By Allesandro Rotondi

The Windsor Symphony Orchestra is one of the longest running and most profound forces in the local music scene. Since its initial conception in 1947, the WSO has kept classical alive, strengthened rock and roll, and facilitated pop music. They have also been strong supporters of student education, the importance of the arts, and collaboration with other musicians in the area, including the University Singers student choir that I’m a member of.

This evening was a collaboration with Jeans N’ Classics, a GTA-based group that joins the WSO for tribute concerts to great pop/rock artists. The band includes a guitarist, keyboardist, bassist, drummer, and two lead and two backing vocalists. The band fronts the stage, with the orchestra assembling around them in a half circle, as the conductor stands elevated in the center. The show was held at The Chrysler Theatre, and with a seating capacity of 1200, it was clear this was nearly a sold-out show. This was likely due to the billing of the concert, titled “Bowie vs. Prince,” but due to legal complications with Prince’s estate, the bill was changed to “Bowie Got Soul.” The show must go on.

The concert featured the music of David Bowie sung by Jean Meilleur, and an assortment of other soulful artists like Earth, Wind & Fire, Gnarls Barkley, The Spinners and The O’Jays, all sung by Gavin Hope. The Bowie songs were well received by the audience, as expected. The audience was a combination of youngsters and not-so-youngsters, some from Bowie’s era, some from before, and some like me who were too young to even remember Bowie’s late electronic period. As Gavin Hope walked out wagging his purple tie in the air, the audience laughed and applauded, and a group of ladies shouted “We want ‘Purple Rain!’” Gavin began to sing “Purple tie, purple tie” to the tune of “Purple Rain,” and quickly halted after receiving a look of impending doom from the conductor. The audience understood, and Gavin joked that the WSO’s legal teams could not match those of Prince. The ensemble brought the soul tunes to life, and the audience had redeemed their purple-clad expectations before long.

The mood was very different between the Bowie and soul sets. During Bowie, the audience was reflective and reminiscing, often swaying back and forth and smiling as they grabbed fond memories out of the air and tied them back to the music gracing their ears. Everyone was happy, but it was bittersweet for those who still have an ache in their heart over Bowie’s sudden, unexpected death in 2016. When the soul music hit, the atmosphere changed instantly. Feet began tapping, fingers began snapping and clapping, and people jumped out of their seat to dance in the aisles, much to the chuckles of others who were too scared to do so. It was vibrant, uptempo, and groovy.

The WSO has a knack for fitting into any musical situation. Just last week my choir was with them for Beethoven and Verdi masterworks, and next week will be Mozart’s Requiem. Tonight, they back a rock band, and provide a foundation of beautiful orchestral layering that the band builds off of. And the sound is perfect: condenser microphones capture the sound of the orchestra, and is mixed in perfect dynamic level to the band. My only point of concern was that the backing vocalists could not be heard clearly at times, and the same occasionally happened to the lead vocalists. But for the amount of musicians onstage (about fifty), the sound was immaculate. Mixing a band of eight is a daunting task, let alone an entire symphony on top of that. It also speaks to the musicianship of the orchestra members who sit in the pocket perfectly with the blend of the band. All around, the musicianship, stage production, and songs were wonderful and classy, and it was an entertaining evening of fabulous music.