THE MAGAZINE OF THE DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
WINTER
2024–2025 SEASON
PROGRAM NOTES VIBRANT VISION Get to know Principal Pops Conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez RECORDING HISTORY Marsalis’s Blues Symphony marks a milestone in DSO sound LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT A Holistic Educational Experience
Music You Feel ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ PRINCIPAL POPS CONDUCTOR
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PERFORMANCE
WINTER • 2024–25 SEASON
4 Welcome
FEATURE STORY
FEATURE STORY
5 Orchestra Roster
Vibrant Vision
Marsalis’s Blues Symphony
6 Behind the Baton 8 Board Leadership 16 Transformational Support
15 Recording History
10
Get to know Principal Pops Conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez
41 Donor Roster
16 Learning & Engagement
A Holistic Learning Environment
50 Maximize Your Experience 52 DSO Administrative Staff
17-40 Program Notes
54 Upcoming Concerts
Beyond-the-surface insight about each program Enrico Lopez-Yañez
Read Performance anytime, anywhere at dso.org/performance The Detroit Symphony Orchestra impacts lives through the power of unforgettable musical experiences by sustaining a world class orchestra for our city and the global community. ON THE COVER: Principal Pops Conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez in Orchestra Hall (by Sarah Smarch).
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DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 3
WELCOME Dear Friends, Welcome to today’s concert! Whether you are joining us at Orchestra Hall or one of our many neighborhood venues, thank you for choosing to spend your time with the DSO. As we look to the year ahead, there is much to be excited about. On January 24, we will celebrate the highly anticipated release of Music Director Jader Bignamini’s debut recording with the DSO—Wynton Marsalis’s Blues Symphony recorded in Orchestra Hall in December 2023. Those of you who were here to witness those spectacular performances know what’s in store, and we invite you to experience it again and share it with all your friends. See page 14 to learn more about this milestone recording. Jader will return to the Orchestra Hall stage in February, leading the orchestra and an all-star cast of guest vocalists in concert performances of Bizet’s Carmen, celebrating the 150th anniversary of one of the greatest operas of all time. We will continue the extraordinary legacy of the DSO’s annual Classical Roots performances in celebration of the contributions of African American musicians and community leaders. This season, we are proud to honor acclaimed composer, violinist, and educator Jessie Montgomery and businessman, Detroit civic pioneer, and longtime Classical Roots supporter Walter Edmond Douglas Sr. We will also celebrate Detroit educator, conductor, and Detroit Harmony managing director Damien Crutcher as this year’s recipient of the Marlowe Stoudamire Award for Innovation and Community Collaboration. We look forward to programs this spring conducted by our newest artistic leaders. Principal Pops Conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez leads a program celebrating the greatest hits of the ‘90s and ‘00s Latin pop explosion (March 14–16), an American musical adventure on our family series (March 15), and a program with Emmy-Award nominated singer-songwriter Ben Folds (May 23–24). Check out our feature story on page 10 to learn more about Enrico. New DSO Principal Guest Conductor Tabita Berglund rounds out her inaugural season with the DSO with a program of Mussorgsky’s monumental Pictures at an Exhibition (March 6–8). Just as we value the esteemed leaders onstage, we are grateful for those behind the scenes. My sincere thanks to outgoing Board Chair David T. Provost following two exemplary years of service to our organization. I am pleased to share that at the DSO’s Annual Meeting in early December, the Board of Directors elected Faye A. Nelson to succeed David as Chair of the Board. Congratulations, Faye—I look forward to working closely with you in this new role. Powered by exceptional leadership at all levels of our organization, we will continue to provide vibrant and diverse programming that enriches our city’s musical landscape.
