What happens when the worlds of classical and pop music collide? Musical director Nathan Jones invites us into the creative heart of Orchestra Remixed, a boundary-pushing performance that refuses to be boxed into a single genre. Blending Debussy with Coldplay and reworking Tina Turner with the flair of film-score grandeur, the concert reimagines both the classical canon and chart-topping hits in unexpected, genre bending ways. With a bold vision and an ensemble of fiercely talented musicians, this is no ordinary orchestral concert – it’s a sonic adventure that challenges tradition and invites everyone to experience orchestral music through a brand new lens. We spoke to Nathan Jones to find out more.
What can people expect from this concert? What makes it so different?
For so long pop and classical music have been kept apart in the live music world, even though they share so many commonalities and often crossover in the recording world. Apart from a few gigs here and there like special nights at the Proms with big pop artists, orchestras do classical and pop bands do pop. We’re going to blend the two, and show that orchestras can do pop just as well as pop bands. We’ll take you on a journey through some classical highlights and film favourites from Debussy to Zimmer – staples of the orchestral repertoire – as well as reimagining pop hits for orchestra, from Tom Jones and Tina Turner to Coldplay and Chappel Roan.
We like to bend the genre of some songs so that audiences hear it in a completely new light. We’ve recently been described as “Wales’ answer to Post Modern Jukebox”, which I think captures the essence of what we do very well, if you’ve heard any of their ingenious covers.
We also spotlight some of our amazing instrumentalists. In the classical world, these moments are usually reserved for concerto soloists, and the incredible orchestral players tend to remain as part of the orchestra. We give them chance to shine with loads of opportunities and some great solos to get stuck into.
How did you decide which artists/songs to bring together?
This is always the hardest part – there are so many amazing songs and artists to choose from! For this concert, we already had a back catalogue of over 80 songs to choose from our previous gigs, so that was a great starting point. Previously we’ve performed as a much smaller ensemble, from 3-8 players, so this time I had to think about which ones were the best to expand for a larger orchestra. There are so many things to think about when choosing the songs, the ‘does this song lend itself to being warped into a different genre’, or ‘being played by a different instrument’, or ‘being a really slow ballad instead of a big rock number’ and things like that. When making these changes, the key thing is for the song to still be easily recognisable by the audience – maybe not straight away, but definitely by the chorus, so that you get the ‘oooh, it’s THAT song’ moment.
What was it that inspired you to blend these seemingly very different genres of music?
Bar a few exceptions, in pop music the orchestra almost always takes an accompanying role, and yet in film and classical music it is the main feature. Orchestras are so flexible, and the players so well trained, that they can lend themselves to any genre. So we really want to showcase another side to the orchestra and open people’s eyes (and ears) to that sound world. I’ve worked with musical theatre bands for many years, which is sort of half way towards a pop orchestra, and I’ve orchestrated and arranged hundreds of pieces for various orchestras, so I knew the passion and ability was there from the players.
How do you approach reimagining a pop song for a classical orchestra? What’s your creative process like from concept to performance?
First of all I break down the main ideas of the song – what makes it really recognisable, and how much can I strip away and it still be the same song? For most songs the melody pitches needs to stay the same, but you can play around with the rhythm and harmony a bit. Maybe the song has a similar chord sequence to famous classical piece that I can reference, or another pop song that makes it a good candidate for a medley. I’ll play around with ideas at the piano for a while – maybe it suits a Bossa Nova style, or it could be a big band swing number – and see what sticks. If there’s an idea that I keep coming back to then I’ll usually run with that. Then I get specific and start writing out the parts of each player/singer. Once the music dots are on the page then I can listen back to it and tweak things until it’s just right. The best moment is when the music gets in front of real players. I’ll usually play piano for the first performance of a new piece, along with some incredible instrumentalists and singers. However much preparation I’ve put into writing the cover version, they always bring something new to it. They know their voice/instrument so well and what works best, so my ideas are just a starting point for them to make it their own. This is what really makes the arrangements ‘sing’ and connect with audiences.
What do you hope audiences take away from an Alternative Orchestra concert that they might not experience at a traditional classical or pop performance?
That orchestral music is fun! Don’t worry about when to clap, what to wear or which composer wrote which song in which year – just enjoy the music. Our dream would be for people to leave this gig and think ‘orchestras are amazing’ and buy a ticket for any other orchestra gig – whether it’s one of ours or BBC NOW or another orchestra, we just want more people to experience and appreciate this ages-old form, and to understand the excitement it can bring, and that it is still relevant in 2025 and beyond. We encourage audiences to sing along and even to get up and dance if they feel the urge. Our music is to be enjoyed in whatever way suits you, there are no constraints.
Do you have any exciting new concerts planned for the future?
Yes! We’re starting a new series of musical theatre mini-gigs at Porter’s in Cardiff in the Autumn with some amazing singers. 1 hour of the best show tunes, but probably not the ones that every else sings. Next year we’ll be back at WMC Cabaret for a number of gigs with some exciting new themes. We’ve previously had sell-out nights there with “The Alternative Cabaret: 00’s Pop Queens” and “Boy Bands vs Girl Bands”, and we can’t wait to get back there in March 2026 with “The Alternative Cabaret: One Hit Wonders”, and a few more gigs there through the year.
As Nathan Jones makes clear, Orchestra Remixed isn’t just a concert—it’s a celebration of musical possibility. By breaking down the barriers between pop and classical, the Alternative Orchestra creates an inclusive, electric atmosphere where audiences are encouraged to sing, dance, and rediscover familiar tunes in totally fresh ways. Whether you’re a lifelong classical lover or a die-hard pop fan, this is a show that will change the way you think about what an orchestra can do—and leave you humming all the way home. So get your tickets here for Orchestra Remixed on 25th July at Llandaff Cathedral
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