Fri 3/22 – Sun 3/24
After assembling BW Conservatory students of all disciplines to perform live the entire Beatles album Abbey Road in 2011, and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in 2012, both to overwhelming support and word-of-mouth crowds, they’re now expanding what began as an experiment into a full-fledged weekend-long festival.
Since BW already hosts the oldest collegiate Bach Festival, the students are playfully calling this “the oldest collegiate Beatles Festival,” and they are pulling out all the stops.
Pianist Patrick Hyzy, who graduates BW in 2014, has been involved since 2012, and he’ll be in charge this time around, as they add the album Magical Mystery Tour, featuring some of The Beatles’ best songs, including “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane,” songs which many claim are almost impossible to reproduce live, since so much studio trickery, backwards tapes and editing was used to create the classic originals.
Super Beatles Sunday is a new feature on Sun 3/24 at 1PM, a concert showcasing different Beatles bands from all over. Although they couldn’t afford to fly in an all-female Italian Beatles tribute band, they expect “as many different arrangements as possible… I want a cappella versions, string versions, stuff that people have never heard before,” states James Penca, who graduates this year and has been involved from the beginning.
All events are free, but seating is limited. We suggest showing up early.
http://www.bw.edu/news/beatlesfest