Erik Rönmark, President and CEO James B. and Ann V. Nicholson Chair
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DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE
WINTER 2025
A COMMUNI TY-SUPPORTE D ORCHESTRA
JADER BIGNAMINI MUSIC DIRECTOR
DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
JADERDBIGNAMINI, Music Director JADER BIGNAMINI MUSIC DIRECTOR A COMMUNI TY-SUPPORTE ORCHESTRA Music Directorship endowed by the Kresge Foundation
ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ
TERENCE BLANCHARD
TABITA BERGLUND
NA’ZIR MCFADDEN
Principal Pops Conductor Devereaux Family Chair
Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair
Principal Guest Conductor
Assistant Conductor, Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador
FIRST VIOLIN Robyn Bollinger
CONCERTMASTER Katherine Tuck Chair
Kimberly Kaloyanides Kennedy
ASSOCIATE CONCERTMASTER Schwartz and Shapero Family Chair
Hai-Xin Wu
ASSISTANT CONCERTMASTER Walker L. Cisler/Detroit Edison Foundation Chair
Jennifer Wey Fang
ASSISTANT CONCERTMASTER
Marguerite Deslippe* Laurie Goldman* Rachel Harding Klaus* Eun Park Lee* Adrienne Rönmark*
William and Story John Chair
Alexandros Sakarellos*^
Drs. Doris Tong and Teck Soo Chair
Laura Soto* Greg Staples* Jiamin Wang* Mingzhao Zhou*
SECOND VIOLIN Adam Stepniewski
ACTING PRINCIPAL The Devereaux Family Chair
Will Haapaniemi*
David and Valerie McCammon Chairs
Hae Jeong Heidi Han*
David and Valerie McCammon Chairs
Sheryl Hwangbo Yu* Sujin Lim* Hong-Yi Mo* Marian Tanau* Alexander Volkov* Jing Zhang*
VIOLA Eric Nowlin
PRINCIPAL Julie and Ed Levy, Jr. Chair
James VanValkenburg
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Janet and Norm Ankers Chair
Caroline Coade
Henry and Patricia Nickol Chair
Glenn Mellow Hang Su Hart Hollman Han Zheng Mike Chen Harper Randolph §
CLARINET Ralph Skiano
TIMPANI Jeremy Epp
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Dorothy and Herbert Graebner Chair
Jocelyn Langworthy
James Ritchie
Robert Bergman* Jeremy Crosmer*
Jack Walters
CELLO Wei Yu
PRINCIPAL
Abraham Feder^
Victor and Gale Girolami Chair
PRINCIPAL Robert B. Semple Chair ACTING SECOND CLARINET ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL PVS Chemicals Inc./ Jim and Ann Nicholson Chair
David LeDoux* Peter McCaffrey*
Shannon Orme
Una O’Riordan*
E-FLAT CLARINET Jack Walters
Joanne Deanto and Arnold Weingarden Chair Mary Ann and Robert Gorlin Chair
Cole Randolph*
Mary Lee Gwizdala Chair
BASS Kevin Brown
PRINCIPAL Van Dusen Family Chair
Stephen Molina
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Renato and Elizabeth Jamett Chair
Christopher Hamlen* Peter Hatch* Vincent Luciano* Brandon Mason*
HARP Alyssa Katahara
PRINCIPAL Winifred E. Polk Chair
FLUTE Hannah Hammel Maser
BASS CLARINET Shannon Orme
PICCOLO Jeffery Zook
Cornelia Sommer Jaquain Sloan
LEGACY CHAIRS Principal Flute Principal Cello
James C. Gordon
CONTRABASSOON OPEN
PERSONNEL MANAGERS Patrick Peterson
HORN Patrick Walle
Benjamin Tisherman
ORCHESTRA MANAGER
ACTING PRINCIPAL HORN David and Christine Provost Chair
Johanna Yarbrough^ Scott Strong
Ric and Carola Huttenlocher Chair
DEPARTMENT HEAD
Zach Deater
DEPARTMENT HEAD
Issac Eide
Hunter Eberly PRINCIPAL
DEPARTMENT HEAD
Kurt Henry
Austin Williams James Vaughen
DEPARTMENT HEAD
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
William Lucas
Sarah Lewis
STAGE MANAGER
Joe Corless
William Dailing
TRUMPET
David Binder Adam Rainey
MANAGER OF ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL
STAGE PERSONNEL Dennis Rottell DEPARTMENT HEAD
ACTING HORN
Ben Wulfman
Matthew Pons
SENIOR AUDIO DEPARTMENT HEAD
Jason Tschantre
DEPARTMENT HEAD -
PAST MUSIC DIRECTORS Leonard Slatkin
PRINCIPAL
MUSIC DIRECTOR LAUREATE
Monica Fosnaugh
Richard Sonenklar and Greg Haynes Chair
Neeme Järvi
ENGLISH HORN Monica Fosnaugh
BASS TROMBONE Adam Rainey
LEGEND * These members may voluntarily revolve seating within the section on a regular basis ^ Leave of Absence § A frican American Orchestra Fellow
TUBA Dennis Nulty PRINCIPAL
