Man-eating goats? Can't wait!

You just never know what Tom Allen is going to say next.

His CBC Radio 2 program Shift bridges the gap between classical and contemporary, and his commentary is so quick and quirky that you get swept into the stories behind the music.

That's exactly what I hope will happen to our audience members on Saturday, March 12 when Tom Allen hosts his Classical Good Time Variety Show with the Kingston Symphony.

When it comes to the world of a symphony orchestra, we sometimes fall into the category of "predictable" and "uptight." That's not a bad thing, because being classic is what we do best – and we need to be tight to present masterpieces as their finest. But Tom's ability to connect with the audience will, I hope, give everyone (orchestra members included) a more rewarding – and very entertaining – understanding of the music in a really fun and relaxed way.

As Tom says himself: "There are great stories behind the music – sex, riots, prison, syphilis and man-eating goats." You'll have to attend the concert to hear these stories in their entirety…

Tom, currently host of CBC Radio 2’s Shift program, will bring his knowledge of classical music to this light-hearted evening that mixes up story-telling, history, humour, music appreciation and audience participation.

He'll talk about music's connection to society, the sordid lives of composers, why some instruments are funnier than others, and how great music is always relevant.

The evening will feature Cage Match, In the Shadow, This Day in History, and other aspects that have been part of his radio career at CBC over the last 20 years. Tom will put two pieces against each other in a competitive comparison and ask the audience to vote for their favourite. Then he'll prove to you what it takes to create a masterpiece. And he'll give you some random trivia facts along the way that, if nothing else, will be a great conversation starter the next time you're in an awkward social situation.

Get ready for an unpredictable evening of fun and music – nothing uptight to see here!

I really hope that Classical Good Times will open doors for people wanting to know more about classical music. But I also think that those who know and love attending symphony concerts will also enjoy the program – and maybe learn something, too. The concert will include Prokofiev, Haydn, Debussy, Holst, and many other composers in an unmatchable line-up of music.

Click here for all the details on this concert.