- Guest conductors and artists include Andrew Grams, John Storgårds, Regina Carter, Xavier Davis, James Ehnes, Jeff Tyzik, Shayna Steele, and more
Detroit, (February 2, 2020) – This February, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) continues its series of DSO Digital Concerts with Classical, PNC Pops, and Paradise Jazz Series performances streamed live from the Orchestra Hall stage, plus Jazz from Detroit: Virtual Music Marathon on the CUBE | Digital series.
This week, Andrew Grams will conduct a program of Schubert’s Symphony No. 1 in D major on Thursday, February 4 and an updated program of Mozart’s “Prague” Symphony on Friday, February 5. Grams steps in for Hannu Lintu, who is unable to appear with the DSO due to family circumstances.
On Thursday, February 11, John Storgårds will conduct a program of Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony and Finnish compatriot Magnus Lindberg's Souvenir. On Saturday, February 13, he will lead DSO Principal and Assistant Principal Violas Eric Nowlin and James VanValkenburg in Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 6. The program also includes Anna Clyne's Stride, named for the leaping bass notes in Beethoven's famed Sonata Pathétique.
On Friday, February 12, the Paradise Jazz Series returns with an intimate duo set by Detroit native and MacArthur "genius" fellow Regina Carter and accomplished jazz pianist and MSU professor Xavier Davis. Jazz fans should be sure to tune in on Monday, February 8 for a new episode of the DSO’s web series Between 2 Stands featuring a conversation with DSO Erb Jazz Creative Chair Terence Blanchard. The episode airs at 7 p.m. on Facebook Live Premiere or dso.org/between2stands.
On February 18 and 19, James Ehnes returns to Orchestra Hall for two programs on the Classical series. The Thursday concerts features Ehnes as both conductor and violinist in a program of Vaughn Williams’s The Lark Ascending, Sibelius’s Suite for Violin and String Orchestra, and Bach’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor. The following evening, he will join members of the DSO string sections in a chamber setting to perform Brahms's rich and inventive second sextet.
The PNC Pops series continues on February 25 and 26 with Nothin’ but the Blues Parts I and II. Led by DSO Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik and featuring vocalist Shayna Steele, the DSO will pay tribute to musical legends including Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Ma Rainey, and Louis Armstrong.
The month wraps with Jazz from Detroit: Virtual Music Marathon on February 27 from 2–7 p.m. This celebration of Detroit’s landmark jazz legacy on the CUBE | Digital series will be hosted by award-winning arts reporter and author of Jazz from Detroit Mark Stryker. Featured artists include Charles McPherson (saxophone) with Randy Porter (piano), Robert Hurst (bass) and his Black Current Jam ensemble, Marcus Elliot (saxophone) and Michael Malis (piano) performing as Balance, and Regina Carter. Single tickets are available for $9 and can be purchased by clicking here.
All DSO Digital Concert performances will be live streamed from Orchestra Hall without audiences in attendance and are innovatively programmed with health and safety considerations of performers in mind. Subscribers and select donors receive access to all DSO Digital Concerts, with individual tickets available for purchase. Concerts can be viewed exclusively on dso.org via computer, mobile device, or smart TV.
Click here to view a full list of digital events.
The DSO Classical Series is generously sponsored by PVS Chemicals, Inc. The title sponsor of the DSO’s PNC Pops Series is PNC Bank. The Paradise Jazz Series is made possible with support from TCF Bank and MGM Grand Detroit.
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Classical
Thursday, February 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Andrew Grams, conductor
American conductor Andrew Grams returns to lead the DSO in a performance of Schubert’s Symphony No. 1, composed when he was just 16 years old while still in school, studying the works of Mozart and Haydn. Please note: originally scheduled conductor Hannu Lintu is unable to travel to Detroit for these performances.
SCHUBERT Symphony No. 1 in D major, D. 82
Classical
Friday, February 5 at 7:30 p.m.
