Buffalo Philharmonic to Kick Off BPO Rocks Series, Today

BUFFALO, NY -Your Buffalo Philharmonic rocks in the 2016-17 season, celebrating the music of five highly-regarded rock visionaries, each of whom had a profound effect on the musical landscape. Electric guitars blend with strings, woodwinds and horns as rock musicians join forces with the BPO.

The series kicks off on Friday, Oct. 21 with U2 Symphony. This Los Angeles-based quartet has created the ultimate U2 symphonic experience, drawing on U2's deep well of innovative music from its record-breaking 30-year career, from smash hits like "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "Beautiful Day" to the pensive "MLK/Walk On," frequently heard at U2's live concerts.

On Saturday, Nov. 5, Classical Mystery Tour returns to rock Kleinhans. This authentic Beatles experience consistently delivers an entertaining evening. The concert takes us on a journey through the music of the band that has come to define an era. Beatles lovers will hear "Penny Lane" with a live trumpet section and experience the beauty of "Yesterday" with an acoustic guitar and string quartet while a top-notch rock band performs the parts made famous by the Fab Four.

Steve Hackett performs with the orchestra on Thursday, March 3. Hackett was the lead guitarist of Genesis, as part of their classic line-up with Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford. Since leaving Genesis, he has performed with prog-rock supergroup GTR, along with Steve Howe of Yes and Asia. He recorded "A Life Within a Day" with Chris Squire of Yes, known to fans as "the Squackett album." Never afraid to tackle other genres, his classical work has earned the admiration of the late Yehudi Menuhin. This concert features Genesis classics from his recent "Genesis Revisited" release, as well as solo material from "Out of the Tunnel's Mouth" and "Beyond the Shrouded Horizon."

The music world was rocked earlier this year by the sudden death of Prince. The BPO and Windborne Music join forces to pay tribute to his singular musical genius with The Music of Prince. Windborne has previously masterminded such crowd-pleasing shows as "The Music of Led Zeppelin" and "The Music of the Rolling Stones," and most recently, "The Music of Elton John." Join us on Friday, April 28as Prince's iconic songs get the full symphonic treatment with the artistry of the BPO, a full rock band, and Brent Havens' deft orchestral arrangements.

On April 29, it's a return to the 1970s with Arrival From Sweden and the music of ABBA. Arrival From Sweden has toured 48 countries since 1995, and many of the studio musicians who worked with the original band have joined them in performance. This show has been called the absolute best and most authentic ABBA show there is. If you've fallen in love with "Mamma Mia" on Broadway or on the silver screen, you'll want to hear the music of ABBA come to life, backed by a full orchestra as it was originally written.

As Buffalo's cultural ambassador, the Grammy Award-winning Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under the leadership of music director JoAnn Falletta presents more than 100 concerts each year. Since 1940, the orchestra's home has been Kleinhans Music Hall, a National Historic Landmark with a reputation as one of the finest concert halls in the United States. During the tenure of JoAnn Falletta, the BPO has rekindled its history of radio broadcasts and recordings, including the release of 37 new recordings on the Naxos and Beau Fleuve labels. For more information about the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, visit www.bpo.org.