DSO will perform "The Wonderful Music of Oz" on PNC Pops Series, June 14-16

- Andrés Franco conducts favorites from The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz, Wicked, and more

Detroit, (May 29, 2019) – The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) travels the yellow brick road and presents The Wonderful Music of Oz on the PNC Pops Series.

Conductor Andrés Franco will lead the DSO in a program of selections from the Oz-verse—including classics from The Wizard of Oz and The Wiz, as well as music from Wicked and treats like Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.”

Franco and the DSO will be joined by vocalists Scott Coulter, Kelli Rabke, and Blaine Krauss, as well as vocalist/pianist John Boswell and the Detroit Concert Choir (Brandon Johnson, director).

The concerts take place Friday, June 14 at 10:45 a.m. and 8 p.m., Saturday, June 15 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, June 16 at 3 p.m. at Orchestra Hall, within Midtown Detroit’s Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center.

In 2017, the DSO’s pops programming took on a fresh title: the PNC Pops Series, thanks to the generous support of PNC Bank. “This is a terrific series that showcases both the DSO and a wide variety of popular music, said Ric DeVore, PNC regional president for Detroit and Southeast Michigan. “That combination is sure to put a smile on the faces of everyone who attends the concerts.”

Thanks to a generous grant from the FCA Foundation, the charitable arm of North American automaker FCA US, the DSO welcomes military veterans, active military, and their families to access discounted tickets for two performances: Friday, June 14 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 16 at 3 p.m. See below for more information about the ticket discount. The FCA Foundation and the DSO thank our veterans and active military members for their service.

Additional support for the PNC Pops Series is provided by Masco Corporation Foundation and Greektown Casino-Hotel.

For more information about guest performers on this concert program, please contact PR Manager Ben Breuninger.

About Andrés Franco

Andrés Franco currently serves as music director of Tulsa Signature Symphony and associate conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He previously worked with DSO Music Director Laureate Leonard Slatkin as assistant conductor of the 14th Van Cliburn Piano Competition in 2013.

A frequent guest conductor in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America, Franco has worked with the St. Louis Symphony, the Chicago Sinfonietta, Spain’s Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León, Peru’s National Symphony Orchestra, and many others. He has appeared at the Cabrillo, Grant Park, OK Mozart, Oregon Bach, and Texas Music festivals.

A native of Colombia, Franco is dedicated to preserving and performing the music of the Americas. As Principal Conductor of Caminos del Inka, he has led many performances of works by Latin American composers, such as Jimmy López, Diego Luzuriaga, and the famous Argentine Ástor Piazzolla.

Franco studied piano at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia, and received masters degrees in piano and conducting from Texas Christian University.

Ticket Information

Tickets for The Wonderful Music of Oz begin at $24 and can be purchased at dso.org, by calling (313) 576-5111, or in-person at the Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center Box Office (3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit).

Veterans, active military, and their families may use the code HEROES1819 to unlock $10 tickets for the 8 p.m. concert on Friday, June 14 or the 3 p.m. concert on Sunday, June 16. The code can be used at dso.org or by calling the Box Office at (313) 576-5111.

Groups of 10 or more can save up to 30% on the price of a single ticket for most DSO concerts. For more information, contact Group Sales Manager Jim Sabatella at (313) 576-5130 or jsabatella@dso.org.

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.