The Rapture Symphony Orchestra

The Rapture Symphony Orchestra
Founded by composer Edgar Wallows, the Rapture Symphony Orchestra was a beautiful group that played for the rich and wealthy. They were very popular, and also earned extreme wealth for their efforts as musicians. After the fall of Rapture, the Orchestra fell into chaos, but still survived, to become a group of deranged Splicers.

Founding the Orchestra
In 1952, there existed an organization inside Rapture known as the Foundation of Musicians and Artists (FMA). FMA had the goal of forming a musical and cultural base for Rapture's citizens to enjoy while they worked and played. They examined all of the music, and helped out the artists who needed assistance in becoming known or formation of groups and bands. One day, a composer by the name of Edgar Wallows, appeared in front of the FMA, and asked for help to find musicians for a symphony orchestra, to provide beautiful and melodious music for the well deserved people of Rapture. Wallows gave a marvelous presentation to the FMA board, and they agreed to help him find his artists. At the time, Sander Cohen was also rising in the artists ranks, so the number of artists in Rapture was increasing. In no time, the FMA had gathered fifty men for the Rapture Symphony Orchestra. By the end of the year, Wallows had already begun preparing his first concert.

The Rise of Music
Wallows first show, which he entitled Omega, formed the foundation of the group's popularity. Andrew Ryan, who sat in the front row, was quoted saying, "I expect these fine men and women to soar to great hights." Indead, the band prepared almost every other day, and had concerts every week. Most of their concerts were held in Apollo Sqaure, but one day in 1954, Wallows decided to bring his orchestra on tour across Rapture. He called this tour, The Rise of Music. The tour made The Rapture Symphony Orchestra, one of the greatest sounds to be heard in the city. Radio stations played their music every day. There was no spotlight that the group could not shine in. Whenever there was a high publicity event, the Orchestra could be seen providing eloquent background music.

Splicing
As plasmids and tonics became a part of everyday life, the band evolved around it as well. When the Orchestra started, each member had his or her own Plasmids, but they were not a part of the band. As time grew by, Wallows became more of a perfectionist. Whenever something troubled him, he prescribed a tonic. His first experience, was when his cellist would not stop sweating on stage, Wallows recommended a tonic to remedy this issue. Eventually, every member had several tonics installed to sooth nerves, help stop shaking, and to be more "aesthetically pleasing" on stage. By the end of The Rise of Music tour, Wallows had prepared an entire end of show fireworks display entirely consisting of Plasmid use. This inevitably caused the bands fall, coinciding with the fall of Rapture.

Members
The Orchestra had over 50 members by 1959, but several stood out from the rest.

Edgar Wallows: The composer and lead founder of The Rapture Symphony Orchestra. He had high expectations for his band members, but these were often kept. On occasion, he was known to have the wild tantrum, but never went completely insane. As his band grew in popularity, his expectations grew as well. At one point during The Rise of Music's finale dress rehearsal, he stopped conducting any time a single note was played wrong and bit off each of his own fingernails. He was a perfectionist and a good public speaker. He always had a high opinion of himself and expected everything in life to be smooth.

Billy Phaustus: One of the lead singers for the Orchestra. He made his position in the band because the FMA thought he had an attractive name. Phaustus was the wise cracking and prankster of the group. Although Wallows did not agree with Phaustus' ways, he appreciated his talent. Phaustus became a skilled hacker and left the band breifly to serve as a hacker for Atlas, but after being caught and almost killed, he returned to the Orchestra.

Mimi Viola: A very young woman who practiced violin a a young age. By 20, she was one of the more popular members of the Orchestra. In 1956, she left to pursue her own career, but her life was ended with an unfortunate run-in with a Little Sister and her Big Daddy.

Jamie Bunson: He was the pianist for the band, but knew almost every instrument inside and out. He was a player that often cheated on his girlfriend and hooked up with girls at concerts. His lust for women ended him up in bars after being discovered with several women and opium in a hotel room. Luckily, Wallows bailed him out with funds from the Orchestra.

Alec Dion: Dion was the singer while Billy Phaustus was away serving Atlas. After Phaustus returned, Dion found he was a skilled musician at several wood wind instruments and became a member permanently. He was one of the first to resort to continuous splicing and became one of the bands first to go insane.

The Band of Splicers
By the end of the Civil War, the band was completely spliced up, and they too succumbed to the fate of the rest of Rapture. Although a few members were killed (through betraying the band) or left the Orchestra, they all still gather every day in their theater in Apollo Square. They have set up numerous traps and bots to keep intruders out, and still attempt to destroy wandering Big Daddies for the ADAM they protect. The Orchestra practices continuously. They occasionally leave their home to play in the Square main lobby, but return when they attract too much attention. Wallows, spliced and disfigured, still leads the band. Every member has become disfigured and deranged, ugly beings that look horrific to be seen playing such beautiful music. Since the many tonics they have inside them, the members are very powerful and quick. They are resistant to most enemies and are very cunning. They would make very good soldiers should Wallows ever decide they should leave the theater and take more territory.