If the idea of a 60-piece metal/prog-rock symphony playing Christmas music sounds cheesy, try telling that to the tens of millions of music lovers who have flocked to Trans-Siberian Orchestra's live performances every year since 1996. TSO was created in New York City by composer/conductor/producer Paul O'Neill, composer Robert Kinkel, and singer Jon Oliva. O'Neill favors big, theatrical arrangements and booming production, and his compositions are a crowd-pleasing melange of styles, shifting effortlessly from Billy Joel-esque piano pop to bombastic metal to more trad-sounding orchestral fare. The outfit has recorded several multi-platinum selling Christmas concept albums, and regularly sells out stadiums throughout the United States and Canada.















