Podcast: Rockabilly 2 Rachmaninoff — Brad Thachuk joins Rockabilly Greg in the Flamingo Lounge -

Joining us on the third episode of the “Rockabilly 2 Rachmaninoff” series is conductor Bradley Thachuk.

Maestro Thachuk is the Music Director of the Niagara Symphony Orchestra (NSO). He has been connected to the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra for over 10 years, conducting occasional Pops and Rock series performances each concert season. Post-pandemic, he’s served as the conductor of the Rock series, which is comprised of three concerts per season.

A versatile and diverse musician, Maestro Thachuk has also established himself globally as one of the handful of conductors who moves easily between the classical and rock worlds. He is a highly sought-after symphonic arranger, with numerous collaborations. Recent and upcoming projects include Steve Hackett of Genesis, the music of Leonard Cohen, a tribute to the Tragically Hip, Dave Mason of Fleetwood Mac and Traffic, ABC’s Dancing with the Stars franchise, Tony-Award winning Heather Headley, Sarah Slean, Chantal Kreviazuk, The Beach Boys, and Air Supply.

Here are some of his comments from the conversation:

“My entire life’s been focused on music. There was never a moment where I wasn’t going to do it.”
“The Music of the Tragically Hip show is something that the Buffalo Philharmonic has constantly invested in reimagining.”
“The commitment that the BPO has made to give rock music its place in the symphony hall is extraordinary, because it’s not plug-and-play. There’s many layers of complexity to bring these concerts to the stage, and it just shows that they feel this repertoire is valuable.”
“The Buffalo Philharmonic has really invested in creating this rock legacy in the concert hall. The Steve Hackett orchestra show, that DVD live from Royal Festival Hall in London — none of that happens without the Buffalo Philharmonic. They are the ones who hired Steve Hackett, paid my brother and I to write the arrangements. It was a very costly thing that has probably financially benefited everyone involved in it, but it cost the Buffalo Philharmonic. That’s why I admire Dan Hart and JoAnn Falletta so much, is that their commitment — and everything the Phil does — is almost selfless in a way.”

For more information on the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and their programs, visit https://bpo.org.

You can find out more about Brad at his website at https://www.bradleythachuk.com.

Greg Hennessey’s “In the Flamingo Lounge with Rockabilly Greg” podcast is must listen content for fans of Western New York music. Hennessey just started his sixth season of podcasts, and he’s got over 100 episodes in his archives at https://rockabillygreg.com.

New episodes are available at 9 a.m. EST each Saturday at RockabillyGreg.com. Each posting includes a link to the podcast, website, and social media links, images, and other interesting tidbits about the week’s guest(s).

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