Boardman High's rock orchestra star-struck by TSO
Boardman Orchestra & TSO
Boardman High School Orchestra was visited by members of TSO who will appear at Covelli Centre
TSO visits Boardman High School Orchestra
By BRUCE WALTON
bwalton@vindy.com
BOARDMAN
What would you do if you met your hero or heroes?
On Wednesday, the Boardman High School Rock Orchestra was lucky enough to meet members of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the musical group that inspired their orchestra’s inception.
Reese Maslen, a junior and guitarist for the orchestra, said he was star struck by the experience of a band he’s known since elementary school, a band known for its most famous show, “Carol of the Bells.”
“It’s a weird inception-like thing that they started this brand of rock ‘n’ roll with an orchestra, and they’re standing right in the middle of Boardman High School,” he said.
Maslen said he, much like the other students, were giddy and nervous when the musicians came through the door, but they steeled their nerves to greet them with a rendition of the TSO’s own Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.
Although the students were awestruck to see their heroes, Maslen said there was more of an atmosphere of mutual respect between artists as the TSO members filmed the students playing.
Russell Allen, a vocalist for TSO, also joined in as the students played “Carry On Wayward Son” by Kansas.
Derek Wieland, keyboard director for TSO who has been touring for 11 years with the group, said visiting schools is nothing new, but he said it was “unique to find students interacting in this style of music.”
The high-school rock orchestra puts on an annual event called “Project Mayhem” that follows the same formula of a TSO show with both a musical and visual spectacle with covers of popular songs and a light show.
Bill Amendol, Project Mayhem’s director and co-founder, first proposed the idea 10 years ago when he began teaching at the school.
Now, he saw it come full circle as TSO went to see his band that honors TSO.
This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity won’t stop because students also will be visiting the TSO at its performance at the Covelli Centre in downtown Youngstown this afternoon.
A month ago, Amendol received an email from TSO’s marketing director inviting him and the students to see the show today.
Amendol then proposed that TSO members also visit his orchestra students. Much to his surprise, they agreed.
“For a few, it might be life-changing to meet the folks that are their heroes when it comes to this type of music-making,” he said.
Joel Hoekstra, a guitarist for TSO, explained to the students not to expect the path to success in the music business to be “A to Z.”
He warned them it will be a lot of hard work through different jobs and obstacles.
Maslen, who has dreams of becoming a rock star himself, said seeing TSO members has given him even more motivation to push himself to do his best as an aspiring musician.
As Hoekstra left, Maslen said he’d never forget when the guitarist signed his guitar and then shredded on it for fun.
“He didn’t even have to use a pick,” he said, still glowing from the experience. “It was insane!”