Chris West to perform with the Boston Pops

Chris West and his group The Western Den will get to perform with one of the United States’ most famous orchestras. 

And the opportunity comes on the recommendation of Grammy-winner singer Paula Cole.

Mr West attends the Berklee School of Music along with Deni Hlavinka, the other half of the Western Den. 

They formed the group in 2013. Their musical stylings blends “compelling folk harmonies with ambient textures” which were featured on their debut album ‘Battle Hymns’ last year.

Mr West said each of the voice teachers at Berklee nominated one of their students to audition for a chance to perform with the Boston Pops Orchestra.

He said: “Deni’s teacher is Paula Cole and Paula nominated Deni to audition for this gig with the Boston Pops. We’re going to perform one song.”

“We performed in front of Keith Lockhart, Boston Pops conducter, and other staff members and board members from the Boston Symphony Hall.

“After a week or two, Deni got an e-mail and we were chosen to perform. 

The performance is Thursday, June 12. 

Other Berklee students will come up with an arrangement to blend The Western Den classic ‘Carter Hall’ to a full orchestra.

Mr West said he was “absolutely ecstatic to be able to play with a 60-piece orchestra. This is definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Other Berklee students who will also be performing include Sarah Walk, Sarah McKenzie and Ahmad El Haggar. 

Grammy and Oscar winner Melissa Etheridge will be the special guest performer that night. 

Tickets for the concert range from $24 to $94.

He said: “This is definitely a huge highlight for me. I love performing in and around Boston, but to be able to play with an orchestra is something else. We’re really inspired by orchestral music to begin with so to have that layer behind us is definitely going to make this a huge highlight compared to the other shows I’ve performed. 

Miss Hlavinka wrote ‘Carter Hall’, the song they are performing. It is an ode to small town love.

Mr West said: “She’s from a small town in Virginia and on the street she lives is an abandoned plantation house called Carter Hall. She created this story about a couple that could have lived there and made their life there and had children there.”