DSO Assistant Conductor (Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador) Na’Zir McFadden will conduct DSO musicians, Grammy Award-winning vocalist Marvin Winans, and the Perfected Praise Choir in program featuring music by Jessie Montgomery, William Grant Still, Duke Ellington, and Holland-Dozier-Holland
7 p.m. concert will be preceded by Detroit Harmony music education activities for students of all ages; doors open at 6 p.m.
Event is free and open to the public
Detroit, (October 14, 2022) – The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) will strengthen its commitment to the growth and well-being of the City of Detroit with a musical experience event at Perfecting Church on October 26. Part of the DSO’s Detroit Neighborhood Initiative, the event is free and open to the public.
The concert will feature Grammy Award-winning vocalist Marvin Winans and the Perfected Praise Choir, along with dazzling orchestral performances of music by Jessie Montgomery, William Grant Still, Duke Ellington, and Holland-Dozier-Holland, all performed under the baton of DSO Assistant Conductor and Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador Na’Zir McFadden. Prior to the concert, the DSO will offer Detroit Harmony music education activities for students of all ages.
“This is an exciting moment and opportunity for us at Perfecting Church,” said Minister of Music David Buford. “Having the DSO and Perfected Praise Choir together in one room is sure to be a treat for the whole family.”
The event is part of the DSO’s Detroit Neighborhood Initiative, which 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.
“It's an honor to bring the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Marvin Winans, and the Perfecting Praise Choir together in a celebration of the brilliant Gospel and Classical musical traditions in Detroit,” said DSO Director of Social Innovation Karisa Antonio. “The last several years have been a difficult time filled with the loss of life, time, and connection. With this concert, we hope to represent hope, joy, and resilience, and unite in celebration of all the things that bring meaning to our lives,” she continued. “For the children, the 6 p.m. music activities presented by Detroit Harmony offer a window into the world of music that is theirs to explore if they wish to.”
This concert will take place on Wednesday, October 26 at 7 p.m. at Perfecting Church (7616 Nevada Ave, Detroit, MI 48234). Detroit Harmony music education activities for students of all ages begin at 6 p.m. This concert is sponsored by the General Motors Corporation. This event is free and open to the public; no ticket reservations are required.
Detroit Neighborhood Initiative: Perfecting Church
Wednesday, October 26, 7 p.m.
Location: Perfecting Church (7616 Nevada Ave, Detroit, MI 48234)
Experience an unforgettable night of music presented by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Perfecting Church. Grammy Award-winning vocalist Marvin Winans and the Perfected Praise Choir will be featured on the evening’s program, along with dazzling orchestral performances of music by Jessie Montgomery, William Grant Still, Duke Ellington, and Holland-Dozier-Holland, under the baton of DSO Assistant Conductor Na’Zir McFadden. The 7 p.m. concert will be preceded by Detroit Harmony music education activities for students of all ages; doors open at 6 p.m. Sponsored by the General Motors Corporation.
2022-2023 SEASON DSO SAFETY POLICIES: The DSO no longer requires audiences to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to attend performances. Masks are optional although strongly recommended at DSO performances, particularly when Wayne County and surrounding communities are in the high or "red" category as defined by the CDC. The DSO asks audience members to do their part to create a safe environment for everyone and encourages those who are not feeling well to stay home.
About Detroit Strategy
The DSO’s Detroit Strategy is currently centered around 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.
Thus far, the DSO has met with more than 125 community-serving organizations in Detroit, held 20 listening sessions with Detroit residents, and co-designed and co-implemented 22 Neighborhood Musical Experiences in Chandler Park, Southwest Detroit, Dexter-Linwood, Northwest Goldberg, and Northwest Detroit, engaging with nearly 5,000 community members since March of 2021. The DSO has sought out new relationships and engaged both organizations and residents in designing and implementing respectful, responsive Musical Experiences in Detroit neighborhoods. This work is made possible through the support of the General Motors Corporation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
About Na’Zir McFadden
American conductor Na’Zir McFadden is the newly appointed Assistant Conductor and Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
In this position, he works closely with Music Director Jader Bignamini and guest conductors on both the PVS Classical Series and William Davidson Neighborhood Concert Series. Additionally, he leads pre-concert lectures at Orchestra Hall, and conducts a variety of programs on the Educational Concert Series, Young People’s Family Concert Series, PNC Pops Series, and DTE Community Concerts.
