Press Release: Michael Rainwater's Classical Not Classical Announces World Premiere — Fall 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Rick Kanfer, Management rickkanfer@me.com | (770) 530-8031

Carnegie Hall Pianist Michael Rainwater Announces Groundbreaking New Symphony & Performing Arts Center Show: Michael Rainwater’s Classical Not Classical

A genre-shattering orchestral production where the piano replaces the vocalist — featuring the music of Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, Guns N’ Roses, Simon & Garfunkel, The Bee Gees, Earth, Wind & Fire, Donna Summer, and more — backed by full orchestra and rhythm section.

World Premiere · Fall 2026 · Byers Theatre at City Springs · Sandy Springs, GA

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — Michael Rainwater, the Carnegie Hall soloist and cross-genre pianist who has been captivating audiences since the age of three, today announced Michael Rainwater’s Classical Not Classical (CNC), a first-of-its-kind symphonic concert experience premiering Fall 2026 at Byers Theatre at City Springs in Sandy Springs, Georgia.

Michael Rainwater’s Classical Not Classical is not another pops concert. It is not a tribute act. It is a full-scale, two-act orchestral production in which the piano becomes the pop star — carrying the emotional and theatrical weight once reserved for legends like Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury, and Michael Jackson. There are no vocalists. No film projections. Just a grand piano, a full symphony orchestra, a rhythm section, and an electrifying reimagination of the greatest rock, pop, soul, and disco hits ever recorded.

The result blurs the line between symphony hall and rock arena — a multimedia performance that is as visually cinematic and emotionally visceral as it is musically rigorous.

The Show

Structured in two acts totaling approximately 79 minutes, Michael Rainwater’s Classical Not Classical takes audiences on a carefully architected emotional journey. Every arrangement is crafted with the rigor of symphonic literature — featuring counterpoint between instrumental sections, dramatic key modulations, and orchestral voicing that transforms familiar songs into full-scale symphonic experiences.

The production draws from the catalogs of Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Led Zeppelin, Guns N’ Roses, Bon Jovi, Simon & Garfunkel, Donna Summer, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Bee Gees, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Queen, The Buggles, and more — reimagined entirely for piano, orchestra, and rhythm section. No vocal performances. No backing tracks. Every melody is carried by the piano, with the orchestra serving as its dramatic equal.

Act I: The Spark celebrates the birth of showmanship — the evolution of energy, virtuosity, and collective euphoria. The act opens with explosive, adrenaline-fueled piano virtuosity and builds through rock ‘n’ roll origins, arena-rock catharsis, communal anthems, and an immersive disco transformation before reaching its emotional apex with a sweeping orchestral climax.

Act II: The Rebellion embodies rebirth and defiance — the rediscovery of classical fire through modern joy. It delivers meta-commentary on technology and art, virtuosic fury, funk-driven orchestral groove, liberating velocity, and culminates in a transcendent symphonic finale that redefines what an orchestra can make you feel.

Audiences won’t leave humming one song. They’ll leave with a new memory of what orchestras can be.

About Michael Rainwater

Michael Rainwater has been playing piano since the age of three. A Carnegie Hall soloist and first-place winner of the Crescendo International Music Competition, he has performed at some of America’s most prestigious venues including the Cobb Energy Centre, Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center, and Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall. He has been featured on NBC affiliate WXIA’s Atlanta & Company, in major print publications, and in televised concert specials.

A five-time featured soloist in the Tower of Talent — Atlanta’s premier charity concert benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta — Rainwater has helped raise over $2 million for the Children’s Music Therapy program.

As both arranger and performer, Rainwater fuses centuries-old classical elegance with a bold, contemporary edge. His debut orchestral arrangement earned over 100,000 organic views online, with sheet music sales funding his first studio. Every orchestral arrangement in Michael Rainwater’s Classical Not Classical is written entirely by Michael Rainwater — each piece composed from the ground up to support the piano as the lead voice, with the full orchestra serving as its dramatic counterpart.

Michael Rainwater’s Classical Not Classical represents the culmination of Rainwater’s artistic vision: to restore the orchestra as a gathering ground for awe, joy, and connection — proving that classical tradition extends far beyond traditional repertoire.

About Joe Escriba

Serving as orchestral transcriptionist and Musical Director for Michael Rainwater’s Classical Not Classical is “Smokin’” Joe Escriba, the Las Vegas-based composer, arranger, orchestrator, and saxophonist whose work spans the highest levels of the entertainment industry. Escriba has transcribed all orchestral charts for CNC — translating Rainwater’s original arrangements into full performance-ready scores and parts for the ensemble.

Escriba’s credits include Musical Director for The Terry Bradshaw Show — the NFL legend’s long-running national stage production, which debuted on the Las Vegas Strip in 2013 and has since toured the country. His arrangements and orchestrations have been heard in showrooms and theaters around the world, and his compositions have been broadcast on NBC, Comedy Central, The WB, and the TBS Emmy-nominated special Earth to America.

As a performer and musical director, Escriba has worked alongside some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Celine Dion, David Foster, Diana Ross, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, Don Henley, Brian McKnight, Sheena Easton, The O’Jays, and Tower of Power. His symphonic writing credits include orchestral scores currently touring the Pops Orchestra circuit worldwide, among them Symphonic Springsteen, a full orchestral celebration of the music of Bruce Springsteen.

With over 4,000 arrangements to his name and more than 25 years of experience at the intersection of popular music and orchestral performance, Escriba brings world-class production credibility to every note of Michael Rainwater’s Classical Not Classical.

Why This Matters

Michael Rainwater’s Classical Not Classical is engineered for emotional universality. Older patrons recognize timeless melodies from Queen, Simon & Garfunkel, and Stevie Wonder. Younger audiences connect through artists trending on TikTok and Spotify. Families experience a rare bridge event — parents and children enjoying the same repertoire for entirely different reasons.

This is not background music. This is not nostalgia. This is a narrative symphony built from the DNA of popular music — and it’s coming to Atlanta.

Performance Details

What: Michael Rainwater’s Classical Not Classical — World Premiere
When: Fall 2026 (specific date to be announced)
Where: Byers Theatre at City Springs, Sandy Springs, GA (1,096 seats)
Starring: Michael Rainwater, piano
Musical Director: Joe Escriba
Runtime: Approximately 79 minutes (two acts with intermission)
Tickets: Presale information coming soon at classicalnotclassical.com

Featured Artists

The music of: Jerry Lee Lewis · Elvis Presley · Led Zeppelin · Guns N’ Roses · Bon Jovi · Simon & Garfunkel · Donna Summer · Earth, Wind & Fire · The Bee Gees · Billy Joel · Stevie Wonder · Queen · The Buggles · and more

For press inquiries, interview requests, or partnership opportunities, contact Rick Kanfer at rickkanfer@me.com or (770) 530-8031.

michaelrainwatermusic.com · classicalnotclassical.com @itsmichaelrainwater · @classicalnotclassical