Local music school Music Compound’s Album Ensemble returns for its sixth album tribute effort, performing the “Greatest Hits” of classic rock behemoths Queen. The Album Ensemble – comprising 15 students ages 13 to adults, together with four Music Compound instructors – will present two performances: on Saturday, September 20, at 6 p.m. and Sunday, September 21 at 2 p.m. at Music Compound (775 Bell Rd., Sarasota).

Previous Album Ensemble shows featured performances of Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon” (October 2023), Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” (March 2024), The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (June 2024), Nirvana’s “MTV Unplugged in New York” (October 2024), and U2’s “The Joshua Tree” (March 2025).  

Queen is best-known for its musical innovation, iconic live performances, and the superhuman vocal powers of late lead singer, Freddie Mercury. The band’s “Greatest Hits” was released in October of 1981. The compilation album features legendary tracks such as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Somebody to Love,” “We Will Rock You,” “We Are the Champions,” “Killer Queen” and many more. Worldwide sales of the album have exceeded 25 million, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time.

Music Compound instructors Taylor Galford and Iain Harris, who co-created the Album Ensemble program, are looking forward to rehearsing and performing these shows. Galford notes that the sophistication of the arrangements, paired with the precision of the vocals/harmonies, makes this album the steepest hill they’ve climbed so far.

“The Album Ensemble effort aligns perfectly with Music Compound’s commitment to fostering collaboration and providing intergenerational opportunities for our students, while exposing them to some of the best music ever created,” said Harris. "This project in particular will be the greatest challenge we have ever faced. Every member of Queen was a master of his craft, so the level of skill required to reproduce the original records will test our students to the limits. They triumphed with our previous ensembles, and we are sure they will triumph in presenting these iconic songs that the whole world knows, exactly as they were played by Queen. This is going to be an unforgettable experience for both the musicians and audiences!"

“We are so excited to bring the music that has graced so many radio stations for decades to the stage at Music Compound,” Galford added. “We’re confident this music will bring a level of jubilance to our venue that we haven’t seen yet!” 

Tickets are $10; visit musiccompound.com/music-compound-album-ensemble. 

About Music Compound
The Music Compound (775 Bell Road, Sarasota) provides an environment to inspire, collaborate and educate children and adults in pursuit of their love of music.  The goal is to transform dreams into reality by providing a contemporary and influential environment for musicians of all ages. For more information, visit musiccompound.com.