- LEONARD SLATKIN CONDUCTS DSO IN SIX PROGRAMS OF AMERICAN MUSIC OVER THREE WEEKS IN ORCHESTRA HALL
- FILM SCREENINGS, JAZZ, HIP-HOP, TECHNO, AND MORE IN THE CUBE COMPLEMENT ORCHESTRA’S OFFERINGS
- Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and DSO musicians will be featured soloists on Orchestra Hall programs, which feature music by Leonard Bernstein, George Gershwin, John Williams, Samuel Barber, Joan Tower, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, John Luther Adams, and more
- More than a dozen events in The Cube investigate broad scope of American music and expression, from jazz and blues to hip-hop and techno
- American Panorama is sponsored by Varnum LLP
Detroit, (January 9, 2019) – The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) reprises its annual Winter Music Festival tradition for a sixth installment, this year celebrating the symphonic repertoire and wide-ranging musical spirit of the United States. American Panorama, a three-week festival from February 5–26, includes more than two dozen concerts and events in Orchestra Hall and The Cube at the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center.
American Panorama is anchored by six DSO programs in Orchestra Hall led by Music Director Laureate Leonard Slatkin, many of which feature DSO musicians as soloists. The programs include:
- A “sea to shining sea” festival-opener with Joan Tower’s Sequoia, Ferde Grofé’s Grand Canyon Suite, and Virgil Thomson’s Suite from The Plow that Broke the Plains, plus Leonard Bernstein’s Three Meditations from Mass featuring DSO Principal Cello Wei Yu (James C. Gordon Chair). February 8 at 10:45 a.m. and 8 p.m.
- An all-John Williams program with the composer’s Liberty Fanfare and Oboe Concerto featuring DSO Principal Oboe Alexander Kinmonth (Jack A. and Aviva Robinson Chair), plus film music selections from Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jaws, Memoirs of a Geisha, and others. February 9 at 8 p.m. and February 10 at 3 p.m.
- Copland’s Appalachian Spring Suite and Bernstein’s Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety”(featuring pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet) as well as Barber’s Adagio for Strings and Cindy McTee’s Adagio for String Orchestra. February 14 at 7:30 p.m. and February 15 at 10:45 a.m.
- An all-Gershwin program featuring the composer’s Piano Concerto in F (with Thibaudet) and a concert presentation of music from Porgy and Bess featuring soprano Laquita Mitchell, bass-baritone Derrick Parker, and the Wayne State Centennial Choir. February 16 at 8 p.m. and February 17 at 3 p.m.
- In a program The New York Times called “a tribute to this orchestra’s playful creativity” and named a highlight of the current season, Detroit Symphony Orchestra Associate Concertmaster Kimberly Kaloyanides Kennedy (Alan and Marianne Schwartz and Jean Shapero/Shapero Foundation Chair) is featured soloist in Samuel Barber’s lyrical Violin Concerto from 1941, on a program that also includes Leonard Bernstein’s Prelude, Fugue and Riffs with DSO Principal Clarinetist Ralph Skiano and Symphonic Dances from West Side Story paired with John Cage’s famous meditation on silence 4’33” and the world premiere of Kristin Kuster’s Dune Acres. February 21 at 7:30 p.m. and February 22 at 8 p.m.
- A thrilling closer titled Maximum Minimal with John Luther Adams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning Become Ocean, plus works by Steve Reich and Philip Glass that will highlight the DSO percussion section: Joseph Becker (Principal Percussion, Ruth Roby and Alfred R. Glancy III Chair), Andrés Pichardo-Rosenthal (Assistant Principal Percussion, William Cody Knicely Chair), Jeremy Epp(Principal Timpani, Richard and Mona Alonzo Chair), and James Ritchie (Assistant Principal Timpani and percussion). February 23 at 8 p.m. and February 24 at 3 p.m.