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James Ritchie Luciano Valdes§
Women’s Association for the DSO
ACTING UTILITY BASSOON
TROMBONE Open
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL William Cody Knicely Chair
PRINCIPAL
PRINCIPAL Byron and Dorothy Gerson Chair
OBOE Alexander Kinmonth
PRINCIPAL Jack A. and Aviva Robinson Chair
Andrés Pichardo-Rosenthal
Ethan Allen
ACTING HORN
Jeffery Zook
PRINCIPAL Ruth Roby and Alfred R. Glancy III Chair
BASSOON Conrad Cornelison
Amanda Blaikie
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Bernard and Eleanor Robertson Chair
PERCUSSION Joseph Becker
LIBRARIANS Robert Stiles
Kristi Crago
Sharon Sparrow
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Barbara Frankel and Ronald Michalak Chair
PRINCIPAL Alan J. and Sue Kaufman and Family Chair
Morton and Brigitte Harris Chair
PRINCIPAL Richard and Mona Alonzo Chair
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MUSIC DIRECTOR EMERITUS
DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 5
B E H I N D T H E B AT O N
Jader Bignamini MUSIC DIRECTORSHIP ENDOWED BY THE KRESGE FOUNDATION
J
ader Bignamini was introduced as the 18th music director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in January 2020, commencing with the 2020–2021 season. His infectious passion and artistic excellence set the tone for the seasons ahead, creating extraordinary music and establishing a close relationship with the orchestra. A jazz aficionado, he has immersed himself in Detroit’s rich jazz culture and the influences of American music. A native of Crema, Italy, Bignamini studied at the Piacenza Music Conservatory and began his career as a musician (clarinet) with Orchestra Sinfonica La Verdi in Milan, later serving as the group’s resident conductor. Captivated by the music of legends like Mahler and Tchaikovsky, Bignamini explored their complexity and power, puzzling out the role that each instrument played in creating a larger-than-life sound. When he conducted his first professional concert at the age of 28, it didn’t feel like a departure, but an arrival.
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DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE
In the years since, Bignamini has conducted some of the world’s most acclaimed orchestras and opera companies in venues across the globe including working with Riccardo Chailly on concerts of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony in 2013 and his concert debut at La Scala in 2015 for the opening season of La Verdi Orchestra. Recent highlights include debuts with Opera de Paris conducting La forza del destino and with Deutsche Opera Berlin conducting Simon Boccanegra; appearances with the Pittsburgh and Toronto symphonies; debuts with the Houston, Dallas, and Minnesota symphonies; Osaka Philharmonic and Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo; with the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, and Dutch National Opera (Madama Butterfly); Bayerische Staatsoper (La traviata); I puritani in Montpellier for the Festival of Radio France; La traviata in Tokyo directed by Sofia Coppola; return engagements with Oper Frankfurt (La forza del destino) and Santa Fe Opera (La bohème); Manon Lescaut at the Bolshoi; La traviata, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot at Arena of Verona; Il trovatore and Aida at Rome’s Teatro dell’Opera; Madama Butterfly, I puritani, and Manon Lescaut at Teatro Massimo in Palermo; Simon Boccanegra and La forza del destino at the Verdi Festival in Parma; Ciro in Babilonia at Rossini Opera Festival; and La bohème, Madama Butterfly, and Elisir d’amore at La Fenice in Venice. When Bignamini leads an orchestra in symphonic repertoire, he conducts without a score, preferring to make direct eye contact with the musicians. He conducts from the heart, forging a profound connection with musicians that shines through both onstage and off. He both embodies and exudes the excellence and enthusiasm that has long distinguished the DSO’s artistry.
