Memphis Symphony Orchestra to perform Armenian folk tunes

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Memphis Symphony Orchestra’s conductor-less, style-mixing Opus One concert series takes on the crunk music of Al Kapone in its season opener on November 10.

“I think the idea is to reach out to the more pop-oriented community and mix the classical and pop genres,” said Sam Shoup, who arranges pop music for the Opus One concerts. “The interesting thing is you have symphony patrons and pop patrons getting exposed to genres they wouldn’t normally hear.”

Classical pieces on the one and a half hour program include Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, a chamber arrangement of Shostakovich’s Eighth Quartet and an as yet untitled memorial piece commissioned for Opus One and written by MSO cellist Jonathan Kirkcey. The piece is based on Armenian folk tunes, Memphis Daily News reported.