February 10, 2025

For those who are familiar with the music of Queen, it’s not a stretch to think it might mix well with a symphony orchestra. So much of their music was symphonically and/or operatically conceived, even if only ultimately performed by 4 people.
 
..and mix well it did last weekend. We had a near capacity crowd for the Queen tribute show Saturday night, a concert we did with the wonderful folks at “Jeans and Classics” and our special guests, the DeWitt High School Chamber Choir.
 
I don’t think it is an overstatement to say that Jeans and Classics has played a key role in many successful orchestral pops series in the US and Canada over the years. They’ve been at this for nearly 30 years. They know exactly how to engage with an orchestra, an audience and the music they play. I have done several of their shows (they have 45 of them), and they never disappoint.
 
These are late-boomer, early-GenX focused shows, so right in the sweet spot for pops ticket sales demographics. Most importantly though, it gives us in the orchestra world an avenue to connect with a part of our community we otherwise might miss--those who might not buy a ticket to a Beethoven symphony, but they will be first in line for “Dancing Queen: The Music of Abba,” or in Saturday night’s case “One Vision: The Music of Queen.”
 
The orchestra is a significant value-added element to these concerts. While you may not be hearing the original bands, you are hearing immensely gifted musicians playing your favorite music, being backed up by a full symphony orchestra in masterful arrangements by the J+C team. It’s a different kind of experience and a very fun and memorable one at that.
 
And it's all great music. It’s music people love, music to which they have memories, music that shaped them, inspired them, or carried them through hard times, a very satisfying concert experience.
 
One other note, back to the DeWitt High School Chamber Choir, they were fantastic! The audience loved them, even those who weren’t their parents. We were all so impressed with the quality and musicianship of these young singers. Many thanks and congrats to them and their gifted director Meghan Eldred. You added a wonderful dimension to the concert.
 
#jeansandclassics #DeWittHighSchool #LansingSymphony
 
UP NEXT
 
LOUISIANA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTA
 
Rousell Hall
New Orleans, Louisiana
7:30 p.m.
 
MOZART                      Piano Concerto No. 27
CHOPIN                       Piano Concerto No. 1
RACHMANINOFF     Piano Concerto No. 3