RPO Pops Season Opener Goes Country Next Weekend

The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) officially opens its 2022-23 Pops Season next weekend with Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik leading Country Hits: Songs From Nashville, on Friday and Saturday, September 16 & 17 at 8 PM in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.

"I've been wanting to create a county music concert for quite a while, but I knew it had to be done right," explains Tyzik. "It has to be authentic and done with respect for the genre, and - after a year of working with 'real deal' singer/songwriter Rick Brantley - I'm so excited to say that it's making its World Premiere right here in Rochester next week."

Rick Brantley -who wowed RPO audiences when he filled in at the last minute as guest artist for last season's Pops opener, Legends: The Paul Simon Songbook-returns with a Nashville band that he assembled specifically for the new project. He and Tyzik hand-picked the program of 20 past and present country hits as well, including "Crazy" (Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson), "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You" (Dolly Parton), "Callin' Baton Rouge" (Garth Brooks), "Rainbow" (Kacey Musgraves), "Devil Went Down to Georgia" (Charlie Daniels Band), "When You Say Nothing at All" (Alison Krauss), "Wide Open Spaces" (The Chicks), "All My Ex's Live in Texas" (George Strait), and "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" (The Carter Family). Then, Grammy Award-winner Jeff Tyzik created brand-new symphonic arrangements for each song.

"Working with Jeff is truly the easiest and one of the most rewarding creative experiences of my career," adds Brantley. "Any time he would call or email I'd get super excited to hear a new idea or some new creative arrangement for one of these songs."

Because of the enthusiastic response to a special Pre-Concert Chat preceding Tyzik's Revolution: The Music of The Beatles, A Symphonic Experience last season, this Pops opener also marks the start of free Pre-Concert Chats for every Pops performance this season from 7-7:30 PM in Kodak Hall. Country Hits ticket holders may join Tyzik and Brantley as they discuss the unique process of bringing the stories of country music to the stage of a symphony orchestra.

Tickets for Country Hits: Songs From Nashville start at $24 ($30 with fees) and are available online anytime at rpo.org, by phone at 585-454-2100 (Monday-Friday,10 AM-5 PM), and in person at RPO Patron Services at 225 East Avenue (Monday -Friday, 10 AM-5 PM) and 60 minutes prior to curtain at the Eastman Theatre Box Office (433 East Main St.). Incentivized subscription packages for the 2022-23 Season are also available via the locations above.

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