Washington Township Schools to Present “Electrify Your Strings” Concert in Conjunction with ASTA Festival on February 25th
For Immediate Release
January 13, 2025
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP – In conjunction with the annual American String Teachers Association (ASTA) Festival, the Washington Township Public Schools’ music department will host the “Electrify Your Strings” concert on Tuesday, February 25, 2025. The show will take place at 7 p.m. in Washington Township High School’s Republic 
Bank Performing Arts Center.
Students from each of the district’s three middle schools – Bunker Hill, Chestnut Ridge, and Orchard Valley – plus those from WTHS will be joined by special guest and electric violinist Mark Wood in the performance. Wood has spent the past four decades electrifying the orchestra industry – literally. Dubbed The Eddie Van Halen of the Violin World by PBS, Wood is the premier electric violinist of his generation who pioneered and innovated the entire genre. For “Electrify Your Strings,” the orchestra students from WTHS, BHMS, CRMS and OVMS will perform rock orchestral music with Wood.
Tickets for the events are $15 for general admission and can be purchased at this link. Proceeds help offset the cost of bringing in the artist, as well as support the district orchestra program.
Mark Wood rose to fame as original string master of the multi-platinum selling, internationally acclaimed Trans Siberian Orchestra. A successful solo artist in his own right, Wood writes and records original music for film and television, has released seven solo albums, and tours with his band The Mark Wood Experience (MWE), which features his partner, vocalist Laura Kaye.
In addition to his continued solo and commission work, Wood has collaborated with and appeared alongside some of the biggest names in music, such as Billy Joel, Celine Dion, and Lenny Kravitz. As a member of his touring band, Wood had the honor of performing with the legendary Billy Joel for both historic final concerts at Shea Stadium, sharing the stage with Paul McCartney, Steven Tyler, and Roger Daltry. He also starred in a national Pepsi TV commercial and has appeared on the world’s most venerable stages including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Madison Square Garden. His commission credits include The Juilliard School and extensive TV broadcast music, including The Winter Olympics and the Tour de France (for which he won an Emmy). He is featured in his own TED talk, and his YouTube channel (markwoodtv) has more than 7 million views.
Middle and high school orchestra students will take part in the ASTA Festival during the day on February 25th. The Festival provides an opportunity for young musicians to perform in chamber groups and as soloists. The ensembles perform for an audience of their peers and also are critiqued by highly qualified clinicians. The festival is organized in an open, master class setting so that performers and the audience can listen to and learn from the clinician’s comments.
- WTPS -
