's ensemble, Silas Durocher and Everybody Knows, to present the world premiere of the composition on Feb. 12 during a sunset bay front concert in Sarasota, Fla.
"Silas is part of a new generation of composers who draw on Bartok, the Beatles, ethnic music, rock and Ravel in equal measure," says Sarasota Orchestra Artistic Director Leif Bjaland, who commissioned Durocher to write his first piece for the orchestra in 2007. "His music is kaleidoscopic and tremendously exciting."
Silas Durocher and Everybody Knows is at the forefront of a movement to give classical music a makeover for the new millennium, rescuing it from becoming a nostalgic art form from another era. Along with new music ensembles such as Alarm Will Sound and Eighth Blackbird, Silas Durocher and Everybody Knows is pioneering an eclectic sound for a globalized audience that observes no boundaries between musical categories. In this Beatles-meets-Beethoven style, concertgoers are invited to "come as you are" and experience something fresh. Durocher's new composition is scored for a full orchestra and the five soloists of his ensemble, which includes drum set and electric guitar (played by the composer himself)--instruments not often heard at an orchestral event.
"This music is not only about breaking down the boundaries between genres, but also breaking the customs of the genre, like the concept that rock n' roll is always played with guitars and drums in a club, or that classical music has to be played in a concert hall in front of a decorous audience," Durocher says. "My new piece pushes the orchestra into new territory. This music is meant to be played loudly. It should be felt as well as heard--if the audience isn't dancing in their seats (or in the aisles!), I haven't done my job."
The world premiere event is part of the 50th Anniversary Celebration for Durocher's alma mater, New College of Florida. It is the second time the Sarasota Orchestra has worked with the composer--the first piece debuted in 2008 and was begun while the musical mastermind was still in college. Although Durocher has now graduated his music can still be heard in the halls of New College, where every incoming college freshman receives a copy of his album courtesy of the college administration.
The album, Thesis Statement, features an impressive line-up of talent, from top-tier classical instrumentalists to notable rock artists, including principal musicians from the Sarasota Orchestra and the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra. Recorded at the Spirit Ranch by Grammy-nominated engineer and co-producer Bud Snyder (the Allman Brothers, Jeff Buckley), the album features Durocher's trademark melange of rock n' roll, funk, folk, reggae and classical styles and a precise yet passionate performance by the ensemble. Thesis Statement can be purchased at silasdurocher.com. The album is also available on the iTunes Music Store, CDBaby.com, DigStation.com and at record stores. For more information about Silas Durocher and Everybody Knows, the concert, or to request music, photos or an interview, visit silasdurocher.com, view the electronic press kit at sonicbids.com/silasdurochereverybodyknows or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
What: World premiere of new composition "This Is Not a Quiet Celebration"
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