Buffalo Philharmonic Announces Schedule for 2015-16 BPO Rocks Season

BUFFALO, NY -- Your Buffalo Philharmonic rocks in the 2015-16 season with classic hits of the 60s, 70s, and 80s re-interpreted with a full orchestra. Exceptional bands and exciting show lighting provide a rock-concert atmosphere for the five-show BPO Rocks Series presented by Key Private Bank.

The season opens on Friday, Sept. 18 with "Faithfully: A Symphonic Tribute to Journey." A six-piece band will perform hits like "Don't Stop Believin'," "Faithfully," "Wheel in the Sky," and "Open Arms" with the backing of your BPO. Stefan Sanders, the BPO's Associate Conductor, leads this hard-driving show.

Michael Krajewski is back on the podium with "The Sounds of Simon & Garfunkel" on Saturday, Nov. 14. Krajewski created this show using the best of Simon & Garfunkel's music, from "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" to "Kodachrome" and "Mrs. Robinson." Vocalists AJ Swearingen and Jonathan Beedle lend their voices to the music that served as the soundtrack to the 1960s and 1970s.

Singer-songwriter Swearingen has three solo albums under his belt, as well as an album as half of the duo Swearingen and Kelli. He met Beedle in a club in Bethlehem, PA in 1991, and they joined forces to perform the music of Simon and Garfunkel, a group that both men cite as a profound influence. Krajewski was most recently seen on the BPO podium in "Bond and Beyond: 50 Years of 007" with Broadway star Debbie Gravitte. He is Music Director of The Philly Pops and Principal Pops Conductor of the Houston, Atlanta and Jacksonville Symphonies.

The Canadian symphonic rock musicians of Jeans n' Classics took Canalside by storm in 2014, performing the music of Earth, Wind and Fire and Michael Jackson. On Jan. 22, they join the BPO for "Disco Inferno - A Disco Ball." With charts designed to showcase a full orchestra, this show features disco mega-hits like "Hot Stuff," "Lady Marmalade" and "Stayin' Alive." Five vocalists help turn Kleinhans into Studio 54 for this 70s throwback night. After the concert, the BPO puts up a disco ball and continues the party in the Mary Seaton Room.

Saturday, Feb. 28 features a symphonic tribute to John Denver. The BPO's new Principal Pops Conductor, John Morris Russell, will be on the podium, as Jim Curry brings to life the music of the original country crossover artist. Curry has spent much of his career performing Denver's music. He provided the singing voice for the 1997 CBS film "Take Me Home: The John Denver Story," and from there, went on to develop this symphonic tribute show that has played to audiences around the country. He frequently performs with Denver's former band mates to bring this music to today's audiences.

The BPO Rocks series concludes with a brand-new collaboration between the orchestra and Windborne Music, who has brought "The Music of Led Zeppelin" and "The Music of the Rolling Stones" to Buffalo. Their newest production, "The Music of Elton John," will come to Kleinhans on Saturday, April 23. The show features the towering talents of vocalist Brody Dolyniuk, who won the hearts of Western New Yorkers as lead singer for "The Music of Queen," "The Music of The Rolling Stones," and others. Arranger and Windborne mastermind Brent Havens will return to the BPO podium. The familiar Elton John songs, including "Your Song," "Rocket Man," "Crocodile Rock," "Daniel," and "Candle In The Wind" will be featured and are particularly well-suited to this dynamic presentation with a full orchestra.

Subscriptions to the five-concert BPO Rocks Series presented by Key Private Bank are on sale now, and provide a substantial savings over the single-ticket purchase price. Subscribers are guaranteed the best seats, enjoy the most flexible ticket exchange program in Western New York, and receive a BPO Perks card that entitles them to discounts at area restaurants, shops and service providers. To subscribe, call (716) 885-5000 or visit bpo.org. Individual tickets will go on sale for all shows on Aug. 8.

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 32 new recordings on the Naxos and Beau Fleuve labels. For more information about the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, visit www.bpo.org.