Ed Turner and No. 9 with Augusta Symphony
From The Mad Music Asylum! radio show to his upcoming performance with Symphony Orchestra Augusta, Ed Turner, one of Augusta's most enduring and respected musicians, continues to evolve and audiences follow. Ten years running, Ed Turner and Number 9 have sold out more than 55 shows in the Augusta area, raised more than $750,000 for local charities and continues to focus on music outreach in the community. According to Turner, "The funds raised by this concert will help SOA expose local children in various schools to a different world of music. Many kids have never held or much less played a violin, trumpet or other instrument. SOA brings this to them. Number 9 is blessed beyond words to have these symphonic arrangements done by Dr. Rob Foster and Dr. Laura Tomlin. We could not have done this show without them on our team and band."
Ed Turner and Number 9 will perform with Symphony Orchestra Augusta on Jan. 9 at the Bell Auditorium. The concert will benefit the symphony's Education & Community Outreach program and will feature classic rock and pop songs from Stevie Wonder, Chicago, The Beatles, Joe Cocker and Electric Light Orchestra. Tickets range from $20-$50, with a special $7 price for students and military. Tickets are available by calling (706) 826-4705, online at SOAugusta.org or at the SOA box office at Sacred Heart Cultural Center, 1301 Greene St., Suite 200.
"Only about 999 hours of preparation, rehearsal, promotion and arrangements goes in to putting on such a show as this," Turner half heartedly jokes. "We work very hard to choose and perform many great songs that no other band does. We also rehearse very, very hard and long to try to replicate rock and soul classics as accurately as possible." Although Number 9 will only rehearse once the day of the show with the full SOA, they have a horn and string section that they play with annually. Vocalist, Ryan Abel adds, "Horns and strings are not new to us. However, something on this scale is a little bit different. We now have a maestro and that changes things. The bigger the production, the more detail there must be and nothing can be left unprepared. The full sound that will be produced is truly amazing.
In recent years, a number of rock bands on the national scene have collaborated with symphony orchestras in concert, creating what would seem to be a strange juxtaposition of music worlds. Combining the improvisational nature of rock and soul musicians with the more trained nature of classical performers, each musician is forced to step outside of their comfort zone to present a unified presentation of a song. Abel said, “There is no room for improvisation when playing with a symphony. That is the sacrifice you make to play with a full symphony. It is the same way the big boys do it. Everything is charted. Everything is planned. It is a new experience for most of us but it is making us more disciplined musicians. This is the first time with the full SOA and also our first headline at the Bell Auditorium so that is going to be pretty surreal."
Turner adds, “My favorite example of classical music and rock crossing over is ELO...most anything by them. It gives bands and artists like America, The Moody Blues, Kansas, and Ben Folds a new direction and extends their careers. We are performing ELO’s hit "Livin' Thing" with SOA and it will blow folks away!” Able adds, “The community can expect a great show that has the energy and passion that Number 9 fans have come to expect along with great songs done true to the original recording. We have worked really hard to make this show a true representation of all of these songs. Tuner concludes, We have a few surprises up our sleeves. It's our 10th year and I'm still having a great time working with these incredible musicians.”
Ticket sales make up less than 40% of SOA’s annual operating budget so it is only through the support of community members like you that SOA is able to attract such brilliant talent as Shizuo Z Kuwahara to Augusta, as well as expand our education and community engagement programs. Every gift we receive makes a difference.”
Maestro Shizuo Z Kuwahara said in a news release. “We are so excited to be able to collaborate in this event where the funds raised will be contributing directly to our music education program.”
Classical music rocks.
