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3News, New Zealand
March 7 2010
Serj Tankian's new classical obsession
By David Farrier
Early last year the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra teamed up with
rocker Serj Tankian for a one-off concert.
Considering Tankian once fronted Grammy -winning metal band System of
a Down, it was an odd mix.
It was a tiny show, but the results are about to be released worldwide on DVD.
Based in Los Angeles, the Armenian-American musician makes sure he
spends summer here in New Zealand. It was about this time last year he
combined forces with the Auckland Philharmonia, mixing his new songs
with the 70-piece orchestra.
"I was so excited to play," says Tankian. "I hadn't been excited like
that for a long, long time, maybe since the early System days."
Tankian fronted System of a Down from 1994 to 2006. He's mellowed out
a bit since then, and says working with the Auckland Philharmonia and
Kiwi composer John Psathas has made him a little addicted.
"The experience of working with an orchestra and writing for an
orchestra has propelled me to use it for my own solo work. I just
recorded a 25-piece string section and brass in LA."
He's also writing a jazz-classical symphony.
His recent obsession is something his old fans probably find a bit
puzzling, but they're still embracing it.
"It was a total joy, man. I had agraet time," says Tankian. "It was a
lot of work for one show but, 'cause we made a DVD out of it, it was
worth it."
The DVD is being released worldwide this week. Tankian says he made
sure the final edit focussed on the orchestra as much him.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Serj-Tankians-new-cla ssical-obsession/tabid/418/articleID/145094/Defaul t.aspx
March 7 2010
Serj Tankian's new classical obsession
By David Farrier
Early last year the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra teamed up with
rocker Serj Tankian for a one-off concert.
Considering Tankian once fronted Grammy -winning metal band System of
a Down, it was an odd mix.
It was a tiny show, but the results are about to be released worldwide on DVD.
Based in Los Angeles, the Armenian-American musician makes sure he
spends summer here in New Zealand. It was about this time last year he
combined forces with the Auckland Philharmonia, mixing his new songs
with the 70-piece orchestra.
"I was so excited to play," says Tankian. "I hadn't been excited like
that for a long, long time, maybe since the early System days."
Tankian fronted System of a Down from 1994 to 2006. He's mellowed out
a bit since then, and says working with the Auckland Philharmonia and
Kiwi composer John Psathas has made him a little addicted.
"The experience of working with an orchestra and writing for an
orchestra has propelled me to use it for my own solo work. I just
recorded a 25-piece string section and brass in LA."
He's also writing a jazz-classical symphony.
His recent obsession is something his old fans probably find a bit
puzzling, but they're still embracing it.
"It was a total joy, man. I had agraet time," says Tankian. "It was a
lot of work for one show but, 'cause we made a DVD out of it, it was
worth it."
The DVD is being released worldwide this week. Tankian says he made
sure the final edit focussed on the orchestra as much him.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Serj-Tankians-new-cla ssical-obsession/tabid/418/articleID/145094/Defaul t.aspx