Serj Tankian and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra

The Rock and Rip It Up in association with the APO and Serj Tankian presents: The Elect the Dead Symphony.

Come Monday 16 March 2009, the Auckland Town Hall will witness a very special collaboration between Auckland's most loved orchestra and one of the most unconventional frontmen in rock, System Of A Down singer Serj Tankian.

Playing songs from his debut album as a solo artist, Elect The Dead, as well as “a few unreleased extras”, Tankian will be joining with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra to reinterpret Elect The Dead, an album that is both multifaceted and multilayered. Its tracklisting contains elements of psychedelia, classical, and the trademark surrealist images and skewed time signatures that Tankian has made his own, all of which will be scored by Tankian himself and arranged for full orchestra by respected New Zealand composer John Psathas. Psathas previously worked with Little Bushman in preparation for their critically acclaimed 2008 concert with the APO, and is honoured to be working with Tankian for the March show.

"I'm elated to have the opportunity to arrange my songs from Elect the Dead for a full orchestra with the APO,” says Tankian. “The arrangements will be quite different than those on the record including bonus tracks never played live, and John Psathas will be helping me outfit my string arrangements for the full orchestra. We'll also be taping the performance for a worldwide DVD release later in the year."

John Ure, the APO's Director of Operations, is equally as excited about the partnership, saying: “I was introduced to the music of System of a Down several years ago and became a fan after hearing the first song. Next thing I knew I was speaking with Boh Runga about a dream of mine of the APO performing Serj’s music on stage and as it turned out, she knew him and was able to pass on this idea. It seems that dreams do come true! The excitement and anticipation is almost unbearable!”

Event listed by APO

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