Outside of Orchestra Hall, the Peter D. and Julie F. Cummings Cube (The Cube) will offer 13 festival events and performances exploring a diverse American cultural landscape. Highlights include a concert by genre-bending guitarist Kaki King featuring a DSO string ensemble; chamber music from Miguel Zenón & Spektral Quartet; a romantic Valentine’s Day performance by jazz vocalist Brianna Thomas; a set by Detroit electronic musician Shigeto; hip-hop and soul performances by Mumu Fresh, Hardcore Detroit, Mahogany Jones, and others; a tribute to the late Pulitzer Prize-winning African-American composer George Walker featuring Walker’s son Gregory Walker and DSO musicians; and more, like film screenings, yoga, dance, and a wine tasting experience.
And a popular Winter Music Festival tradition returns: an intimate chamber recital at the Steinway Gallery of Detroit featuring DSO musicians performing music by John Corigliano, Gershwin, and Barber on Tuesday, February 12.
Dr. Mark Clague serves as American Panorama’s official scholar-in-residence, and will present pre-concert lectures about the programs one hour prior to each evening and afternoon performance in Orchestra Hall. Clague is an Associate Professor of Musicology, American Culture, and Arts Entrepreneurship & Leadership at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, where he also serves as Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs.
See below for a complete chronological listing of American Panorama events, including information about soloists and repertoire. Visit dso.org/festival for more information.
Six American Panorama concerts (the second performance of each Orchestra Hall program) will be webcast for free at dso.org/live and via Facebook Live, as part of the DSO’s groundbreaking Live from Orchestra Hall series. The series is presented by Ford Motor Company Fund and made possible by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
American Panorama is sponsored by Varnum LLP. “We are proud to be part of a community where music arts and education are valued, and we are privileged to be both patrons and supporters of Detroit Symphony Orchestra,” said Varnum attorney and DSO Trustee Eric Nemeth. “On behalf of my firm, I invite everyone to enjoy the music of American Panorama.”
All Classical Series concerts are sponsored by PVS Chemicals, Inc. American Panorama is also made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Performances in The Cube are made possible by Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Quicken Loans, and Boston Consulting Group.
To request materials (including biographies and photos) about Music Director Laureate Leonard Slatkin and/or any American Panorama performer, please contact PR Manager Ben Breuninger.
AMERICAN PANORAMA CALENDAR
All Orchestra Hall programs conducted by Leonard Slatkin.
Orchestra Hall and The Cube are located in the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center in Midtown Detroit (3711 Woodward Avenue)
Performances with an asterisk (*) will be webcast for free at dso.org/live and via Facebook Live.
Note that locations and ticket prices vary. Please visit dso.org/festival or call the DSO Box Office at (313) 576-5111 for more information.
WEEK ONE
Tuesday, February 5 at 7 p.m.
Kaki King + Strings
at The Cube
Composer and guitarist Kaki King—described by Rolling Stone as “a genre unto herself”—returns to The Cube with a special program featuring a DSO string ensemble.
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Wednesday, February 6 at 7 p.m.
Miguel Zenón & Spektral Quartet
at The Cube
MacArthur and Guggenheim fellow Miguel Zenón teams up with Spektral Quartet to perform “Yo Soy la Tradición,” an immersive concert-length work inspired by the culture of Puerto Rico.
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Thursday, February 7 at 7 p.m.
Film Screening: The Beast with Five Fingers (1946)
at The Cube
Robert Florey’s classic horror film—which follows the severed walking hand of a deceased concert pianist—features a left-hand transcription of the Bach chaconne originally performed by Music Director Leonard Slatkin’s uncle Victor. Slatkin will appear to discuss the film.
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Friday, February 8 at 10:45 a.m. and 8 p.m.* (two performances)
American Panorama: Festival Opener
at Orchestra Hall
GOULD
Star-Spangled Overture
JOAN TOWER
Sequoia
BERNSTEIN
Three Meditations from Mass
Wei Yu, cello
THOMSON
Suite from The Plow that Broke the Plains
GROFÉ
Grand Canyon Suite
Wei Yu is DSO Principal Cello (James C. Gordon Chair)
_________________________________
Friday, February 8 at 10 p.m.
