This Saturday: DSO’s CUBE | Digital series kicks off with Fabian Almazan + DSO String Quartet, November 21

- Cuban-born jazz pianist and composer Fabian Almazan and his ensemble join forces with a DSO String Quartet to perform Almazan’s composition Alcanza

Detroit, (November 19, 2020) – This Saturday, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) kicks off its new CUBE | Digital series with Fabian Almazan and his ensemble joined by a DSO String Quartet. The program will be streamed on November 21 at 7:00 p.m. ET exclusively on dso.org.

Cuban-born jazz pianist and composer Fabian Almazan and his ensemble join forces with a DSO String Quartet to perform Almazan’s composition Alcanza, a vibrant multi-movement suite that fuses jazz and contemporary classical chamber music. Almazan’s band recordings from Perth, Australia, blend with DSO String Quartet recordings from the Peter D. and Julie F. Cummings Cube (The Cube) in Detroit in this celebration of making music together while being physically apart.

Of the piece, Almazan says, Alcanza (Spanish for “Reach”) is a nine movement suite of music that deals with those brief moments in our lives in which within a blink of an eye, everything changes—or at least gives us a remarkable new perception of our condition. It also deals with the process of finding our own path as we go from childhood into adulthood; reflecting the beauty, frustrations, and paradoxes of modern-day life and not giving up on reaching for everything in life that brings us joy and love.”

Almazan will be joined by Jo Lawry (voice), Linda Oh (bass), and Ben Vanderwal (drums). The DSO String Quartet is comprised of Hai-Xin Wu (violin), Rachel Klaus (violin), Han Zheng (viola), and Peter McCaffrey (cello).

To purchase $9 tickets for the performance, please click here.

The Cube, located within the Max. M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center, is Midtown Detroit’s hub for Curated, Urban, Boundless Experiences presenting eclectic, multi-genre performances and events.

Later this winter, the CUBE | Digital series continues with a Poetry Showcase: This Woman’s Work on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. ET. Spoken word artist La Shaun phoenix Moore hosts a virtual evening featuring a showcase of Detroit’s finest poets, followed by a special musical performance by New York-based singer, award-winning songwriter, and actor Lulu Fall accompanied by Detroit guitarist Sasha Kashperko. To purchase $9 tickets for the performance, please click here.

Also save the date for Saturday, February 27, 2021 as award-winning arts reporter and author Mark Stryker hosts the Jazz From Detroit Virtual Winter Festival. The festival will feature performances by Marcus Elliot & Michael Malis Duo, Robert Hurst III and Black Current Jam, Charles McPherson, and more.

CUBE | Digital is supported by Peter D. and Julie F. Cummings, Ford Motor Company FundCommunity Foundation for Southeast Michigan, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, with additional support from Quicken Loans and the Boston Consulting Group.

To view a full list of upcoming DSO programming, please click here.

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.