Classically Speaking

Since I began riding a motorcycle in 2005, I’ve wondered what music I should listen to as carve my way through the “twisties” of West Virginia. Anyone who has seen my bike could attest that you can’t associate my 1996 BMW R850R with popular tunes like “Born to be Wild” or “Bad to the Bone.” That’s just not me.

Near as I can figure, maybe some Carmina Burana by Carl Orff or Wagner’s “Flying Dutchman” would work. Better that than “Ride of the Valkyries,” for two reasons: I don’t ride a Honda and it reminds me of the smell of napalm in the morning.

So as I was researching what other motorcycle riders listen to, I found that on June 11, the London Metropolitan Orchestra will be performing a concert on the Isle of Man to celebrate the Isle of Man Time Trials Extreme Grand Prix, a revolutionary experiment in motorcycle racing.

The Isle of Man has hosted the premiere annual motorcycle time trial event since 1907, known simply as the TT. Riders - amateur and professionals - push their two-wheeled machines at break-neck speeds around this tiny speck of land in the north Irish Sea.

Called the eGrandPrix, this year's time trials will feature zero-carbon, clean emission motorcycles.

The LMO is a 70 piece orchestra that combines traditional symphonic repertoire with modern scores from television and cinema. The concert, entitled A Promise to a Generation, will also feature a world premier symphony written by film composer Ilan Eshkari specially commissioned for the TTXGP.   The concert, to be performed in the newly renovated Villa Marina Royal Hall, will also feature a variety of pieces from film and television scores and music by Stravinsky, Debussy, Copland, and Michael Kamen.

Learn more about the concert and to what music the Isle of Man will be listening to celebrate this amazing new technology by visiting the concert Web site.