Steve Hackman has hacked together two very different music styles for a night of thrilling sounds at The Columbus Symphony’s performance of Brahms V. Radiohead. The incredible concert has been done before, to great reception; the 2017 set sold out, and people wanted more.
Hackman—a conductor, composer, arranger, producer, and songwriter all rolled into one musical man—has brought back his creation due to popular demand. The performance utilizes all four movements of Brahm’s First Symphony, written in 1882, as well as eight songs from Radiohead’s 1997 album OK Computer. These century-apart melodies coexist in a jaw-dropping journey that somehow harmonizes destruction and recreation.
Radiohead fans will recognize the classic songs “Paranoid Android,” “Karma Police,” “No Surprises,” and “Let Down” running through the otherwise classical performance. This eclectic combination shouldn’t be feared, though; arranger Steve Hackman is known for these daring hybrid compositions. Radiohead’s melodies will be blurred with those of classic composer Brahms, just as Hackman has combined the disparate sounds of Tchaikovsky and Drake or West Side Story and West Coast rappers in the past. This conductor just can’t stop pushing the envelope and finding new style syntheses to enthrall and excite his audience.
The Columbus Symphony Orchestra is excited to bring back this well-loved performance. The group was founded in 1951, making it the longest-running professional symphony in Central Ohio. This Saturday is another strong concert to add to their repertoire of diverse performances, helping their goal to reach a more expansive audience each year.
Brahms V. Radiohead will begin Saturday, November 9 at 8 p.m. The performance will be held at the Ohio Theatre at 39 E. State St. Be sure to get tickets before they sell out! Prices start at $25 and are available for purchase in person at the CAPA Ticket Center, online at www.columbussymphony.com or by phone at (614) 469-0939. For more information on The Columbus Symphony’s future performances, visit www.columbussymphony.com
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Brittany Mosley is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome in the comments.
