Transsiberian Orchestra

TSO was created in New York in 1996 by composers Paul O'Neill and Robert Kinkel as well as by Savatage singer Jon Oliva. He began working with Kinkel and Oliva when he wrote for Savatage and produced them. The music industry had not warmly welcomed the concept of the orchestra playing Christmas music in a rock-opera style, but it fairly quickly proved successful with adults as well as young people. Their first album, Christmas Eve And Other Stories, was released in 1996 and currently remains the best-selling one. The Christmas Attic, released in 1998, is a similar concept album, drawing inspiration from Christmas.