Bradley Thachuk

Bradley Thachuk is a conductor appearing with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra for a series of pops concerts celebrating the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, and Stevie Wonder. These programs reimagine famous songs with full orchestral arrangements, aiming to bring symphonic color to popular music beloved across generations.

Listeners can expect programs built around orchestral arrangements of well known songs rather than classical concert repertoire. The Rolling Stones program draws on the band's catalog of rock anthems, likely reworked with strings and brass to underscore their driving guitar riffs. The Bowie program, titled "Changes," spans a catalog known for shifting styles across decades, from glam rock to soul-influenced pop, giving an orchestra material with wide contrasts in mood and instrumentation. The Stevie Wonder program focuses on his celebrated songwriting, rich with soulful melodies and warm harmonies that adapt naturally to orchestral backing. In all three, the conductor's role is to keep the orchestra tightly in sync with the energy and phrasing of the original recordings, balancing amplified vocals or band elements with the acoustic orchestra behind them.