Tickets are still available.
Wood, a Juilliard School graduate who shot to fame with Trans-Siberian Orchestra, has won an Emmy Award and toured with superstars including Billy Joel, Paul McCartney and Celine Dion. He has a special passion for education and started “Electrify Your Symphony” as a partnership to 21st Century music programs and orchestras to bring a new generation to the modern symphony experience.
Katie Harford, director of the Springfield High Orchestra, had heard positive feedback about the program and partnered with the Springfield Symphony a year ago to bring it here.
“It’s completely different than anything our orchestra has done. Our numbers have diminished after the pandemic, and this can help promote music education programs,” she said.
Springfield Symphony donors covered the costs of bringing the program here, which means the two youth programs will split any profits from ticket sales and a raffle tying into the show.
Harford said the show will resemble a rock concert with Wood leading the way on electric violin, and a few students will also get the rare chance to play electric violins and cellos, while moving around a lot as rockers do.
“This is not a job for me, this is my purpose in life,” Wood said. “We supply the message of diversity, global styles, engagement and modern and contemporary non-classical and non-traditional experiences, similar to my band, Trans-Siberian Orchestra. We’ll be performing my symphony arrangements of the Beatles, Nirvana, Ozzy Osborne and my own original music.”
Wood’s program seeks to help prevent the drop in music interest. He believes in the “It takes a village” approach and said it’s important to reach out to, support and help teachers.
“Our most critical and important element in a healthy progressive society is our educational systems and the arts are an integral aspect of human development,” he said “My introducing ‘creative intelligence’ and ‘emotional intelligence’ development as the premiere message to the community is the most powerful and important message for successful schools in our country who support the Trifecta of ‘A’s: Academics, Athletics, and the Arts. This creates a more balanced and productive young student in America and worldwide.”
Wood will be here Thursday to meet the students and rehearse with them. Harford said the concert audience can have just as much interaction, especially when it comes to songs they’ve heard numerous times performed in a different creative style.
“We want Springfield to see how fun live music can be, having a good time with good songs, doing them in a form you may not realize,” Harford said.
Attendees can also compete in a special raffle sponsored by Kincaid’s Music to win one of Wood’s electric violins worth more than $1,100. Those buying tickets must be present at the show to claim the prize as Wood will bring the winner onstage and personally sign the instrument.
Raffle tickets cost $10 each or seven for $50 and will be available at the show or from the Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s office through Venmo.
Harford said Wood will also meet audiences and sign autographs after the concert.
HOW TO GO
What: “Electrify Your Symphony – The Breakout Tour featuring Mark Wood”
Where: Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 South Fountain Ave., Springfield
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14
Admission: $12.50
More info: pac.clarkstate.edu/
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