Symphony players rock out with pop music stars
It took about nine straight hours of practice, but members of the Butler County Symphony Orchestra Association pulled off a show spanning decades of popular music history Saturday.
While they typically perform centuries-old selections by classical artists, about 15 musicians from the orchestra played songs at the HM3 Celebrity Care Fest with some classic rock artists, including the Jacksons, formerly known as the Jackson 5, and Lou Gramm, the lead singer of Foreigner and Queen V.
John Furman, executive director of the Butler County Symphony Orchestra Association, said that although the show was somewhat outside of the group’s wheelhouse, many musicians were excited to perform at the fundraiser.
“At rehearsal they were with them; the Jacksons were saying how much they liked having us,” Furman said. “It's a cool opportunity, not typically what we do, but (the musicians) were troopers, and I was very proud of what they did because many people were telling me how impressed they were.”
The event took place at 405 Avonlea Court in Gibsonia and allowed people to hear music from famous artists and talk with celebrities — among them were players for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Steelers and Penguins, regional newscasters and local personalities. The event was a fundraiser for several health care-based agencies, including Butler Health System.
In addition to the artists the symphony supported, the Temptations performed a solo set.
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