Event designed for individuals on the autism spectrum and with other sensory sensitivities
Pre-concert activities in the William Davidson Atrium include coloring, instrument exploration, lawn games, and soft sounds & scarves
Admission is free, reserve tickets at dso.org
Detroit, (July 30, 2025) – The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) will present The Learning Express: Astronomy, a sensory-friendly musical experience on August 16 designed for individuals on the autism spectrum and with other sensory sensitivities.
The Learning Express: Astronomy is an interactive performance that introduces the planets, the North Star, and the changing seasons using the power and energy of hip-hop and jazz. Co-creator Ozay Moore will emcee the concert, co-led by Red Campbell on electric bass, and joined by Jon Dixon on keyboard, Allen Dennard on trumpet, and Nate Winn on drums. Please note: the DSO does not perform on this program.
The concert will take place on August 16 at 11 a.m. in Orchestra Hall. Doors open at 10 a.m., and pre-concert activities will take place throughout the William Davidson Atrium and Paradise Lounge. The activities include coloring; instrument exploration with an opportunity to touch, hold, and play different musical instruments; lawn games; and soft sounds & scarves, where guests are invited to move to music with scarves and experiment with gentle percussion instruments.
The DSO's sensory-friendly events offer a safe and judgment-free environment for individuals who are unable to sit still or who may express their emotions through vocalization. To make this musical experience more comfortable and accessible, the experience includes a limited audience size, a sensory toolkit with noise-cancelling headphones and fidgets courtesy of the Mid-Michigan Autism Association (limited number available), dedicated quiet rooms, trained DSO staff members, and resources to help attendees prepare for the event.
Since 2015, the DSO has offered sensory-friendly programming each season, including open rehearsals and concert experiences. Upcoming sensory-friendly events include open rehearsals in November 2025, March 2026, and May 2026, and concerts planned for spring and summer 2026.
Contact Kiersten Alcorn, Manager of Community Engagement, at kalcorn@dso.org with any questions.
Tickets for this performance are free, but must be reserved in advance. Tickets can be reserved at dso.org or by calling the Box Office at 313.576.5111, open Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Saturday, August 16 at 11 a.m.
Orchestra Hall
Explore the wonders of space through music! The Learning Express: Astronomy is a high-energy, interactive performance that introduces the audience to the planets, the North Star, and the changing seasons using the power of hip-hop and jazz. Created by Kris Johnson and Ozay Moore, and originally curated by Damien Crutcher and Progressions Inc., this program was designed to support academic learning in elementary schools across Inkster, Pontiac, and Detroit.
Ozay Moore, emcee
Red Campbell, co-leader and electric bass
Jon Dixon, keyboard
Allen Dennard, trumpet
Nate Winn, drums
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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 robust performance schedule that features classical, pops, jazz, and family concerts, plus community performances. Enrico Lopez-Yañez was named Principal Pops Conductor in 2023, trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard serves as the orchestra’s Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair, and Tabita Berglund began her tenure as Principal Guest Conductor in the 2024–25 season. A dedication to broadcast innovation and technology 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.
The DSO’s distinguished history of recordings—many led by its renowned music directors—spans nearly a century, beginning with the orchestra’s first 78 rpm singles with Ossip Gabrilowitsch released on the Victrola label in 1928. A steady recording output has continued since then, with highlights including more than 20 releases with Paul Paray for Mercury’s Living Presence series, and 27 under the baton of Neeme Järvi, mostly on the Chandos label. In the 1970s, the DSO took part in the historic Black Composers Series for Columbia Records led by its then-Associate Conductor Paul Freeman and later made several acclaimed recordings with Antal Doráti for the Decca label. More recently, under the direction of Leonard Slatkin, the DSO recorded music by Rachmaninoff, Copland, and John Williams for the Naxos label, earning its first GRAMMY® nomination in 2017 for Copland’s Third Symphony / Three Latin American Sketches. The first recording with Jader Bignamini, of Wynton Marsalis’s Blues Symphony, was released in March 2025 on the Pentatone label.
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.