Andrew Grams, conductor
Conductor Andrew Grams leads Mozart’s beloved Symphony No. 38, known as the “Prague” symphony after the city where it was premiered in 1787. Please note: Originally scheduled conductor Hannu Lintu is unable to travel to Detroit for these performances.
MOZART Symphony No. 38 in D major, K. 540, "Prague"
PROKOFIEV’S CLASSICAL SYMPHONY
Classical
Thursday, February 11 at 7:30 p.m.
John Storgårds, conductor
Orchestra Hall veteran John Storgårds returns to the stage to conduct his Finnish compatriot Magnus Lindberg's Souvenir, followed by Sergei Prokofiev’s "Classical Symphony," an ode to Mozart and Haydn.
MAGNUS LINDBERG Souvenir
PROKOFIEV Classical Symphony, Op. 25 (Symphony No. 1)
REGINA CARTER AND XAVIER DAVIS
Paradise Jazz Series
Friday, February 12 at 8:00 p.m.
Regina Carter, violin
Xavier Davis, piano
Hailed as the foremost jazz violinist of her generation, Detroit native and MacArthur "genius" fellow Regina Carter returns to Orchestra Hall for an intimate duo set with accomplished jazz pianist and MSU professor Xavier Davis. Enjoy this live performance safely from the comfort of your home. Please note: The DSO does not appear on this performance.
Classical
Saturday, February 13 at 7:30 p.m.
John Storgårds, conductor
Eric Nowlin, viola
James VanValkenburg, viola
The viola section takes center stage for Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 as DSO Principal and Assistant Principal Violas Eric Nowlin and James VanValkenburg lead their colleagues in this instrumental masterwork of the baroque era. Also hear English composer Anna Clyne's Stride, named for the leaping bass notes in Beethoven's famed Sonata Pathétique.
ANNA CLYNE Stride
BACH Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B-flat major, BWV 1051
Classical
Thursday, February 18 at 7:30 p.m.
James Ehnes, conductor, violin
One of today's most skillful violinists, James Ehnes, leads the DSO while performing a set of gems from the violin repertoire, from the vivid imagery of The Lark Ascending to the first of Bach's three concertos for the instrument.
VAUGHN WILLIAMS The Lark Ascending
SIBELIUS Suite for Violin and String Orchestra, Op. 117
BACH Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, BWV 1041
Classical
Friday, February 19 at 7:30 p.m.
James Ehnes, conductor, violin
James Ehnes joins members of the DSO string sections in a special chamber music setting to perform Brahms's rich and inventive second sextet.
BRAHMS Sextet No. 2 in G major, Op. 36
PNC Pops
Thursday, February 25 at 7:30 p.m.
Jeff Tyzik, conductor
Shayna Steele, vocalist
The Blues is at the heart and soul of nearly every form of music in the past 100 years. Featuring the stunning vocals of Shayna Steele, join the DSO in a tribute to musical legends including Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Ma Rainey, Louis Armstrong and more.
PNC Pops
Friday, February 26 at 7:30 p.m.
Jeff Tyzik, conductor
Shayna Steele, vocalist
The Blues is at the heart and soul of nearly every form of music in the past 100 years. Featuring the stunning vocals of Shayna Steele, join the DSO in a tribute to musical legends including Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Ma Rainey, Louis Armstrong and more.
JAZZ FROM DETROIT: VIRTUAL MUSIC MARATHON
CUBE
Saturday, February 27 at 2–7 p.m.
Join us online for a marathon festival experience that celebrates Detroit's landmark jazz legacy hosted by Mark Stryker, award-winning arts reporter and author of Jazz from Detroit. The event will feature salon-style interviews & performances by Regina Carter, Marcus Elliot & Michael Malis duo, Robert Hurst Group, and Charles McPherson. Please note: The DSO does not appear in these performances.
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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. Conductor Leonard Slatkin, who concluded a decade-long tenure at the helm in 2018, 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 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 eight 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.