WINTER 2025
Enrico Lopez-Yañez
Terence Blanchard
PRINCIPAL POPS CONDUCTOR AND DEVEREAUX FAMILY CHAIR
FRED A. ERB JAZZ CREATIVE DIRECTOR CHAIR
Enrico Lopez-Yañez is Principal Pops Conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He also serves in the same role with the Nashville and Pacific symphonies, and as Principal Conductor of the Dallas Symphony Presents. Lopez-Yañez has quickly established himself as one of the nation’s leading conductors of popular music and become known for his unique style of audience engagement. Also an active composer/arranger, he has been commissioned by prominent orchestras across the United States. Lopez-Yañez has conducted concerts with a broad spectrum of artists from Nas and Patti LaBelle to Itzhak Perlman, The Beach Boys, Kenny G, and more. An advocate for Latin music, LopezYañez was the recipient of the 2023 “Mexicanos Distinguidos” Award by the Mexican government, an award granted to Mexican citizens living abroad for outstanding career accomplishments in their field. As Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Symphonica Productions, LLC, LopezYañez curates and leads programs designed to cultivate new audiences. Symphonica’s show offerings range from pops shows to family and educational productions and have been performed by major orchestra across North America. As a producer, composer, and arranger, Lopez-Yañez’s work can be heard on numerous albums including the UNESCO benefit album Action Moves People United and children’s music albums including The Spaceship that Fell in My Backyard and Kokowanda Bay. Follow Enrico online @enricolopezyanez
Trumpeter, bandleader, composer, and educator Terence Blanchard has served as the DSO’s Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair since 2012. He is recognized globally as one of jazz’s most esteemed trumpeters and a prolific composer for film, television, opera, Broadway, orchestras, and his own ensembles, including the E-Collective and Turtle Island Quartet. Blanchard’s second opera, Fire Shut Up in My Bones, opened The Metropolitan Opera’s 2021–22 season, making it the first opera by an African American composer to premiere at the Met, and earning a Grammy® for Best Opera Recording. With a libretto by Kasi Lemmons, the opera was commissioned by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, where it premiered in 2019. Fire returned to the Met for a second run in April 2024. Blanchard’s first opera, Champion, premiered in 2013 and starred Denyce Graves with a libretto from Michael Cristofer. Its April 2023 premiere at the Met received a Grammy® for Best Opera Recording. Blanchard has released 20 solo albums, garnered 15 Grammy® nominations and eight wins, composed for more than 60 films including more than 20 projects with frequent collaborator Spike Lee, and received 10 major commissions. He is a 2024 NEA Jazz Master and member of the 2024 class of awardees for the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and currently serves as the Executive Artistic Director for SF Jazz. Visit terenceblanchard.com for more.
