Some local talent will be on hand Nov. 17 for an homage to the British Invasion when “Beatles vs. Stones: A Musical Showdown” returns to Campbell’s Heritage Theatre.
The show pits Rolling Stones tribute band Satisfaction against its Beatles counterpart Abbey Road in a musical showdown. The Prospect High School String Quartet from Saratoga will perform six songs with the bands.
Prospect High sophomores Saarthak Shankavaram, Michelle Xie, Juna Lee and Bruno Piccoli will join the bands for the songs “Eleanor Rigby,” “A Day in the Life,” “Hello Goodbye,” “Hey Jude,” “Gimme Shelter” and “Ruby Tuesday.”
The producers of “Beatles vs. Stones” approached Prospect High’s instrumental music director Alexander Gonzales looking for a student ensemble to perform at the show’s Campbell stop on its 125-city tour. The show often reaches out to local high school orchestras, making donations to their school music programs in exchange for student participation.
Members of the Prospect quartet belong to area ensembles including the San Jose Youth Symphony Philharmonic Orchestra and the California Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. Saarthak Shankavaram, 15, has been playing the violin for five years. He also plays the tabla, viola and piano. Saarthak won first place in the San Jose Young Arts Competition and the San Jose Youth Symphony’s Concert Orchestra Concerto Competition.
“The thing I love about playing the violin is it allows me to explore some of the most interesting and expansive textures and sound, and how I can use it to help convey to my audience what I think the music is saying,” Saarthak said in a statement.
After high school, the sophomore hopes to pursue music professionally, majoring either in performance or composition in college.
Michelle Xie, 15, has been playing violin for eight years. She performs with the California Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (CYPO).
“What I enjoy most of playing violin is how it is such a boundless way to express myself,” she said. “In orchestra, I enjoy the feeling of contributing to such dramatic and extravagant sounds.”
Fellow CYPO member Juna Lee, 15, has been playing the viola for four years and the violin for seven years. “What I enjoy the most is how it gives me a sense of improvement and control over how I choose to express myself,” she said.
Bruno Piccoli, 15, has been playing the cello for six years and also plays piano. “The thing I enjoy most about playing cello is probably the feeling of escape from reality when I play, said the sophomore, who hopes to pursue a career in either sports medicine or psychiatry.
The quartet members are all Beatles fans. Saarthak’s favorite Fab Four song is “A Day in The Life,” Juna’s is “Yesterday,” Bruno’s is “Yellow Submarine” and not surprisingly, Michelle’s likes the Beatles’ tune “Michelle.”
“Beatles vs. Stones: A Musical Showdown” takes the Heritage Theatre stage on Friday, Nov. 17, at 7:30 pm. The Heritage Theatre is located at the Campbell Community Center, 1 W. Campbell Ave.
Tickets for the all-ages show are $45-$65, plus ticket fees, at http://www.heritagetheatre.org, 408-866-2700 or at the box office, open Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
