Events include Civic Youth Ensembles Family Experience, Wu Family Academy Showcase, Detroit Community Ensembles performance, and Educational Concert Series presentations
Tickets available now at dso.org
Detroit, (October 29, 2024) – The Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s (DSO) Learning & Engagementteam is pleased to host a variety of educational and community ensemble performances thisNovember at the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center. Events include Civic Youth Ensembles (CYE) Family Experience, the Wu Family Academy Showcase, Detroit CommunityEnsembles performance, and Educational Concert Series (ECS) presentations.
On November 10 at 1 p.m., the Civic Youth Ensembles will take the stage at Orchestra Hall. Thisall-day concert experience will feature ten ensembles, including string orchestras, wind ensembles, jazz bands, and a full orchestra.
Following the ten CYE ensembles, the Detroit Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble (DSYWE) and the Detroit Symphony Youth Orchestra (DSYO) will perform on November 10 at 6:30 p.m. at OrchestraHall. These ensembles are part of the Wu Family Academy, which features the premier classical ensembles of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's CYE program. The DSYWE is directed by Dr. Kenneth Thompson, and the DSYO is directed by DSO Assistant Conductor and Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador Na’Zir McFadden.
To conclude the CYE Experience Concert, for the first time ever, multiple ensembles will unite to play the final piece. The DSYO, DSYWE, and some members of the Civic Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) and Civic Symphonic Band (CSB) will join forces to play John Williams’s Olympic Fanfare and Theme.
On November 13 at 7 p.m., the Detroit Community Ensembles will perform in Orchestra Hall for a program of band and orchestral music conducted by Damien Crutcher (the DSO’s Managing Director of Detroit Harmony) and music educator, composer, and conductor Maritza Garibay. Part of the DSO’s educational training programs, the Detroit Community Ensembles consists of the DetroitCommunity Concert Band (conducted by Crutcher) and the Detroit Community Orchestra (conducted by Garibay). Each ensemble is comprised of a mix of adult musicians of all ages from across the metro Detroit area.
Tickets for these events start at $15 and can be purchased at dso.org or by calling the Box Office at 313.576.5111, open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On Wednesday, November 13 at 10:30 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. and Thursday, November 14 at 10:30 a.m., the DSO will present Educational Concert Series (ECS) programs in Orchestra Hall. The performance on November 14 will be webcast for free at dso.org, on YouTube, and via Facebook Live. ECS has introduced students to classical music for more than 80 years. Each ECS performance is thematically designed for students in grades three through eight to explore topics like science, history, and art through orchestral music. All ECS programs offer accompanying teacher resource tools to classrooms who purchase tickets or register to watch webcasts online. Classroom registration and additional information for the Educational Concert Series performancescan be found at dso.org.
CYE is proudly sponsored by the following funders: Mandell & Madeleine Berman Foundation, Dr. George & Joyce Blum, Penny & Harold Blumenstein Future Audiences Fund, Ms. Debra Bonde, Michael Thain Cameron & Martha Cavanagh Cameron, Robert & Lucinda Clement Fund for Music Education, Jack, Evelyn, and Richard Cole Family Foundation, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Detroit Pistons, Vera & Joseph Dresner Foundation, The Fred A. & Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, Ford Foundation, Stanley & Judith Frankel Family Foundation, Paul Wingert Scholarship, Mary Lee Gwizdala, Laurie Lindemulder Harris, Dr. Karen Hrapkiewicz, David & Sheri Jaffa, The Kellman Scholars, Mary Lambert, Liebler Family Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Deborah Miesel Scholarship Endowment, Craig & Shari Morgan, Ilene Wenner & Shari Morgan Scholarship, David R. & Sylvia J. Nelson Foundation for Arts & Letters, Sheila Paton, PNC Bank, Dr. Glenda D. Price, Mr. & Mrs. David Provost, Renaissance (MI) Chapter of the Links, Chris Sachs/Shanda Lowery-Sachs Civic Youth Ensembles Scholarships , The Bea &, Harry Shapiro Fund for Keyboard Education, Bill & Chris Shell, Susan Shevrin, Steven Smith, Stone Foundation of Michigan, Peter & Carol Walters, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP, Elaine Weingarden, Drs. David & Bernadine Wu, Young Woman's Home Association, and Burton A. Zipser & Sandra D. Zipser Foundation
The Educational Concert Series is made possible in part by the Penny & Harold Blumenstein Future Audiences Fund with additional support from Dr. George & Joyce Blum, Jack Evelyn, and Richard Cole Family Foundation, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Detroit Pistons, Ford Foundation, Ford Motor Company Fund, Laure Lindemulder Harris, Meemic, David & Christine Provost, Peter & Carol Walters, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP, Drs. David & Bernadine Wu, and Burton A. Zipser & Sandra D. Zipser Foundation. Much of the growth of CYE was made possible through the years of visionary leadership from Clyde and Helen Wu. The DSO is proud to honor their legacy through the Wu Family Academy of Learning and Engagement, which encompasses all the educational activities of the DSO.
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Showcasing the Civic Youth Ensembles on Orchestra Hall stage, this all-day concert experience will feature ten ensembles, including string orchestras, wind ensembles, jazz bands, and a full orchestra.