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DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 7
DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, INC. LIFETIME DIRECTORS
CHAIRS EMERITI
Samuel Frankel◊ Stanley Frankel David Handleman, Sr.◊ Dr. Arthur L. Johnson◊
James B. Nicholson Barbara Van Dusen Clyde Wu, M.D.◊
Chacona W. Baugh Penny B. Blumenstein Richard A. Brodie Marianne Endicott Sidney Forbes
Herman H. Frankel Dr. Gloria Heppner Ronald Horwitz Harold Kulish
Peter D. Cummings Mark A. Davidoff Phillip Wm. Fisher
Stanley Frankel Robert S. Miller James B. Nicholson
DIRECTORS EMERITI Bonnie Larson Arthur C. Liebler David McCammon Marilyn Pincus
Glenda Price Marjorie S. Saulson Jane Sherman Arthur A. Weiss
OFFICERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Faye A. Nelson Chair
Laura Trudeau Treasurer
Ric Huttenlocher Officer at Large
David Nicholson Officer at Large
Erik Rönmark President & CEO
Renato Jamett Secretary
Daniel J. Kaufman Officer at Large
David Wu Officer at Large
Shirley Stancato Vice Chair
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Directors are responsible for maintaining a culture of accountability, resource development, and strategic thinking. As fiduciaries, Directors oversee the artistic and cultural health and strategic direction of the DSO.
Michael Bickers Elena Centeio Rodney Cole Marcus Collins Jeremy Epp, Orchestra Representative Aaron Frankel Ralph Gerson
Laura Granneman Herman B. Gray, M.D. Laura Hernandez-Romine Rev. Nicholas Hood III Richard Huttenlocher Renato Jamett, Trustee Chair Daniel J. Kaufman
H. Keith Mobley, Governing Members Chair Xavier Mosquet Faye A. Nelson, Board Chair David Nicholson Arthur T. O’Reilly Bernard I. Robertson Shirley Stancato
Scott Strong, Orchestra Representative Laura J. Trudeau James G. Vella David M. Wu, M.D. Ellen Hill Zeringue
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Trustees are a diverse group of community leaders who infuse creative thinking and innovation into how the DSO strives to achieve both artistic vitality and organizational sustainability.
Renato Jamett, Trustee Chair Ismael Ahmed Richard Alonzo Hadas Bernard Janice Bernick Elizabeth Boone Gwen Bowlby Dr. Betty Chu Karen Cullen Joanne Danto Stephen D’Arcy Maureen T. D’Avanzo Jasmin DeForrest Cara Dietz 8
Afa Sadykhly Dworkin Emily Elmer James C. Farber Amanda Fisher Linda Forte Carolynn Frankel Christa Funk Robert Gillette Jody Glancy Malik Goodwin Mary Ann Gorlin Darby Hadley Donald Hiruo Michelle Hodges Julie Hollinshead
DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE
Laurel Kalkanis Jay Kapadia David Karp Joel D. Kellman John Kim Jennette Smith Kotila Leonard LaRocca William Lentine Linda Dresner Levy Gene LoVasco Anthony McCree Kristen McLennan Tito Melega Lydia Michael H. Keith Mobley, ◊
Deceased
Governing Members Chair Sandy Morrison Frederick J. Morsches Jennifer Muse Geoffrey S. Nathan Sean M. Neall Eric Nemeth Maury Okun Jackie Paige Priscilla Perkins Vivian Pickard Denise Fair Razo Gerrit Reepmeyer James Rose, Jr.
Laurie Rosen Carlo Serraiocco Lois L. Shaevsky Elliot Shafer Shiv Shivaraman Dean Simmer Richard Sonenklar Dhivya Srinivasan Rob Tanner Yoni Torgow Nate Wallace Gwen Weiner Donnell White Jennifer Whitteaker R. Jamison Williams WINTER 2025
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DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 9
VIBRANT VISION “ Pops means endless possibilities. We can take any genre or artist and use the orchestra to transform and elevate the music, bringing it to audiences in a way that is unique and innovative. I look forward to working with the DSO to create unsurpassed musical experiences that our audiences will love and that will bring together diverse communities.” —ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ 10
DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE
WINTER 2025
GET TO KNOW PRINCIPAL POPS CONDUCTOR ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ As Principal Pops Conductor, Enrico Lopez-Yañez brings vibrancy, charisma, and creativity to the Orchestra Hall stage and Detroit community.
