Electrify Your Symphony returns to Bethel Park for rock-style concert

Addressing a stage full of young musicians, Greg Byers was all about encouragement.

“You sound great,” he told students gathered in the Bethel Park High School auditorium. “We’ve got to look great, too. Bring the energy.”

The ensemble of mostly stringed instruments was rehearsing the afternoon of Jan. 6 for that evening’s Electrify Your Symphony performance.

Byers, an instructor with the nonprofit educational organization of the same name, conducted the proceedings with the goal of getting the students geared up for what basically was going to be a high-energy rock concert.

“We’re going to talk about some choreography on ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine,’” he said as the group prepared to run through Guns N’ Roses’ 1988 hit. “So go ahead and get your sheet music for that out, and grab your pencil, ’cause we’re going to make a couple of notes here.”

The musicians dutifully marked their papers as Byers described what the players of violins, violas, cellos and double basses would be doing. He then led a rendition on his own instrument, replicating the song’s circular arpeggio made famous by guitarist Slash.

For the concert, students chose a set list full of compositions with which their parents or even grandparents are familiar. In fact, probably just one person present for the rehearsal even was alive when tunes such as the Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun” (1969) and Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” and “Stairway to Heaven” (1970 and ’71, respectively) first made their appearances on vinyl.

“Honestly, I listen to a lot of this type of music, anyway,” junior violinist Clara McGough said. “So it’s really fun to be able to play it.”

She was among the many musicians who had the opportunity to play electric versions of their Wood-brand instruments, the violin company of Electrify Your Symphony founder Mark Wood, a Trans-Siberian Orchestra alumnus.

For the concert, younger students had the opportunity to participate along with the high schoolers.

“I love the music. It’s fun to teach it. It’s fun to play. But the sense of community and family that this builds for the strings department is really special, because we get all the kids involved,” high school orchestra director Stephanie Glover said prior to the show. “Elementary kids are taking tickets, and the middle school kids are getting to play on a few tunes.”

With major support from the Bethel Park Music Boosters, the district has hosted Electrify Your Symphony in the past. This year’s program was the first since prior to the covid-19 pandemic, in 2019.