Revolution: The Beatles Symphonic Experience

Two-time GRAMMY® nominated musician, producer and conductor Robert Thompson has led the Detroit, Hartford, Houston, Nashville, Phoenix, Seattle and Shreveport Symphonies, among others. He has performed and toured with artists including the Moody Blues, Yes, the Four Tops, The Temptations, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. 

Thompson has also collaborated with artists such as Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones, Stewart Copeland and Philip Glass, among others. As a producer of film with live orchestra concerts, Thompson has produced the world premiere of The Pink Panther for MGM Studios, featuring Henry Mancini’s OSCAR® nominated score, as well as Sony Pictures’ The Red Violin, featuring John Corigliano’s OSCAR® winning score. Together with Schirmer Theatrical and Greenberg Artists, he is the co-producer of several symphonic pops shows including, Revolution: The Beatles Symphonic Experience, Unforgettable: A Tribute to Nat King Cole & Natalie Cole and The Motown Experience, as well as Women Rock which was presented at the NAC in January 2019. 

Thompson is the recipient of two National Endowment for the Arts Awards and the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of South Florida, and he earned his doctoral degree from The Eastman School of Music. This is his first time leading the NAC Orchestra.

Leading a new generation of soulful crooners, Paul Loren is a singer, songwriter, producer and consummate entertainer.  

A native New Yorker, he was raised on the rich legacy of soul, classic pop and the Great American Songbook, and in those musical idioms he feels most at home. Taking elements from early R&B, jazz and Brill Building pop, he crafts his music with an ear towards timelessness. 

Loren completed his first headline tour this year and has also performed as a support artist on National Tours for Brendan James, opened for The Temptations as part of Stamford’s Summer Concert Series Wednesday Night Live, and sold out Joe’s Pub at the Public in New York City multiple times. His appearance on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon showcased his talents for millions of viewers with a winning song and viral video to boot.

Paul Loren’s upcoming LP release is being recorded at his “Five & Dime” studio in Brooklyn on old magnetic tape machines and features world-class live musicians. In support of this album, he played his annual holiday show this year at The City Winery in New York City, and will be on tour again this spring.

Kelly McIntyre is thrilled to join the Revolution team! Since 2016, she has been channeling Janis Joplin in A Night with Janis Joplin, headlining the National Tour of the show and appearing in regional productions around the United States, including those at McCarter Theatre, Laguna Playhouse, A.C.T., Barter Theatre, and Capital Repertory Theatre. Other New York City credits include Beau (The Directors Company); The Accidental Club; For Tonight (Goodspeed Opera House); Into The Sun (New York Musical Theatre Festival); Days of Rage, Ruth Maier (New York Theatre Barn). McIntyre has sung in concerts and readings all over New York City in venues such as 54 Below, Joe’s Pub, The Cutting Room and Don’t Tell Mama.

With a career spanning over 20 years, Irish born Colin Smith has led a musical life as varied as it is impressive. With his former band Mrnorth, while on RCA, they toured extensively with the likes of The Who, Van Halen, Sheryl Crow and Journey among many others. As a solo artist, songs from his two records have been licensed to movies and TV alike. Smith has been seen in live collaborations with Alicia Keys and has worked multiple times on Saturday Night Live as the featured vocal talent. He has been most recently been seen touring with Christina Aguilera, duetting with her on the GRAMMY® winning “Say Something” to audiences across the globe, as well as performing background vocals for the show. He splits his time between NYC and LA.

Alan Ayoub is well-known for his great sound on the guitar and authentic ease in playing across diverse musical genres.  Based in the Detroit-area, Al can frequently be heard performing on the guitar, banjo and mandolin in top symphony orchestras throughout the United States, when he is not using his talents in rock, jazz, rhythm & blues, and musical theater venues. He has performed and/or recorded with Pat Metheny, Mary Wilson of The Supremes, Renée Fleming, and Michigan Opera Theatre, and also had the honour of playing the music of Kurt Weill with the Detroit Symphony at Carnegie Hall.

Josh Myers is proud to offer his open ears and big earthy bass tone to various incredible projects including Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, Big Words, Heather Christian & The Arbornauts, and Kinan Azmeh's CityBand. He has had the pleasure of performing in legendary venues such as the Fillmore, Lincoln Center, The Royal Opera House (Muscat, Oman), Levon Helm Studios, Carnegie Hall, The Capitol Theater (Portchester, NY) and the Library of Congress, and he has performed alongside such greats as John Scofield, Kenny Werner, Stanton Moore, Wayne Krantz and Bernard Purdie.

Andy Roninson is a New York City-based music director, orchestrator and writer. As a composer-lyricist, he is a member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Writing Workshop, where he was awarded the Jerry Harrington Award for Creative Excellence. He wrote music, lyrics and orchestrations for two full-length original musicals, both produced at Purchase College. Roninson is the creator/host/producer of TAKE A TEN, the all-original ten-minute musical podcast. To hear every episode for free, visit TakeATenMusicals.com.

Zach Jones is a drummer, singer, songwriter and producer from Brooklyn, NY. He has shared the stage and studio with Sting, A Great Big World, Elle King, Marc Broussard, Liz Longley, and many others. He also writes and records music with his own group, Zach Jones & the Tricky Bits. A lifelong Beatlemaniac, he is honoured to help bring this timeless music to life. Endless love and thanks to Mom, Dad, Natalie and Hannah. Ram on.

Since graduating from the National Theatre School of Canada, Manon St-Jules has led a bilingual career, performing in classical and contemporary plays for big and small companies in Toronto, Montreal and Sudbury. In Ottawa, she’s performed for the NAC, GCTC, Arts Court, Théâtre la Catapulte, Compagnie L’Atelier and Théâtre Rouge Écarlate, as well as regularly hosting concerts with the NAC Orchestra and various other events. St-Jules’ work on-camera includes parts in film, television, commercials and various multimedia projects. She has written and translated plays and librettos. Her most recent produced work includes Louis Riel : une bande dessinée théâtrale (RustWerk Refinery) and Presto Mambo (Platypus Theatre).

Tobi Hunt McCoy is enjoying another year as Season Stage Manager with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. In past seasons, McCoy stage managed the Lord of the Rings Symphony, Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Christopher Plummer in 2001 and Colm Feore in 2014, and much of the Orchestra’s educational and Pops programming. In 2014, she co-produced the Pops show On the Air with Jack Everly for the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, a show they produced in 2007 for the NAC Orchestra.