E
nrico Lopez-Yañez always knew he wanted to perform and be around music. His musical upbringing was infused with Latin genres, and he grew up playing the trumpet and traveling with his father, Jorge Lopez-Yañez—renowned operatic tenor and part of the Three Mexican Tenors—on tour around the world. The artistry Enrico experienced through his father and the musicians he encountered shaped his musical stylings, and he proudly brings forth Latin culture and history into the symphonic world, including through collaborations with leading Mexican artists like Aida Cuevas and Lila Downs. In September 2023, he was awarded the “Mexicanos Distinguidos” (“Distinguished Mexicans”) Award, which recognizes citizens abroad for their extraordinary professional trajectory, social responsibility, peer recognition, and commitment to promote the image of Mexico. Lopez-Yañez has an extraordinary professional trajectory indeed. In additon to his role with the DSO, he is Principal Pops Conductor of the Nashville and Pacific symphonies, as well as the Principal Conductor of the Dallas Symphony Presents and Principal Guest Conductor of Pops at the Indianapolis Symphony. He has conducted concerts with a broad spectrum of artists including Nas, Gladys Knight, Ledisi, Itzhak Perlman, Stewart Copeland (including with the DSO in October 2023), Kenny Loggins, Toby Keith, Mickey Guyton, Kelsea Ballerini, Leslie Odom Jr., Hanson, The Beach Boys, and Kenny G. An active producer, composer, and arranger, Lopez-Yañez has been commissioned to write pieces for leading orchestras including the Cincinnati Pops dso.org
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Orchestra and Houston Symphony. He is also Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Symphonica Productions, LLC, where he curates and leads programs designed to cultivate new audiences, including a wide breadth of pops, family, and educational programming. Lopez-Yañez was first introduced to Detroit audiences in 2019, conducting a program in May on the Educational Concert Series (ECS). He returned later that year to lead another ECS performance and has since conducted the DSO in more than twenty performances, including 2021’s Summer Soirée with Renée Elise Goldsberry and numerous educational, family, pops, and special programs. In February 2022, he conducted a musical experience at St. Hedwig Catholic Church in partnership with the Southwest Detroit community as part of the DSO’s Detroit Neighborhood Initiative, a commitment to the growth and well-being of the City of Detroit. In response to the enormous success of the initial performance, Lopez-Yañez returned to St. Hedwig in May 2023, and again in May 2024, for additional programs featuring works by Latin American composers, sacred and popular favorites, and performances by Ballet Folklorico Moyocoyani Izel. I love being in untraditional spaces with an orchestra because it artistically pushes the organization and the musicians to be flexible, be adaptive, and truly partner and connect with the audience in a different way than when we’re in our regular comfort zone. It affects everything from how the orchestra sets up to how we listen, not only to each other on stage, but also to the community.” DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 11
level. He is truly one of the kindest people in our industry and I’m very honored to be following in his footsteps.” With vibrancy, charisma, and creativity, Lopez-Yañez builds on Tyzik’s legacy, drawing new and familiar audiences to the Orchestra Hall stage and community venues. “I’m blown away by the kind of engagement Lopez-Yañez engages with audience members on the Orchestra Hall that the DSO has with stage during The Music of Star Wars on the PNC Pops Series in its community and how October 2024. mission driven they are to really be an orchestra for the City of “The DSO’s partnership with St. Hedwig Detroit,” said Lopez-Yañez. “The DSO is a very special opportunity to deepen really puts their time, effort, and money connections with the Southwest Detroit where their mouth is and serves as an community. Those programs are so fun inclusive and culturally relevant leader in and eclectic because they feature such a our industry. I can’t wait to see all that we wide range of music in such a short will accomplish together.” period of time, which really highlights the musicians in a unique way and shows how talented they are at performing a diverse range of genres and repertoire.” SEE ENRICO Passionate about