Shigeto
at The Cube
American electronic musician, producer, and drummer Shigeto returns to the Cube for a genre-blending set.
_________________________________
Saturday, February 9 at 8 p.m.
Sunday, February 10 at 3 p.m.*
A John Williams Celebration
at Orchestra Hall
Program will include:
JOHN WILLIAMS
Liberty Fanfare
JOHN WILLIAMS
Concerto for Oboe
Alexander Kinmonth, oboe
JOHN WILLIAMS
Film Music (from The Cowboys, Jaws, The Book Thief, 1941, Memoirs of a Geisha, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and Raiders of the Lost Ark)
Alexander Kinmonth is DSO Principal Oboe (Jack A. and Aviva Robinson Chair)
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Sunday, February 10 at 10:30 a.m.
Om @ The Max
at The Cube
Yogis of all skill levels can practice yoga to live music performed by DSO musicians.
WEEK TWO
Tuesday, February 12 at 7 p.m.
Chamber Recital: Corigliano, Gershwin, and Barber
at Steinway Piano Gallery (2700 E West Maple Rd, Commerce Charter Twp)
DSO musicians perform an intimate, unique recital of works by John Corigliano, Gershwin, and Barber.
_________________________________
Wednesday, February 13 at 7 p.m.
Rev. Robert Jones + Film Screening: Two Trains Runnin’ (2016)
Detroit bluesman and Kresge Arts Fellow Reverend Robert Jones will perform a live solo set prior to a screening of Sam Pollard’s 2016 documentary Two Trains Runnin’, narrated by Common and featuring the music of Gary Clark, Jr.
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Thursday, February 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 15 at 8 p.m.*
Appalachian Spring
at Orchestra Hall
CINDY MCTEE
Adagio for String Orchestra
BERNSTEIN
Symphony No. 2, The Age of Anxiety
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano
BARBER
Adagio for Strings
COPLAND
Suite from Appalachian Spring
_________________________________
Thursday, February 14 at 7 p.m.
Valentine’s Day: Brianna Thomas
at The Cube
A romantic, one-night only performance by NYC-based jazz vocalist Brianna Thomas.
_________________________________
Friday, February 15 at 10 p.m.
The 48203 Dance Show
at The Cube
A night of movement, live music, and fashion inspired by the legacy of The New Dance Show, an 80s and 90s television show filmed in Highland Park and Detroit.
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Saturday, February 16 at 8 p.m.
Sunday, February 17 at 3 p.m.*
Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess
at Orchestra Hall
GERSHWIN (arr. Rob Mathes)
Gershwiniana
GERSHWIN
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in F major
ean-Yves Thibaudet, piano
GERSHWIN
Porgy and Bess, A Concert of Songs (arr. Robert Russell Bennett)
Laquita Mitchell, soprano
Derrick Parker, bass-baritone
Wayne State Centennial Choir
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Saturday, February 16 at 8 p.m.
Hip-Hop 101 feat. Hardcore Detroit, Mahogany Jones, and Detroit Pistons Bucket Band
at The Cube
Dance collective Hardcore Detroit presents a unique showcase of break dancing, its counterparts, and early influences, with special guests Mahogany Jones (local hip-hop activist and Kresge Arts Fellow) and the Detroit Pistons Bucket Band (one of the DSO’s Civic Youth Ensembles, comprising students at Spain Elementary-Middle School).
WEEK THREE
Wednesday, February 20 at 7 p.m.
Uncorked: Improvising in Jazz and Wine
at The Cube
Sommelier and music expert Ron Merlino will lead an unparalleled wine tasting experience with Grammy-winning bassist John Clayton and special guests.
_________________________________
Thursday, February 21 at 7 p.m.
