One of the biggest pop bands on the planet released an iconic album on June 1, 1967, introducing the world to songs such as “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” “A Day in the Life” and “With a Little Help from My Friends.” Nearly 50 years later, the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album is getting new life in a tour that’s part of the The Art of Time Ensemble, a nonprofit organization hailing from Toronto.
Led by renowned concert pianist Andrew Burashko, Art of Time Ensemble is currently on its first tour of the United States. Steven Page, who is the founder and former lead of Barenaked Ladies, Glen Phillips, known as the front man for Toad the Wet Sprocket, Andy Maize of Skydiggers and Craig Northey of The Odds are all joining Burashko and Art of Time Ensemble’s world-class orchestra.
“I’ve been a crazy Beatles nut ever since I was a kid, and with this project it is interesting to find the fine line between trying to do something new and inventive and at the same time stay absolutely true to the spirit of the music,” Burashko said.
The singers featured in the concert are all well-known in Canada, and like the organization itself, are based in Toronto. In Canada, the government has always been supporting the arts and providing funding, but in the last 40 years, that support has been waning, according to Burashko. Over time, philanthropy and nonprofits have entered the picture, such as Art of Time Ensemble.
“We are a nonprofit arts organization; all of the money goes to producing the shows and to the artists,” Burashko said. “The reason I chose the name Art of Time is because it works on a bunch of levels. On one level, music is the art; it’s temporal—it happens over time—and it really is kind of the reorganization of time. Also, to me, the most distinguishing characteristic of a musician is their sense of time.”
Art of Time Ensemble began in 1998 with its first show as a result of Burashko feeling disheartened by classical music audiences being predominantly older people. Because of his experience as a pianist, Burashko said he felt that classical music was something everyone can enjoy.
“It’s some of the most exciting music there is,” Burashko said. “Anyone can be blown away by it.”
Inspired by his love of all kinds of music, theater and dance, Burashko said he formed Art of Time Ensemble as a way to attract new audiences by exploring how music intersects with other art, allowing the nonprofit to evolve in different directions. Half of the band is trained in classical music, and the other half is pop musicians, creating an interesting blend of styles for their Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band tour.
“There’s nothing really classical about the show; it’s still pop music, not like elevator music,” Burashko said. “The original spirit is very much still there.”
Though Burashko has been trained as a classical pianist and has achieved international recognition for his talent, he has focused more of his time on the ensemble, as it allows him to do more than just play classical piano. He said he finds joy in performing this show, singing this music and working with other artists to perform the “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album.
Amanda Sweet, founder and president of Bucklesweet Media and publicist for the tour, said the tour runs through Nov. 22. The band will perform at NC State’s Stewart Theatre as part of NC State LIVE Saturday at 8 p.m.
“The core group, the Art of Time Ensemble, not the front-man singers, are always performing new shows,” Sweet said. “This is their first time bringing one of their shows to the U.S. though.”
