Symphony Nova Scotia will join forces with the progressive pop trio, MIR, for a special holiday concert to be performed at St. John's Anglican Church, Lunenburg, November 28 at 7:30 p.m.

 MIR, made up of members Asif Illyas, Shehab Illyas and Adam Dowling, are an ever-evolving blend of drums, guitar, piano and bass, fusing innovative ideas with the core fundamentals of great pop music.

 They have appeared on compilation albums with such artists as Sting and Joni Mitchell, as well as at the German MTV festival with Macy Gray and Lenny Kravitz.

 Their latest album, "OK2GO," released in September 2008, was critically acclaimed, garnering nominations for VH1's song of the year as well as the Australian songwriting awards.

 Asif Illyas, who has often arranged for Symphony Nova Scotia in the past for concerts with such artists as Gordie Sampson, Rose Cousins and Buck 65, says he has been wanting to do a collaboration with the symphony for a number of years. "It's the most unique show we've ever done," he says. "We've got some great instrumentation and out of the 17 songs we'll be performing, 16 will be fully orchestrated."

 A second concert, being performed at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium in Halifax on November 27, will be broadcast nationwide on CBC radio on Christmas Day.

posted on 11/24/09