Name: Relaxed Open Rehearsal
Start: 2024-03-15T14:00:00
End: 2024-03-15T16:00:00
Location: Orchestra Hall

Relaxed Open Rehearsal

Reserve Tickets

Relaxed Open Rehearsal

Friday, March 15, 2024—2:00pm

Reserve Tickets

Friday, March 15, 2024—2:00pm

Orchestra Hall

2 hours

Tickets start at {{ vm.min_price_formatted }}

This free, relaxed open rehearsal gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the DSO as the musicians prepare for the Young People's Family Concert.

"Boys like Peter are not afraid of wolves..." Prokofiev's timeless tale of boy vs. wolf comes to life in Really Inventive Stuff's signature performance. A vaudeville-inspired solo performance hailed by the Philadelphia Inquirer as "immensely like-able" and "using simplicity as a form of genius." Guaranteed to engage and inspire imaginations of all ages.

"Relaxed" events are designed for individuals on the autism spectrum and with other sensory sensitivities. Our culture can be unforgiving if you're unable to conform to the standard concert etiquette of quietly sitting still for extended periods. This excludes individuals who are unable to sit still or who may express emotions such as joy or excitement through vocalization. This relaxed open rehearsal aims to remove barriers, allowing everyone to be themselves and enjoy a musical experience in a safe and judgement-free environment.

Your experience includes:
• Exclusive access to a DSO rehearsal;
• Complimentary parking in the DSO structure;
• Limited audience size for reduced crowds;
• A sensory toolkit with noise-cancelling headphones and fidgets for use during the rehearsal (limited number available);
• Quiet Space to take a break;
• Instrument "petting zoo" – this is your chance to get up close to the string instruments you’ll see being played onstage. From 1-1:45pm, you can hold, touch, and play a violin, viola, and cello;
• Trained DSO staff members – the Mid-Michigan Autism Association has provided training to our staff to help them better understand the characteristics of autism and how to better communicate with someone with autism;
• Resources to help you prepare for the event: an information guide, social story, and Spotify playlist.

Program

arr. Robert Wendel

Under the Big Top [6:30]

Leroy Anderson

The Waltzing Cat [3:00]

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

"Flight of the Bumblebee" from The Tale of Tsar Saltan [2:00]

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Suite from Swan Lake, Op. 20a IV. Scène [3:00]

arr. Matthew Naughtin

The Wheels on the Bus, Sing-along Songs for Children: “B-I-N-G-O” and “Old MacDonald” [4:00]

Sergei Prokofiev

Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 [25:00]

Artists

American conductor Na’Zir McFadden is the Assistant Conductor and Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, under the guidance of Music Director Jader Bignamini.

McFadden also serves as Music Director of the Detroit Symphony Youth Orchestra. Together, they’ll present three programs — exploring masterworks by Tchaikovsky, Valerie Coleman, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Margaret Bonds respectively.

Establishing his presence on the classical music scene, the 2023-24 season includes debuts with the North Carolina Symphony, New Mexico Philharmonic, and a return to the Philadelphia Ballet, in addition to maintaining several ongoing engagements with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He’ll also serve as a guest cover conductor for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

In the 2022-23 season, he made his subscription debut with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, alongside bass-baritone Devóne Tines and clarinetist Anthony McGill. In March of 2024, he will conduct the DSO’s Classical Roots program, premiering two new works by composers Billy Childs and Shelly Washington.

Other career highlights have included debuts with the Utah Symphony Orchestra, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, and Philadelphia Ballet. Additionally, McFadden led a recording project with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago — featuring Hilary Hahn as co-collaborator and soloist.

This past summer, McFadden participated in the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Conducting Seminar as part of the Tanglewood Institute, under the guidance of Andris Nelsons and Stefan Asbury.

In 2021, McFadden was named the inaugural Apprentice Conductor of the Philadelphia Ballet; a position he held until 2022. He also served as the Robert L. Poster Conducting Apprentice of the New York Youth Symphony from 2020 to 2021.

At the age of 16, Na’Zir conducted his hometown orchestra – The Philadelphia Orchestra – in their “Pop-Up” series, meeting their Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who has been a mentor ever since. The Philadelphia Inquirer praised his “great stick [baton] technique and energetic presence on the podium” in their concert review.

An advocate for arts education, McFadden strives to provide access to the arts for students in underserved communities. Currently, McFadden is a board member of Generation Music, a Philadelphia-based non-profit that provides classical music education to underrepresented youth in local school districts that can not afford to do so. His efforts have led to collaborations with youth ensembles in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, and Salt Lake City.

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