Crossover

“There was a real drive and energy in the Rock Symphony, while there was not any electric instrument on the stage! Rock-Rococo variations became a powerful energetic cocktail from different epochs and styles”. – “Promenad Mag”

“Rock vs Rococo. Classical Battle” – is an exclusive project, which has no analogues in the world, where far eras and opposite genres meet on the same stage. 

It is even more interesting to experience this extraordinary performance, since its author Denis Shapovalov is a recognised academic musician who won a gold medal at one of the most prestigious classical music contests – Tchaikovsky International Competition. 

Visitors of this unique instrumental show find themselves in two concerts at once: modern symphony rock is opposed to the “greatest hits” by Tchaikovsky. Shapo appears in several roles – in the first part as a refined classical cellist and conductor with his perfect presentation of Tchaikovsky music, in the second – as a real rock performer, who makes people jump and shout with his dazzling virtuosity and rock riffs on electric cello.

Backstory

In 2017 Denis Shapovalov was invited to the International Festival “Krakow PROMS” and alongside with performance of Tchaikovsky “Variations on a Rococo theme” on acoustic cello Denis was commissioned “a piece for electric cello with symphony orchestra”. That was the birth of the “Rock-Variations on a Rococo theme” which were premiered with huge success at the classical venue – Krakow Opera House.

While I was working on the rock-variations – totally non-classical piece, I felt like it was not me, but somebody else. It was like a miracle, like I am in Wonderland. So, I decided that this rock piece should be signed not as Denis Shapovalov, like my classical compositions, but as Denis Wonderland. So, my rock pseudonym was born.”

In 2019 Siberian festival “The 60th parallel” commissioned Denis a new symphony for the opening evening alongside with Tchaikovsky program. The success of the “Symphony in Rock style” was not less than one in Krakow.

Since then the project was performed many times all over Russia and everywhere got extreme success. Even the audience of the most academic music institution – St-Petersburg State Philharmonic of Shostakovich – admired the project, and the internet broadcast of the concert got 500k online spectators.

 


Shapovalov is one of those rare musicians who easily steps from classical music to rock and back.– “Kommersant journal”

“There was a real drive and energy in the Rock Symphony, while there was not any electric instrument on the stage! Rock-Rococo variations became a powerful energetic cocktail from different epochs and styles”. – “Promenad Mag”

Tchaikovsky was performed impeccably. And then Shapovalov took an electric cello and exploded with rock reefs. Who won the battle of rock and rococo? Of course, the audience – cheering in the first part and shouting in the second. – “Novgorod News”

"Rock vs Rococo. Classical battle" demo video
Denis Wonderland "Rock-variations on a Rococo theme", world premiere, Poland
Denis Wonderland "Symphony in Rock style", world premiere, Siberia