BLACKSTAR SYMPHONY: THE MUSIC OF DAVID BOWIE WITH THE CHARLESTON SYMPHONY WITH SPECIAL GUEST ARTIST JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL

Event Details

David Bowie fashioned the multi-GRAMMY® Award-winning album Blackstar as his Grand Finale. With a catalogue of 27 studio recordings over a 45-year career, Blackstar stands apart from the rest.

Different in feel and different in sound, it speaks more poignantly – and more metaphorically – than any of Bowie’s prior creations.

Embracing his own vulnerability, Bowie hired a team of musicians, led by saxophonist Donny McCaslin, to aid in artfully communicating the emotions and intentions that this most visionary pop artist aspired to convey. During this period of deep reflection, an intimate musical bond was created between Bowie & McCaslin.

BLACKSTAR SYMPHONY features musical arrangements by world renowned orchestrators Jules Buckley, Tim Davies, Vince Mendoza, Maria Schneider, Jamshied Sharifi, Tony Visconti, Michael Dudley Jr., and Vellu Halkosalmi.

Act I showcases the entire Blackstar album with full symphony orchestra. Act II celebrates Bowie’s beloved musical catalogue with touchstone Bowie compositions including “Heroes,” “Life on Mars,” “Suffragette City,” “Space Oddity,” and more that serve as a reminder of the pervasiveness of Bowie’s presence in pop culture.

Donny McCaslin was Bowie’s musical partner and saxophone player on the original Blackstar recording. He conceived the idea to re-imagine Bowie’s work for full symphonic orchestra, performing along with his jazz quartet and two vocalists. “I love this music, and it is close to my heart. David refused to stay in one musical ‘lane’ during his long career, playing with different musical styles and creating a musical language all his own. That principle is at work in this program.”