Trans-Siberian Orchestra August 31, 2010

Christmas may come once a year, but the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's record-breaking and critically acclaimed annual touring spectacular is prepared to deliver holiday cheer in their most elaborate production yet.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) is one of the fastest-growing groups in contemporary music, was founded in 1996 by Paul O'Neill, and longtime writing partners Robert Kinkel and Jon Oliva. TSO's holiday tour has grown exponentially from year to year and has subsequently become one of the top five live holiday entertainment attractions in the United States.

The show features TSO's trademark "symphonic rock," which fuses elements of hard rock, Broadway, R&B, and classical music into a unique and distinctive blend of original compositions, symphony excerpts and holiday standards. TSO showcases timeless classics presented by a decidedly modern entity: a touring rock band. Call it classical rock, if you will. "There's no question in my mind that if electric guitars and modern keyboards were around in Beethoven's or Mozart's time, they'd be using them," O'Neill says.

TSO broke through to the public in 1995, when O'Neill produced and co-wrote "Dead Winter Dead." A rock opera set during the Bosnian War, it featured an instrumental recording titled "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" that married the melodies of "Carol Of The Bells" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" along with new music and arrangements.

With its timeless message, a sound that offers something for everyone and audiences that range in age from 7 to 70, TSO has built a solid foundation for exciting future developments, including upcoming tours.