December 9: DSO to offer early childhood musical activities and feature performances by local musicians including Isis Damil at Holiday Fest in partnership with NW Goldberg Cares
December 10: DSO musicians to perform at Beacon Park’s Design Haus
Detroit, (November 21, 2023) – This December, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) continues to show its commitment to the growth and well-being of the City of Detroit with holiday events at Curtis Park and Beacon Park.
On Saturday, December 9 from 12 – 6 p.m., the DSO will partner with NW Goldberg Cares to present their first ever Holiday Fest at Curtis Park (1941 Ferry Park Street, Detroit, MI 48208). The family-friendly event will feature early childhood musical activities led by DSO teaching artists; performances by local musicians including Isis Damil; free food trucks including Detroit Cocoa Bar, Batter Up Waffle Company, Tonic Grille, and Chi Fan Le; early childhood crafts; lighting ceremonies; and the second annual NW Goldberg Holiday Market. This event is free to attend, but registration is required at dso.org. Please note: DSO musicians do not appear on this event.
“We are excited to bring together children and families in a way that combines our programs and sharing traditions for the holidays,” said NW Goldberg Cares Director of Programming Jordan Yagiela.
On Sunday, December 10 at 4 p.m., the DSO will partner with DTE Energy Foundation for Winter Celebrations with the DSO at Winter Design Haus in Beacon Park (1901 Grand River Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226). At the event, DSO musicians Eun Park Lee (violin), Rachel Harding Klaus (violin), Hang Su (viola), and David LeDoux (cello) will perform inside a heated tent, accompanied by holiday festivities throughout the park. The event will feature the option for a special sommelier-selected wine pairing and dinner package at 6 p.m. at Beacon Park’s flagship restaurant, Lumen Detroit. This event is free to attend, but registration is required at dso.org. Advance reservations through Lumen Detroit are required for the dinner and wine seating.
Design Haus transforms Beacon Park into a spectacular winter wonderland, featuring a one-of-a-kind interactive gathering space. The Design Haus launched during the Light Up Beacon Park festivities on Friday, November 17.
Designed to inspire and energize visitors, this space showcases Detroit’s creative community and features forward-thinking technology, curated art displays, and special performances—all connecting to the park’s sustainability mission. Guests are invited to experience Beacon Park’s "Northern Lights" installation which features a 15-foot infinity snow globe, a walkthrough snowflake, and festive decorations including 125,000 dazzling lightbulbs. The enclosed, heated tent will feature live entertainment, art installations, holiday-themed decorations, visual displays, photo backdrops, and a pop-up winter cocktail spritz bar by Lumen Detroit.
HOLIDAYFEST!
Saturday, December 9 from 12 – 6 p.m.
Location: Curtis Park (1941 Ferry Park Street, Detroit, MI 48208)
This event will feature multiple activities including free food trucks, early-childhood crafts and musical activities, musical entertainment, and our second annual NW Goldberg Holiday Market.
Partners include the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Henry Ford Health, Mezuzah, the Motor City Cruise and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
This event is free to attend but registration is required at dso.org. Please note: DSO musicians do not appear on this event.
WINTER CELEBRATIONS WITH THE DSO
Sunday, December 10 at 4 p.m.
Beacon Park (1901 Grand River Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226)
Eun Park Lee, violin
Rachel Harding Klaus, violin
Hang Su, viola
David LeDoux, cello
Make the DSO part of your holiday plans! Join us at Beacon Park for a performance of merry melodies as we celebrate the end of year occasions and holidays that warm our hearts. The performance will take place inside a heated tent with plenty of other seasonal fun to explore throughout the park.
This performance is free to attend but registration is required at dso.org.
About Detroit Strategy
The DSO’s Detroit Strategy began with two initiatives: Detroit Neighborhood Initiative is a community-driven process of dialogue and planning, resulting in cultural partnerships that enrich the community and musical experiences that align with the priorities of Detroit residents; Detroit Harmony is a scalable and sustainable citywide collaboration to improve child development through music education and arts-based learning, and to grow economic opportunity by engaging Detroiters in the provision of instruments and music education. Detroit Harmony aims to put an instrument in the hand of every K-12 student in the city of Detroit who wants to learn to play. Detroit Strategy now includes much of the DSO’s work in early childhood, student education, health and services partnerships, workforce development, and a wide range of musical performances in Detroit.
Through Detroit Strategy, the DSO currently partners with 223 community-serving organizations in Detroit, engaging an average of 37,000 people annually through Detroit-focused programs and partnerships. The work is built on listening sessions with Detroit residents and includes co-designed and co-implemented Detroit Neighborhood Initiative Musical Experiences in Chandler Park, Southwest Detroit, Dexter-Linwood, Northwest Goldberg, Northwest Detroit, and Osborn. The DSO continues to seek out new relationships and to grow in engaging both organizations and residents in the city of Detroit. The foundation of the Detroit Strategy work is made possible through the support of the General Motors Corporation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
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.