- Guest artists include Kent Nagano, Gilles Vonsattel, Byron Stripling, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Enrico Lopez-Yañez, Miss Paula and The Candy Bandits, and Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band
Detroit, (May 27, 2021) – This June, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) continues its series of DSO Digital Concerts with Classical, PNC Pops, Tiny Tots, and Paradise Jazz Series performances, plus a special Summer Soirée fundraising event supporting music education.
On Thursday, June 3, conductor Kent Nagano returns to Orchestra Hall to lead a performance of Schubert's Fifth Symphony, written during a time when the composer was captivated by the works of Mozart. The program also includes the Percussion Intermezzo from Japanese composer Toshio Hosokawa's opera Stilles Meer, written in response to the March 2011 tsunami and subsequent Fukushima nuclear disaster.
The following evening, on Friday, June 4, Nagano will lead the DSO and pianist Gilles Vonsattel in Mozart’s rich and majestic Piano Concerto No. 21, "Elvira Madigan". The program also includes Britten’s Fanfare for St Edmundsbury and Arvo Pärt’s Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten. Due to travel restrictions, originally scheduled pianist Till Fellner is unable to appear with the DSO. The DSO thanks Gilles Vonsattel for stepping in for Fellner.
The DSO’s PNC Pops series continues with Ragtime Kings Parts I and II on Thursday, June 10 and Friday, June 11. Trumpeter and vocalist Byron Stripling joins DSO Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik in a tour de force program showcasing the music of ragtime masters Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton, and more.
Tiny Tots programming returns on Saturday, June 12 at 11 a.m. with Miss Paula and The Candy Bandits. Listen and dance to popular children’s songs set to a rock n’ roll beat in this pre-recorded program captured live in the DSO’s Sosnick Courtyard. 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 program.
On Friday, June 25 at 8 p.m., drummer Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band perform on the DSO’s Paradise Jazz Series. Blade has played alongside musical luminaries like Wayne Shorter, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and Seal. He will be joined by Doug Weiss (bass), Jon Cowherd (piano), Myron Walden (alto saxophone and bass clarinet), and Melvin Butler (tenor saxophone). Please note: the DSO does not appear on this program.
On Sunday, June 27, the DSO will present a Summer Soirée, a fundraising event with both virtual and in-person ticket options. The event will culminate in a DSO concert at 4 p.m. at Orchestra Hall featuring Tony Award winner Renée Elise Goldsberry from Broadway’s Hamilton and conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez. Proceeds from the event will support the DSO’s efforts to transform the lives of children across our region through the music education programs of the Wu Family Academy for Learning and Engagement, which the orchestra has continued to provide throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Tickets for the benefit start at $100 and can be purchased by clicking here. Please note that the Summer Soirée benefit is not part of the DSO Digital Concert series. Those with access to this season’s DSO Digital Concerts will need to purchase access to the Summer Soirée separately if they wish to attend the virtual or in-person event.
Honorary Patrons of the DSO’s Summer Soirée are Judy & Stanley Frankel and Ann & Jim Nicholson. Honorary Chairs for the event are Pamela Applebaum & Gaal Karp, Penny & Harold Blumenstein, Karen & Matt Cullen, Mark Davidoff & Margie Dunn, Bonnie Larson, Cathy & Wright Lassiter, Faye & Al Nelson, and Bernadine & David Wu.
All DSO Digital Concert performances will be live streamed from Orchestra Hall and are innovatively programmed with health and safety considerations in mind. Subscribers and select donors receive access to all DSO Digital Concerts, with individual tickets available for purchase. Concerts can be viewed on dso.org or the DSO app via computer, mobile device, or smart TV. Click here to view a full list of digital events.
The health and safety of our patrons, musicians, and staff is our top priority. Please visit dso.org/safetyplan to learn more.
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. The Young People’s Family Concert Series is sponsored by Sun Communities.
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Classical
Thursday, June 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Kent Nagano, conductor
Renowned for interpretations of clarity, elegance, and intelligence, conductor Kent Nagano leads the DSO in a performance of Schubert's fifth symphony, written during a time when the composer was captivated by the works of Mozart. Japanese composer Toshio Hosokawa's opera Stilles Meer was his response to the March 2011 tsunami and subsequent Fukushima nuclear disaster.
TOSHIO HOSOKAWA Percussion Intermezzo from Stilles Meer
SCHUBERT Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major, D. 485
Classical
Friday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Kent Nagano, conductor
Gilles Vonsattel, piano
Written in a fever of productivity at the height of the composer’s career, Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 exudes the richness and majesty of Mozart at his best.
BRITTEN Fanfare for St Edmundsbury
ARVO PÄRT Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467, "Elvira Madigan"
PNC Pops
Thursday, June 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Jeff Tyzik, conductor
Byron Stripling, trumpet and vocals
Jack Walters, clarinet
Kenneth Thompkins, trombone
Audience favorite Byron Stripling joins Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik in a tour de force program showcasing the music of ragtime masters Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton, and more!
PNC Pops
Friday, June 11 at 7:30 p.m.
Jeff Tyzik, conductor
Byron Stripling, trumpet and vocals
Jack Walters, clarinet
Kenneth Thompkins, trombone
Audience favorite Byron Stripling joins Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik in a tour de force program showcasing the music of ragtime masters Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton, and more!
MISS PAULA AND THE CANDY BANDITS
Tiny Tots
Saturday, June 12 at 11 a.m.
Miss Paula and The Candy Bandits, band
Listen and dance to popular children’s songs set to a rock n’ roll beat. From the comfort of your home, enjoy this performance of Miss Paula and The Candy Bandits recorded in Sosnick Courtyard. Please note: the DSO does not appear on this program.
BRIAN BLADE & THE FELLOWSHIP BAND
Paradise Jazz Series
Friday, June 25 at 8 p.m.
Brian Blade, drums
Doug Weiss, bass
Jon Cowherd, piano
Myron Walden, alto saxophone and bass clarinet
Melvin Butler, tenor saxophone
Give the drummer some! The multi-talented Brian Blade has played alongside musical luminaries like Wayne Shorter, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and Seal. "I don't think there's another drummer in jazz who plays with as refined a touch, dynamics, and prismatic color as Blade does," says music critic and author Mark Stryker. Please note: the DSO does not appear on this program.
June 27, 2021
Along with Honorary Patrons Judy & Stanley Frankel and Ann & Jim Nicholson, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra presents Summer Soirée, a new fundraising event on June 27, 2021. Join us for a curated evening featuring a gourmet dinner provided by Forte Belanger, wonderful wine and music, culminating in a DSO concert featuring Tony Award-winner Renée Elise Goldsberry from Broadway’s Hamilton. Join us either virtually or in person on the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center campus (space is limited for in-person attendance).
Please note that the Summer Soirée benefit is not part of the DSO Digital Concert series. Those with access to this season’s DSO Digital Concerts will need to purchase access to the Summer Soirée separately if they wish to attend the virtual or in-person event.
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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. 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.