The Works for Orchestra by Rock Artists program is a joint project of the Contemporary Youth Orchestra and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
     Funded in part by the Kulas Foundation and the Hillsdale Fund, the program celebrates music education and the convergence of classical and popular music. This educational endeavor gives students the opportunity to explore how an interest in popular music can be applied to classical music performance studies.

June 8, 2001: Riders on the Storm
 
The inaugural concert was held on June 8, 2001, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. CYO presented the world premiere performance of Riders on the Storm: The Doors Concerto by Jaz Coleman. Riders on the Storm is a nine movement violin concerto with each movement based on one of The Doors' most well-known tunes. Violin soloist Mark Jackobs of the Cleveland Orchestra joined CYO and Music Director Liza Grossman for this special performance. Composer Jaz Coleman flew in from Prague to join CYO for the world premiere.
 

     In his opening remarks prior to the performance, Coleman explained that the concerto was written in honor of those who died in the Vietnam War. Ray Manzarek, Doors keyboardist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee joined CYO in a fabulous rendition of "Light My Fire."
     "It was a fantastic experience," Manzarek explained of the CYO concert. "I had never played with a symphony orchestra before. The sound of the orchestra was overwhelming and being supported, as I played my solos, by an entire symphony orchestra was a moving experience."

More Rock for Orchestra Concerts...