Canadian outfit brings ‘Sgt. Pepper’ to orchestral life
In 1965 or 1966 Canadian musician Andy Maize’s mother took his oldest brother to see the Beatles at the Montreal Forum. He was just a kid, but he remembers it was a big deal.
“They only played for half an hour and the screaming was so loud she couldn’t turn her head. If she turned her head, it hurt too much,” Maize recalls. “My mother is now 90 years old, and I think it’s pretty cool she got to see the Beatles. I had an idea what a big deal it was then. I remember all sorts of merchandise. There were lunch boxes.”
Fifty years later, Maize is touring as one of the featured vocalists in Art of Time Ensemble’s orchestral concert performance of the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The Canadian collective assembled by classical pianist Andrew Burashko has been re-imagining orchestral, theatrical and concert pieces since 1998. Performances of works by the Beatles, Frank Zappa and jazz composer Erwin Schullhoff and an exploration of Rom music are some of its recent projects.
Maize first performed “Sgt Pepper” with Art of Time Ensemble for the album’s 45th anniversary in 2012.
“Often the shows aren’t remounted, but this one has proven to be quite popular,” says Maize, who has played in the Canadian folk-rock group the Skydiggers for 25 years.
The other vocalists are Barenaked Ladies founder Steven Page and the Odds’ Craig Northey. Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket recently joined the tour.
By: Courtney Devores
Source: Charlotte Observer