Sophisticated Giant (with Maxine Gordon and Civic Jazz Orchestra)
at The Cube
Scholar and jazz archivist Maxine Gordon returns to The Cube to talk about her new biography, Sophisticated Giant, about her late husband—the great tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon. The Civic Jazz Orchestra, one of the DSO Civic Youth Ensembles, will perform a big band tribute to Dexter.
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Thursday, February 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 22 at 10:45 a.m.*
West Side Story
at Orchestra Hall
KRISTIN KUSTER
Dune Acres (world premiere)
CAGE
4’33”
BARBER
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 14
Kimberly Kaloyanides Kennedy, violin
BERNSTEIN (arr. Lukas Foss)
Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs
Ralph Skiano, clarinet
BERNSTEIN
Symphonic Dances and selections from West Side Story
Kimberly Kaloyanides Kennedy is DSO Associate Concertmaster (Alan and Marianne Schwartz and Jean Shapero/Shapero Foundation Chair)
Ralph Skiano is DSO Principal Clarinet (Robert B. Semple Chair)
Additional soloists to be announced
_________________________________
Friday, February 22 at 8 p.m.
Mumu Fresh + DJ Beauty and the Beatz
at The Cube
Maimouna Youssef (aka Mumu Fresh)—a Grammy-nominated Afro-Native singer, MC, and musical ambassador for the United States—makes her Cube debut, with an opening set by 17-year-old turntablist phenom DJ Beauty and the Beatz.
_________________________________
Saturday, February 23 at 8 p.m.
Sunday, February 24 at 3 p.m.*
Maximum Minimal
at Orchestra Hall
STEVE REICH
Clapping Music
Joseph Becker, percussion
Andrés Pichardo-Rosenthal, percussion
PHILIP GLASS
Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra
Jeremy Epp, timpani
James Ritchie, timpani
JOHN LUTHER ADAMS
Become Ocean
Joseph Becker is DSO Principal Percussion (Ruth Roby and Alfred R. Glancy III Chair)
Andrés Pichardo-Rosenthal is DSO Assistant Principal Percussion (William Cody Knicely Chair)
Jeremy Epp is DSO Principal Timpani (Richard and Mona Alonzo Chair)
James Ritchie is DSO Assistant Principal Timpani and a member of the percussion section
_________________________________
Tuesday, February 26 at 7 p.m.
George Walker Tribute feat. Gregory Walker
at The Cube
Pianist and composer George Walker was the first African-American to win the Pultizer Prize for Music. The late composer’s son Gregory will play his father’s work alongside DSO musicians and pianist Redi Llupa.
About the DSO
The most accessible orchestra on the planet, the acclaimed Detroit Symphony Orchestra is known for trailblazing performances, collaborations with the world’s foremost musical artists, and a deep connection to its city. As a community-supported orchestra, generous giving by individuals and institutions at all levels drives the continued success and growth of the institution. Conductor Leonard Slatkin, who recently concluded an acclaimed decade-long tenure at the helm, now serves as the DSO’s Music Director Laureate, endowed by the Kresge Foundation. Celebrated conductor, arranger, and trumpeter Jeff Tyzik is the orchestra’s Principal Pops Conductor, while the outstanding trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard holds the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair. Making its home at historic Orchestra Hall within the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center, the DSO offers a performance schedule that features Classical, PNC Pops, Paradise Jazz, and Young People’s Family Concert series. One of America’s most acoustically perfect concert halls, Orchestra Hall will celebrate its centennial in 2019-2020. In addition, the DSO presents the William Davidson Neighborhood Concert Series in seven metro area venues, as well as a robust schedule of eclectic multi-genre performances in its mid-size venue The Cube, constructed and curated with support from Peter D. & Julie F. Cummings. A dedication to broadcast innovation began in 1922, when the DSO became the first orchestra in the world to present a radio broadcast and continues today with the free Live from Orchestra Hall webcast series, which also reaches tens of thousands of children with the Classroom Edition expansion. With growing attendance and unwavering philanthropic support from the people of Detroit, the DSO actively pursues a mission to embrace and inspire individuals, families, and communities through unsurpassed musical experiences.