Featured Ensembles:
Pizzicato String Ensemble, directed by Mark Mutter and Maria Pia Bucco
Civic Arco String Ensemble, directed by Danny DeRose
Civic Sinfonia String Orchestra, directed by Tanya Bennett
Civic Concert String Orchestra, directed by Mark Mutter
Civic Jazz Band, directed by Dominic Waddles
Creative Jazz Ensemble, directed by Darell “Red” Campbell
Civic Jazz Orchestra, directed by Vincent Chandler
Civic Concert Band, directed by Kristin Blanchard
Civic Symphonic Band, directed by Damien Crutcher
Civic Philharmonic Orchestra, directed by Dr. Kenneth Thompson
Sunday, November 10 at 6:30 p.m.
Orchestra Hall
Kenneth Thompson, director
Na’Zir McFadden, director
The Wu Family Academy (WFA) Showcase features the premier classical ensembles of the DetroitSymphony Orchestra's Civic Youth Ensembles (CYE) program. Join the Detroit Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble, directed by Dr. Kenneth Thompson, and the Detroit Symphony Youth Orchestra, directed by DSO Assistant Conductor and Phillip and Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador, Na’Zir McFadden, in the historic Orchestra Hall.
Wednesday, November 13 at 7 p.m.
Orchestra Hall
Damien Crutcher, director
Maritza Garibay, director
Please join us for an exciting evening with the Detroit Community Orchestra and Detroit CommunityConcert Band! These ensembles are comprised of adults of all ages from the Metro Detroit area.
Play and Imagine!
Wednesday, November 13 at 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday, November 13 at 11:45 a.m.
Thursday, November 14 at 10:30 a.m.*
Orchestra Hall
Na’Zir McFadden, conductor
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Educational Concert Series (ECS) has introduced students to classical music for more than 80 years. Each 45-minute ECS performance is thematically designed to explore topics like science, history, and art through orchestral music. ECS performances take place in historic Orchestra Hall and are webcast for free via the Live from Orchestra Hall: Classroom Edition series.
* November 14 performance webcast for free at dso.org, on YouTube, and via Facebook Live.
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About Civic Youth Ensembles
Since its founding in 1970, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Civic Youth Ensembles (CYE) has grown to provide musicians of all ages with comprehensive music education experience. CYE’s mission is to cultivate every student's artistic and creative potential through rewarding musical experiences while developing meaningful skills outside the arts.
CYE consists of two full orchestras, four string orchestras, three wind ensembles, and three jazz ensembles, as well as several chamber ensembles and jazz combos. Led by dedicated and masterful music directors, each ensemble offers a unique opportunity for students at all skill levels seeking musical experiences beyond the classroom. CYE provides students the chance to perform at historic Orchestra Hall and learn from Detroit Symphony Orchestra musicians.
Much of the growth of CYE was made possible through the years of visionary leadership from Clyde and Helen Wu. The DSO is proud to honor their legacy through the Wu Family Academy of Learning and Engagement, which encompasses all the educational activities of the DSO.
About Detroit Community Ensembles
Founded in 2016, the Detroit Community Ensembles (DCE) provide a safe and encouraging space for adults to continue playing their instrument. Open to all traditional classical instruments, DCE encourages musicians to oil their valves and rosin their bows to pick up right where they left off, rehearsing with friends and playing concerts in historic Orchestra Hall.
DCE currently consists of two ensembles: the Detroit Community Orchestra and the DetroitCommunity Band. DCE welcomes all players regardless of how long it has been since they’ve last picked up an instrument, but experience of at least two years is recommended.
The Detroit Community Concert Band (DCB) houses a mix of professional and non-professional woodwind, brass, and percussion musicians from across the metro Detroit area. Under the direction of Damien Crutcher, DCB rehearses and performs standard wind ensemble repertoire in Detroit’s own historic Orchestra Hall. DCB has grown to over 110 members since its inception in 2016 and noted previous guest conductors include H. Robert Reynolds.
The Detroit Community Orchestra (DCO) contains a mix of professional and non-professional string musicians from across the metro Detroit area. Under the direction of Maritza Garibay, the DCO rehearses and performs a wide range of string chamber orchestral works on the historic OrchestraHall stage.
About the DSO
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. Led by Music Director Jader Bignamini since 2020, the DSO makes its home at historic Orchestra Hall within the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center, offering a performance schedule that features the PVS Classical, PNC Pops, Paradise Jazz, and Young People’s Family Concert series. In addition, the DSO presents the William Davidson Neighborhood Concert Series in metro area venues, as well as 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 live radio broadcast of a concert and continues today with the groundbreaking Live from Orchestra Hall series of free webcasts.
Since its first school concerts a century ago, and particularly since the founding of the Civic Youth Ensembles in 1970, the DSO has been a national leader in bringing the benefits of music education to students, teachers, and families in Detroit and surrounding communities. The DSO remains committed to expanding its participation in the growth and well-being of Detroit through programs like its Detroit Neighborhood Initiative—cultural events co-created with community partners and residents—and Detroit Harmony, a promise to provide an instrument and instruction to any student in the city who wants to learn. With unwavering support from the people of Detroit, the DSO actively pursues a mission to impact lives through the power of unforgettable musical experiences.