Windborne's Classic Rock Symphony

Conductor/arranger Brent Havens bridges the gap between rock and classical music with "The Music of Led Zeppelin," a program he scored to expand the listening experience of Led Zeppelin’s timeless tunes. Performed by an orchestra amplified with a full rock band and screaming vocals, Havens and his ensemble capture Led Zeppelin’s “sheer blast and power” riff for riff while cranking out new musical colors. Havens explains, "Our concept... was to take the music as close to the originals as we could and then add some colors to enhance what Zep had done.” He highlights the orchestra's "entire palette of sounds" to enrich the verbatim reproduction by the band, creating a "whole different sense of power.” Vocalist Randy Jackson (lead singer of Zebra) delivers a note-for-note interpretation, brilliantly capturing the spirit of Robert Plant. Heightened by rock concert lighting, this symphonic rock hybrid has received "riotous approval." Classical musicians also enjoy the change of pace, shown by the string section pulling out Bic lighters during "Stairway to Heaven." Conceived with producer Rob Cross, the show has toured extensively across the United States. Havens used the orchestra for enhancement, following the exact line arrangements of Zeppelin’s intricate rhythm patterns. The 2-plus hour concert features 18 Zeppelin tunes, including "Stairway to Heaven" and "Immigrant Song." This show is a great way to introduce rock fans to the symphony experience, allowing them to encounter something new with music they already love.

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