Local high school string quartet to join the pros

TACOMA, Wash. - Sept. 21, 2017 - PRLog -- When the touring show Beatles vs. Stones – A Musical Showdown comes to the Broadway Center for the Arts on November 9, the Tacoma School of the Arts String Quartet  will have the privilege of joining the professional musicians on stage to add some orchestral texture to the evening.

The show pits Rolling Stones tribute band Satisfaction against rival Brit boys Abbey Road in an all-out musical showdown for rock dominance. The string quartet will perform seven songs with the bands.

Here's the rundown:

The show:  The two greatest rock 'n' roll bands of all time face off in Beatles vs. Stones - A Musical Showdown. Taking the side of the Fab Four is Abbey Road, one of the nation's top Beatles tribute bands. With brilliant musicianship and authentic costumes and gear, Abbey Road plays beloved songs spanning the Beatles' career. They engage in a "showdown" of the hits with Stones tribute band Satisfaction - The International Rolling Stones Show, who offer a faithful rendition of the music and style of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and the bad boys of the British Invasion. The production includes multimedia, period costumes and vintage instruments. It has toured for years, with a critic for the Los Angeles Times at one point declaring: "this is the most unique tribute show in decades." The Tacoma show is part of a 125 city tour of the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico and Australia.

The string quartet:Tacoma high school seniors Kelly Moylan, Abbie Foulon and Veronica Truongand junior Lilo Heinrich will join the bands for the songs "Eleanor Rigby," "Yesterday," "A Day in the Life," "Hello Goodbye,""Hey Jude," "As Tears Go By," and "Ruby Tuesday."

All quartet members perform with the Tacoma School of the Arts Chamber Orchestra and smaller school chamber ensembles. Members also perform with prestigious groups including the Tacoma Youth Symphony, the Stanford University Summer Orchestra and All-State Honors Orchestras. Last year, all quartet members advanced to the state level of the Washington Music Educators Association Solo and Ensemble Competition and received superior ratings performing with the school's chamber orchestra.

How the "Beatles" and "Stones" connection was started: The producers of Beatles vs. Stones approached SOTA Performing Arts Department Head Paul Eliot looking for a talented ensemble which could hold their own with a rock band in front of an audience. The school's quartet performed in 2015 with another show produced by the same tour company called "In My Life - A Musical Theatre to the Beatles" at the Broadway Center.

"When we find a strong high school program like SOTA's, we try to hire them when we come back," said show producer Tom Maher.

The quartet's Beatles or Stones fans: Heinrich, Moylan and Truong are the quartet's Beatles fans.

Moylan's favorite Fab Four tune is "Strawberry Fields Forever" and Truong prefers "Hey Jude."

Quartet for hire: SOTA's quartet performs at weddings and community events and is available for hire by contacting Paul Eliot at PELIOT@Tacoma.K12.Wa.US. (mailto:PELIOT@Tacoma.K12.Wa.US)

The details: Two of the greatest bands of all time face off in a high-energy, adrenaline-pumping musical showdown. The Fab Four, represented by tribute band Abbey Road will engage in a barrage of hits against premier Rolling Stones tribute band Satisfaction. The show plays the Broadway Center on November 9 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $35/$45/$55 and may be purchased online at www.broadwaycenter.org, by phone at 253.591.5894 or at the Theatre Box Office. The Box Office is open Monday - Friday, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm and two hours before performances. The Broadway Center is located at 901 Broadway, Tacoma, WA 98402. The Abbey Road band performed to enthusiastic crowds at the Broadway Center in 2015 and 2016 with their show, "In My Life - A Musical Theatre Tribute to the Beatles." The show is appropriate for all ages.