The idea to write and record a Holiday rock opera occurred to Peter Orullian the year he graduated High School. Then life happened.

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He went on, writing and touring internationally with other rock and metal bands, as well as publishing fantasy, science-fiction, and even Christmas novels--many of them from Tor Books in New York. His love of Christmas never waned, nor did his desire to write his Christmas record. 

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Then, not many years ago, while attending a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert, Orullian had the opportunity to meet the band in the after-party. It was one of those rare occasions when TSO founder and composer Paul O'Neill was actually at the show. O'Neill had long been one of Orullian's heroes. As O'Neill was passing in the hall, Orullian quickly let Paul know how important his music was to him. 

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Typical of O'Neill, he took Orullian to his private greenroom where they spoke at length for better than half an hour. That meeting changed Orullian's life. Or would. He told O'Neill how he'd always wanted to write a Holiday rock opera, but life had taken so many left turns.  O'Neill told Orullian it would disappoint him if he didn't follow through on his own dreams. He went on to encourage Orullian, telling him that the world needs more Christmas stories and Christmas music. O'Neill gave him a roadie jacket, a hug, and a firm word to get his record written.

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Orullian went back to daily life, unsure how to do as Paul had urged him . Then, in July of 2017, Orullian was laid off from many years of work at Microsoft for Xbox. Unfortunately, O'Neill had passed away earlier that same year. But the thought of O'Neill's kind and insistent reproval to write his own record now haunted Orullian that much more. 

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So, Orullian began. And these few years later, Symphony North and its debut release The Bell Ringer is the result. 

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Orullian finally learned to believe what Paul had told him. It took a number of tragedies to get there, but then, those tragedies have also managed to inform the music, helping them strike that much closer to the heart. Which is where Christmas lives.

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