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Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO[5]) is an American heavy metal band founded in 1996 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli (both members of Savatage) and keyboardist and co-producer Robert Kinkel to form the core of the creative team. The band gained in popularity when they began touring in 1999 after completing their second album, The Christmas Attic, the year previous. In 2007, The Washington Post referred to them as "an arena-rock juggernaut" and described their music as "Pink Floyd meets Yes and the Who at Radio City Music Hall."[6] TSO has sold more than 10 million concert tickets and over 10 million albums.[5][7] The band has released a series of rock operas: Christmas Eve and Other Stories, The Christmas Attic, Beethoven's Last Night, The Lost Christmas Eve, their two-disc Night Castle and Letters From the Labyrinth.[5] Trans-Siberian Orchestra is also known for their extensive charity work and elaborate concerts, which include a string section, a light show, lasers, moving trusses, video screens, and effects synchronized to music.[3]

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Both Billboard Magazine and Pollstar have ranked them as one of the top twenty-five ticket-selling bands in the first decade of the new millennium.[8][9] Their path to success was unusual in that, according to O'Neill, TSO is the first major rock band to go straight to theaters and arenas, having never played at a club, never having been an opening act and never having had an opening act.[10]

Legacy[edit]

Bands influenced[edit]

In 2009, a group of musicians from the metro New York area formed a band, called The Wizards of Winter, inspired by TSO. The Wizards released their own limited-release Christmas album in 2011 while performing a mixture of TSO and original material in live concerts. In 2013, four of the original members of TSO — Tommy Farese, Guy LeMonnier, Tony Gaynor, and Michael Lanning toured as guests with The Wizards of Winter. Another original TSO vocalist, Joe Cerisano toured with them in 2014. The band released three new Christmas albums (The Wizards of Winter, The Magic of Winter and The Christmas Dream) with Guy LeMonnier and Tony Gaynor joining the band as full members.[45] The band now performs their own original material when touring, with a TSO songs added occasionally.[46] In June 2018, long-time TSO drummer John O. Reilly also joined the Wizards of Winter as a full member.[47]

Lighting displays[edit]

In 2005 Carson Williams started a synchronized lighting race when he used 88 Light-O-Rama channels, over ten thousand lights and a small radio transmitter to illuminate his home to "Wizards in Winter".[48] A video of the house quickly went viral on the internet and eventually was picked up by Miller Lite as the theme for their TV ads over the next two years. Other homes soon followed eventually crossing to single homes with over a million lights.[5] Soon after entire cities like Denver and Chicago were lighting their downtown districts in a similar manner, as well as many major theme parks such as Disney World and Universal Studios.[49]

Philanthropic activities[edit]

Since Trans-Siberian Orchestra began touring, the band has donated over $16 million to a combination of local and national charities. At every tour stop, the group donates one dollar or more from each ticket sold to a local charity in the city where they are performing.[50][51] A single day (two shows) in New Jersey's Izod arena yielded $40,000 to local charities.[52] The band helps any charity or group they think is in need but especially ones that protect and help children. In 2010 Paul O'Neill voiced the band's philosophy on the TSO's web site and also in the 2010 Winter Tour Book, "We are all in this together. We must look out for the well being of each other, most of all the young. For the young are the architects of the future and we are the architects of the young. We can not tell those yet to be born that we did our best." Paul was a well known history buff.[11][53][54]

Fans and crew[edit]

Paul O'Neill constantly stated that the fans own the band: "TSO's goal is to make the best albums and concerts we possibly can, sparing no amount of time or expense and then charge the lowest possible price. No musician or singer is on the TSO flight deck for the money. We do it because we love the energy from the crowd especially the kids. Also in Trans Siberian Orchestra the crew are as much a member of the band as anyone on the flight deck. They actually have the hardest jobs. They are the first ones in and the last ones out. Watching them at work is like watching a well choreographed ballet or military operation. TSO could not be TSO without them and we know it."[55][56] Al Pitrelli summed it up more humorously, "No one in TSO is paid to be on the stage, that we do for free. The money is to stay out of trouble on our off time."


Over the years, O'Neill consistently thanks the audience,[52] referring to them as the second half of Trans-Siberian Orchestra and that without them TSO would just be notes and words echoing in an empty arena. "The fans' enthusiasm and energy power the stage show as much, if not more, than any local electric company."[57]

Tristan Avakian (2003)

(1999–)

Chris Caffery performing with TSO, 2007

Chris Caffery

George Cintron (2000)

(2001–2019, 2021-)

Angus Clark

(2010–2014, 2016–2019, 2021–)

Joel Hoekstra

(2015)

Bill Hudson

Damon La Scott (2000)

(1999, 2001–)

Al Pitrelli

(2000–2002, 2004–2009)

Jennifer Cella and Alex Skolnick performing with TSO, 2007

Alex Skolnick

Guitarists:


Bassists:


Keyboardists:


Electric Violinists:


Drummers:


Vocalists:


Narrators:

(1996)

Christmas Eve and Other Stories

(1998)

The Christmas Attic

(live video) (1999) (released to DVD in 2003)

The Ghosts of Christmas Eve

(2000)

Beethoven's Last Night

(2004)

The Lost Christmas Eve

(2009)

Night Castle

(On a Christmas Night) (EP) (2012)

Dreams of Fireflies

(compilation) (2013)

Tales of Winter: Selections from the TSO Rock Operas

(2015)

Letters from the Labyrinth

Christmas music

Mannheim Steamroller

The Wizards of Winter

Edit this at Wikidata

Official website

at IMDb

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

discography at Discogs

Trans-Siberian Orchestra