Igudesman, Joo / "UpBeat"

Upbeat, the follow-up to BIG Nightmare Music, the hit programme from music entertainers Aleksey Igudesman and Hyung-Ki Jo, carries the audience off into all imaginable genres, from Ravel to Rock and on through to Hip-Hop. Here the phrase 'Strike up the band' - or, in this case, the orchestra - takes on a completely new meaning, as the two soloists and conductor debate over who should give the upbeat and squabble for possession of the baton. Igudesman and Jo's latest programme mixes classical music with pop culture, such as Ring in the Classics, a symphonic poem based on the iconic Nokia ringtone. Even current and historical events find their way into the humourous arrangments, not least in Ride of the Oy Veykyries: Wagner might spin in his grave if he were to hear this lively Klezmer version of his famous piece.