- Young People’s Family Concerts Series sponsored by Sun Communities
Detroit, (January 31, 2020) – The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) welcomes kids of all ages and their families for two events next month: a Tiny Tots performance titled Jazz, Wiggle, and Giggle featuring drummer Sean Dobbins and his band, and a Young People’s Family Concert titled Musical Heroes.
Musical Heroes features the full DSO and is conducted by Yaniv Dinur. The program tells the stories of all kinds of heroes – Superman, Harry Potter, Princess Leia, and musical luminaries like Beethoven and Mozart – and features DSO violinist Hai-Xin Wu (Acting Associate Concertmaster, Schwartz Shapero Family Chair).
Tiny Tots performances are fun-filled, interactive concerts designed for children ages 2-6 and their families. Young People’s Family Concerts are family-friendly orchestra performances designed for audiences age 6 and up.
Both performances take place Saturday, February 15:
- Jazz, Wiggle, and Giggle takes place at 10 a.m. in the Peter D. and Julie F. Cummings Cube.
- Musical Heroes takes place at 11 a.m. in Orchestra Hall
Both venues are located within the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center (3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit).
A variety of kid-friendly activities will be on hand in the atrium for audiences to both concerts, including an airbrush artist, instrument tryout stations, arts and crafts, and more.
Please note: the DSO does not appear on the Tiny Tots performance.
The Young People’s Family Concerts Series is generously sponsored by Sun Communities.
About Yaniv Dinur
Yaniv Dinur is resident conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and music director of the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra (MA). He is the winner of the 2019 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award.
Dinur made his conducting debut at the age of 19 with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, a performance that resulted in multiple return engagements. Following his European debut, he was invited to perform with the Israel Camerata, making him the youngest conductor ever to conduct an orchestra in Israel. Guest conducting highlights in the United States include the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony Orchestra, and New World Symphony.
Dinur is the winner of numerous awards, among them the 2017 and 2016 Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Awards, 2nd Prize at the 2009 Mata International Conducting Competition in Mexico, and the Yuri Ahronovitch 1st Prize in the 2005 Aviv Conducting Competition in Israel. He was chosen by the League of American Orchestras to be a featured conductor in the 2011 Bruno Walter Conducting Preview, and he is a recipient of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation and the Zubin Mehta Scholarship Endowment.
Dinur was born and raised in Jerusalem. He studied piano with Olga Shachar, Alexander Tamir, Tatiana Alexanderov, and Mark Dukelsky; and conducting with Evgeny Zirlin and Mendi Rodan. He earned his Doctorate in Orchestra Conducting from the University of Michigan, where he studied with Kenneth Kiesler.
About Hai-Xin Wu
Violinist Hai Xin Wu joined the Detroit Symphony Orchestra violin section in July 1995 and was appointed Assistant Concertmaster of the DSO in June 2004. He currently serves as Acting Associate Concertmaster.
At the age of 12, Wu was selected as the violin soloist of the Chinese Young Artists’ group to tour the former Yugoslavia. In May 1995, he made his Carnegie Hall debut in New York City, performing the Paganini Violin Concerto with the New York Concert Senior Orchestra. Wu was also featured as soloist with the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra for its 25th Anniversary Gala Concert in Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center; with the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra on its recording and Midwest tour; and with the Bergen Philharmonic (NJ), among others.
Wu has won competitions including the Waldo Mayo Violin Competition, the Friends of Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra Competition, and the Manhattan School of Music Concerto Competition. He also won a special prize in the 2002 Lipizer International Competition. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music as a scholarship student of Ariana Bronne.
In addition to performing with the DSO, Wu often plays with various chamber groups, including the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings and the Cuttime Players. From 1998-2001, he was a member of the Sonnet String Quartet as quartet-in-residence at Oakland University. He is currently an adjunct faculty member in the Wayne State University Music Department and a violin and chamber music coach with the Detroit Civic Orchestra.
Ticket Information
Tickets for both performances 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).
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. Italian conductor Jader Bignamini was named the DSO’s new music director in January 2020 and will conduct his first full season in the role in 2021-22. 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 celebrates 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.