engaging audiences CONDUCT AT of all ages and backgrounds, LopezYañez brings high energy, creativity, and ORCHESTRA HALL innovation, and is known for his unique and oftentimes theatrical style of audiPNC POPS SERIES ence engagement, which he continues in LA VIDA LOCA his new role as he succeeds Jeff Tyzik, who served as the DSO’s Principal Pops MARCH 14–16, 2025 Conductor since 2013. Tyzik’s versatile ——— artistry and engaging podium style made YOUNG PEOPLE’S FAMILY CONCERT SERIES him a favorite among Detroit audiences, GOLD RUSH: AN and he has grown the orchestra’s pops AMERICAN MUSICAL program into some of the DSO’s most ADVENTURE beloved concerts. MARCH 15, 2025 “Jeff has been a huge influence on my ——— life and career,” said Lopez-Yañez. “He is PNC POPS SERIES not only an incredible, legendary conducBEN FOLDS tor, but also a composer, arranger, and MAY 23–24, 2025 trumpet player: all things that I try and emulate and that he has mastered and TICKETS AT DSO.ORG done throughout his career at the highest 12
DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE
WINTER 2025
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P R I N C I PA L G I V I N G Principal Giving illustrates the depths of your support for changing, connecting, and enriching lives through music performance and education at the DSO. Your investment is a commitment to sustaining the future of this organization for generations to come.
Mr. & Mrs.◊ Richard L. Alonzo Penny & Harold Blumenstein The William M. Davidson Foundation Ms. Leslie C. Devereaux◊ Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Frankel Mary Ann & Robert Gorlin
Mr. & Mrs. James B. Nicholson The Polk Family Mr. & Mrs. David Provost Mr. Richard A. Sonenklar & Mr. Gregory Haynes Drs. David & Bernadine Wu
Leslie Devereaux: Devotion to the DSO
C
hildhood experiences can truly make a lasting impact. For Leslie Devereaux, each time she experienced a DSO Young People’s Family Concert with her parents was magical. She was captivated by the music and the joy she felt inside of Orchestra Hall, leading to a lifelong commitment of support and contribution to the DSO and the Detroit arts community. Leslie’s extraordinary heart for giving spread across the DSO in a range of areas from investing in the organization’s music education programs to sponsoring the chair of Principal Pops Conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez. Though she is no longer with us, Leslie’s legacy of profound support for the arts lives on, and we are proud to acknowledge her transformative impact on the DSO community.
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WINTER 2025
RECORDING HISTORY Marsalis’s Blues Symphony marks a milestone in DSO sound
I
n January 2025, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra will proudly present a landmark in our storied recording history: Wynton Marsails’s Blues Symphony, conducted by Music Director Jader Bignamini. Recorded live in Orchestra Hall in December 2023, the recording will be released on the Pentatone label and marks Bignamini’s first commercial recording with the orchestra. Marsalis’s Blues Symphony is a triumphant ode to the power of the blues and the scope of America’s musical heritage. Spanning seven movements, the work expands the raw emotive power of the blues to a symphonic scope, exploring influences from ragtime to habanera. The DSO’s interpretation highlights the ensemble’s dynamic artistry, blending virtuosic solo parts with rich ensemble textures. Recorded in the pristine acoustics of Orchestra Hall, the album offers listeners the opportunity to savor each nuanced sound on a sonic journey through America’s revolutionary era, the early beginnings of jazz in New Orleans, and a big city soundscape that serves as a nod to the Great Migration. The DSO’s dedication to recording American music, particularly by Black composers, is deeply rooted in our history. From the Black Composers Series discs in the 1970s, to ‘90s recordings of music by Anthony Davis, Alvin Singleton, Olly Wilson, Jonathan Bailey Holland, William Grant Still, Duke Ellington, and William Dawson, the orchestra has championed works that reflect the magnitude of America’s cultural identity. Marsalis’s connection to the DSO is equally significant. As the organization’s former Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair, he helped deepen its rich and vibrant jazz history. The DSO remains one of few American orchestras to present regular jazz programming on its main stage.
