South Medford High String Quartet to join the pros

ASHLAND, Ore. - Jan. 15, 2018 - PRLog -- When the touring show Beatles vs. Stones – A Musical Showdown comes to Live at the Armory, the South Medford High School 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 Ashland show is part of a 110 city tour of the U.S., Canada and Australia.

The string quartet: South Medford High senior Emma Empol, junior Isabella Met, sophomore Courtney Hicks and freshman Thomas Green 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."

In addition to performing with South High's most advanced orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra, quartet members belong to prestigious area youth ensembles, including the Youth Symphony of Southern Oregon (YSSO) and the All-State Honors Orchestra. Members consistently receive superior ratings at solo and ensemble and Heritage festivals.

How the "Beatles" and "Stones" connection was started: The producers of Beatles vs. Stones approached South High Orchestra Director Zoryn Thompson looking for a talented ensemble which could hold their own with a rock band in front of an audience. The show commonly hires a local quartet to augment the production while on tour.

The quartet's Beatles or Stones fans: Met, Empol and Green are the quartet's Beatles fans. Hicks is a fan of both Beatles and Rolling Stones music.

"It is so interesting to me that Beatles were able to change their music from pop, to psychedelic music to their later "Abbey Road" sound," said Met.

"I started listening to their music when I was eight or nine years old and just fell into it like a story," she continued.

Empol's favorite Beatles song is "Eleanor Rigby."

"I'm excited we get to perform this song in the "Beatles vs. Stones" show," said Empol. "It's a great strings song."

Quartet for hire: The South High String Quartet performs at community events and is available for hire by contacting Zoryn Thompson at 541-499-2045.

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."Beatles vs. Stones – A Musical Showdown"
performs on Sunday, February 18 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 on the night of show. Tickets may be purchased online at www.liveatthearmory.com. Live at the Armory is located at 208 Oak Street in Ashland, OR 97520. The show is family friendly and appropriate for all ages.