Trey Anastasio To Debut New Symphonic Piece This Fall

Phish front man Trey Anastasio will debut Petrichor, an ambitious new piece for guitar and orchestra on his upcoming three-city West Coast symphony run this fall.

Petrichor, which is named for the scent the ground gives off after the season’s first rain, is said to celebrate the process of rebirth and transformation that a storm sets in motion. The new piece will have its world premiere on September 9 at Portland’s Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, where Anastasio will be joined by the Oregon Symphony. He will then perform with the Seattle Symphony at Benaroya Hall on September 11 and with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl on September 26. All shows will be conducted by Scott Dunn of the L.A. Philharmonic, who partnered with Anastasio on his 2012 orchestral tour. The program is also expected to feature orchestral versions of songs by Phish and from Anastasio’s solo repertoire.

“It’s always exciting to perform with an orchestra. When I get a handshake or a nod of the head from the concertmaster at the end of the show, it just gives me chills,” said Anastasio in a press release. “I try to bring pieces that are going to be challenging and fun to play -pieces that spotlight the level of musical elegance that’s capable with an orchestra, that’s only capable with an orchestra.”

Here’s more info on Petrichor:

Anastasio began composing Petrichor November of 2012, while at rehearsals for the Broadway opening of Hands on a Hardbody, which he co-wrote the music for. In his spare moments, he began working out the melodies, using his iPhone to capture hundreds of voice memos. Over the course of two years, that early inspiration evolved into an intricate, thought-provoking opus. Anastasio will perform as a member of the orchestra, on electric guitar. Petrichor was orchestrated by Don Hart, who has collaborated with Anastasio on numerous classical projects.