October 29: Miss Paula and the Candy Bandits perform in The Cube, followed by Halloween at Hogwarts in Orchestra Hall on the Young People’s Family Concert Series
October 28: Nosferatu 100 with live film score performed by the Andrew Alden Ensemble in The Cube
Tickets on sale now at dso.org
Detroit, (October 11, 2022) – The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) today announced Halloween weekend family programming at the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center on October 28-29.
On Saturday, October 29 at 10 a.m. in The Cube, the DSO invites families to bring their little ones to Rock O’Ween with Miss Paula and the Candy Bandits, a Tiny Tots concert full of popular children’s songs set to a rock n’ roll beat. Tiny Tots performances are fun-filled, interactive concerts designed for children ages 2-6 and their families. Please note the DSO does not appear on this performance.
Later that morning at 11 a.m. in Orchestra Hall, the Young People’s Family Concert Series continues with Halloween at Hogwarts conducted by Erin Freeman. The program will highlight soundtracks from the beloved Harry Potter films, performed live by the DSO. Young People’s Family Concerts are family-friendly orchestra performances, featuring the DSO, designed for audiences age 6 and up.
Tiny Tots and Young People’s Family Concert performances take place on Saturday mornings at the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Center in Midtown Detroit. During these family events, guests can enjoy kid-friendly pre-concert activities in the William Davidson Atrium including a Halloween costume contest, photo opportunities, treats, and games.
On Friday, October 28 at 8 p.m., the Andrew Alden Ensemble will present a multi-media experience celebrating the 100th anniversary of Nosferatu, F.W. Murnau’s silent film classic that is regarded as one of the scariest Dracula adaptations ever made. Accompanying the film, the ensemble will perform a live score that blends classical chamber music with the distinct edge of rock, featuring a string trio, synthesizers, percussion, guitar, bass, saxophone, and vibraphone.
Tickets for the family performances start at $12 for Rock O’Ween with Miss Paula and the Candy Bandits and $20 for Halloween at Hogwarts and Nosferatu 100. Tickets 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.
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.
The Young People’s Family Concert Series is sponsored by Sun Communities. Programming in The Cube is made possible with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Peter and Julie Cummings.
NOSFERATU 100
Friday, October 28 at 8 p.m.
The Peter D. and Julie F. Cummings Cube
Andrew Alden Ensemble, band
Known as one of the scariest Dracula adaptations ever made, F.W. Murnau’s silent film classic Nosferatu turns 100 years old. Experience the film that has inspired generations of filmmakers with a new score performed live by the Andrew Alden Ensemble. The live score complements the horror of the film with classical chamber music and the distinct edge of rock, featuring a string trio, synthesizers, percussion, guitar, bass, saxophone and vibraphone. This October, celebrate the movie once thought lost to history with a special 100th anniversary experience.
ROCK O’WEEN WITH MISS PAULA AND THE CANDY BANDITS
Saturday, October 29 at 10 a.m.
The Peter D. and Julie F. Cummings Cube
Miss Paula and the Candy Bandits, band
Come listen as Miss Paula and the Candy Bandits play popular children’s songs set to a rock n’ roll beat. Nursery rhymes will never be the same again! Don’t forget to wear your favorite costume.
HALLOWEEN AT HOGWARTS
Saturday, October 29 at 11 a.m.
Orchestra Hall
Erin Freeman, conductor
All aboard the Hogwarts Express! Join conductor Erin Freeman and the DSO for selections from your favorite Harry Potter films and more. Witches, wizards and muggles are invited to participate in the annual costume contest and other pre-concert activities.
About Erin Freeman
Versatile, engaging, and spirited, conductor and artistic leader Erin Freeman serves in multiple positions throughout the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Virginia and maintains a national presence through guest conducting engagements. Freeman is Artistic Director of The City Choir of Washington, Artistic Director of Wintergreen Music, and Resident Conductor of the Richmond Ballet, the State Ballet of Virginia. She recently concluded successful tenures as Director of the award-winning Richmond Symphony Chorus and Director of Choral Activities at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Guest conducting engagements include the Detroit Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Portland (Maine) Symphony Orchestra, South Carolina Philharmonic, Savannah Symphony, Charlottesville Symphony Orchestra, Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and additional ensembles in New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Missouri, North Carolina, and Illinois. She has conducted at Carnegie Hall, Boston Symphony Hall, La Madeleine in Paris, and the Kennedy Center, and she has conducted and/or prepared the Richmond Symphony Chorus for multiple recordings, including the 2019 Grammy Award-nominated release of Mason Bates’s Children of Adam on the Reference Recording label. After a year of creating online experiences for multiple organizations and leading the 2021 in-person Wintergreen Music Festival, in 2021-2022, Freeman returned to the podium in engagements with the Virginia, Portland, Detroit, Williamsburg, and Richmond Symphony Orchestras, choral preparation for the Defiant Requiem Foundation, a performance of Faure’s Requiem in Carnegie Hall with Distinguished Concerts International New York, two productions with the Richmond Ballet, and the Richmond Symphony Chorus’ long-awaited 50th anniversary celebration, featuring Haydn’s The Creation. The 2022-2023 season brings appearances with the Detroit Symphony, the Savannah Philharmonic, the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic Orchestra, two productions with the Richmond Ballet, multiple podium appearances at the Wintergreen Music Festival, and four performances with The City Choir of Washington.
A recent finalist for Performance Today’s Classical Woman of the Year, Freeman has also been named one of Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s “50 Most Influential Women in Virginia” and an “Extraordinary Woman Leader” by the VCU School of Business. Freeman holds degrees from Northwestern University (BMus), Boston University (MM), and Peabody Conservatory (DMA).
About Andrew Alden Ensemble
The Andrew Alden Ensemble is a contemporary chamber group who performs electroacoustic music to films such as Night of the Living Dead, Nosferatu, Vampyr, and Phantom of the Opera. Their work has been shown internationally, in Canada and Paris, and they have performed countless shows around the United States. They frequently appear at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and have served as the Artist-in-Residence at the University of Illinois twice. The Andrew Alden Ensemble is based in Detroit, Michigan.
About Miss Paula and the Candy Bandits
Miss Paula and the Candy Bandits is a family-friendly rock band performing candy-coated punk rock music for kids and adults alike. Led by Detroit-based songwriter and guitarist Paula Messner, also known as “Miss Paula,” they have released two albums and one children’s storybook comprised of Miss Paula’s favorite original children’s songs. Miss Paula and the Candy Bandits bring a great show for the whole family.
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.