Commencing with the 2022-23 season, Na’Zir will serve as Music Director of the Detroit Symphony Youth Orchestra. Together, they’ll present three programs—exploring the symphonies of Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, and Florence Price, respectively.
An advocate for arts education, McFadden strives to provide access to the arts for students in underserved communities. This season, McFadden will make appearances with youth ensembles in Salt Lake City and with the Philadelphia All-City Music Festival. In the past, he’s worked with youth ensembles in Chicago, New York City, St. Louis, and Los Angeles.
Recent engagements include a recording project with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago as part of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s ‘Notes for Peace’ initiative—which featured Hilary Hahn as guest soloist.
McFadden was the inaugural Apprentice Conductor of the Philadelphia Ballet Orchestra from 2020 to 2022, working with Music Director Beatrice Jona Affron. He also served as the Robert L. Poster Conducting Apprentice of the New York Youth Symphony from 2020 to 2021.
Na’Zir conducted his hometown orchestra—the Philadelphia Orchestra—in their “Pop-Up” series in 2017, 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 review of the concert.
Upcoming engagements include a series of commissions with Orchestra 2001 and appearances with the Utah Symphony, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Ballet.
About Pastor Marvin L. Winans
“Whom we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” (Colossians 1:28).
Pastor Marvin L. Winans is the founder and pastor of Perfecting Church, one of Detroit, Michigan’s foremost congregations and a growing ministry family that extends far beyond its active local campus.
Raised in a household of faith by his parents, David and Delores Winans, Pastor Winans received the Gospel message at an early age and preached his first sermon at the age of 18; the first fruit of a ministry calling he accepted in 1970 during a 150-day revival led by Mother Estella Boyd, whom God used to lay hands on him and give him a vision for a future life in ministry.
Since heeding the call, Pastor Winans’s ministry has grown exponentially, from a humble gathering of eight in his own basement on May 28, 1989 to a membership of more than of 4,500 faithful who congregate weekly in Perfecting’s expansive, 165,000 square foot site facility.
With Colossians 1:28 and the principle “Ministry Means People” as guiding posts, Winans has taken a holistic approach to the pastorate; following Christ’s model of meeting humanity’s needs prior to addressing their spiritual condition through the life-changing power of the Gospel. This approach has led to the creation of various outreach and educational programs, all under the umbrella of the Perfecting Community Development Corporation, including the Marvin L. Winans Academy of Performing Arts, the Perfecting Community Care Center, the Amelia Agnes Transitional Home for Women, and the Jenesta McCraw Youth Activity Center.
Serving as Bishop-Elect of Perfecting Fellowship International, Winans oversees a sisterhood of churches both stateside and abroad that encompasses congregations from various states including New York, Texas, Florida, Alabama, London, and South Africa; all of which meet annually for church growth, leadership training, community outreach and convocations packed with teaching, preaching, and worship.
In addition to his ministry achievements, Winans serves as a gospel entertainer. He is a multiple Grammy, Stellar, and Dove award-winning recording artist, as well as one-fourth of the legendary gospel quartet, The Winans, with whom he recorded hits such as Tomorrow, Ain’t No Need to Worry, and It’s Time, just to name a few. His background in music has been put to good use at Perfecting Church, where his songs are sung weekly and have appeared in various recording projects featuring the church’s praise band and choir, including the church’s 2012’s The Praise & Worship Experience, which Pastor Winans produced.
Of his milestones and legacy in ministry, Pastor Winans says, “I hope that as a church we’ve established a precedent that never changes even centuries after I’m gone; my prayer is that Perfecting would stand on the truth of the Word of God as revealed on Jesus Christ; upon this rock I will build my church.”
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 organization. In January 2020, Italian conductor Jader Bignamini was named the DSO’s next music director to commence with the 2020-2021 season. Celebrated conductor, arranger, and trumpeter Jeff Tyzik is the orchestra’s Principal Pops Conductor, while Oscar-nominated trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard holds the Fred A. 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 PVS Classical, PNC Pops, Paradise Jazz, and Young People’s Family Concert series. One of the world’s most acoustically perfect concert halls, Orchestra Hall celebrated 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 live radio broadcast of a concert and continues today with the groundbreaking Live from Orchestra Hall series of free webcasts, 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.