N.J. Music Professor Brings Classical Flair to Foreigner’s 50th Anniversary Tour
New Jersey college professor and world-famous rock band will meld classical music with chart-topping oldies in a rare concert. Foreigner’s 50th anniversary orchestral tour will feature adjunct professor and outstanding cellist Dave Eggar from New Jersey City University next March.
Seven-time Grammy nominee Eggar blends orchestral pop, jazz, rock, and reggae. He will orchestrate Foreigner favorites including “Feels Like the First Time,” “Hot Blooded,” and “Double Vision” for their anniversary gigs. The professor and conductor Chuck Palmer will arrange Foreigner’s new catalog for the three-week, two-state tour, which begins in Las Vegas on March 6 and ends in California on March 22.
Eggar returns and improves. He worked with Foreigner on their live CD, “Foreigner with the 21st Century Orchestra and Chorus,” nearly a decade ago, giving fans new perspectives on their biggest tunes. He combines his love of classical music with Foreigner’s rock legacy on this tour. Eggar termed it “adventurous and imaginative,” blending orchestral and rock music to startle listeners.
Eggar, 46, has played notable venues. He collaborated with Beyoncé, Coldplay, Pearl Jam, Josh Groban, The Who, Bon Jovi, and Evanescence across genres and countries. His uncommon combination of academic prowess and theatrical charm from Harvard and Juilliard has shaped his career.
A prominent teacher and performer at New Jersey City University since 2020. Eggar’s Multi-Style Strings teaches undergraduates and graduates musical versatility. Despite touring, Eggar will teach. During the epidemic, hybrid learning let him help kids and perform globally.
Foreigner’s 1976 anniversary tour mattered. Only Mick Jones remains from the band, which has changed. Jones, who wrote numerous songs with Lou Gramm, defines the band. Gramm’s December reunion gigs will strengthen Foreigner’s milestone spirit.
Eggar played piano and cello aged three and has always seen music as storytelling, which led him to Foreigner’s songs. He calls “Juke Box Hero” a rock storytelling masterpiece about ambition, resilience, and music’s transformational power. Eggar can’t pick between global hits “Waiting for a Girl Like You” and “Urgent.”
Professor’s planned concerts demonstrate how classical music can benefit popular culture. Foreigner’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction has revived their reputation, and Eggar’s orchestral touch will enhance their greatest hits. His story shows how musicians may transition from symphonies to rock venues without losing their identity.
Eggar will educate and entertain next spring after working in academia, performance, and innovation. Foreign and classical music fans will enjoy a 50th anniversary and live music preview.
Sources
NJ Advance Media
New Jersey City University
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