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Orchestra Hall itself is a symbol of Detroit’s rich musical past. From 1941 to 1951, the venue transformed into the Paradise Theatre, hosting jazz legends like Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, and many more. The theatre got its name from Paradise Valley, the area just across Woodward Avenue that was home to a large percentage of Detroit’s African American community and the city’s principal Black entertainment district. With the Blues Symphony recording, the DSO pays homage to this era and continues Detroit’s legacy as a hub for blues, jazz, and African American music. For Bignamini, this project is especially meaningful. “Recording Blues Symphony was an unforgettable dream come true,” he reflects. “This dynamic and challenging work captures the breadth of American music and can be appreciated from both the orchestral and jazz worlds. I believe it brings together the two souls of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and speaks to the musical legacy of the city of Detroit and our home, Orchestra Hall.” The DSO’s nearly century-long recording history includes groundbreaking projects that have elevated the orchestra’s international reputation. From becoming the first orchestra in the world to present a radio broadcast in 1922, to dozens of acclaimed albums, more than 13 years of Live from Orchestra Hall webcasts, and a robust digital performance archive, the DSO consistently embraces innovative ways to share music with the world. As we look to the future, the recording of Blues Symphony underscores the enduring power of collaboration and the transformative role of music in telling America’s story. January’s release is more than an album—it is a testament to, and celebration of, a DSO sound rooted firmly in tradition, while extending ever forward to new heights of unparalleled artistry. DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 15
LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT
A Holistic Educational Experience By LaToya Cross and Hannah Engwall Elbialy
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ducational programming at the DSO is strongly rooted in listening, collaborating, and creating environments where everyone feels heard, supported, and appreciated. There is active belief in a model that puts students in the driver’s seat of their developmental pursuits—musically and personally. It is a holistic, integrated approach that shifts from exclusively focusing on musical training to supporting the cognitive, social, emotional, and overall well-being of youth—with music as the foundation. “Our purpose is to walk alongside students as they discover their own path and identity through music,” said Debora Kang, Director of Education. “The whole child approach really Civic Youth Ensembles students backstage at Orchestra Hall respects the students as human first, and if they’re interested in pursuing music or anything else, we’ll support them along their Data collected by the Learning & Engagement journey.” team also indicates that enrollment in CYE is up This shift bridges the accessibility, acceptance, and 69% since 2021, and 75% of CYE students reported opportunity gap formed by past industry-wide practices feeling connected to peers in the program. This sense that felt exclusive, rigid, and out of reach for many; of connection is strengthened by small gestures of and the DSO’s partnership with Detroit Public Schools belonging: student pictures line the walls of the Jacob Community District (DPSCD) ensures students in Detroit Bernard Pincus Music Education Center, a newly formed receive the same opportunities as those in Metro Detroit student committee designs activities for CYE Fun Day, and Southeastern Michigan. and staff, musicians, directors, and instructors are The educational evolution at the DSO is also better equipped through focused training in student strengthened thanks to dedicated support from the Max intervention, youth-driven spaces, and diversity, equity, M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, providing weekly and inclusion. bus transportation for students in Southwest Detroit and As the DSO celebrates this important growth, the Detroit’s Eastside to participate in the DSO’s Civic Youth organization looks ahead to what’s possible. In 2025, a Ensembles (CYE). Students also have access to a student dedicated steering committee chaired by David Wu from support coach to help with mental and emotional wellthe DSO Board of Directors will undertake a visioning being. process with input from students, families, and other It is through the support of partnerships like these, constituent groups to reflect and dream up what’s and the intentional framework set by passionate DSO next. No matter what the future holds, one thing is for staff members, that educational programming at the DSO certain: the DSO will continue to create a musical home continues to thrive and expand. From 2023 to 2024, the where all students feel connected and empowered. number of bus rides increased by 60%, creating positive impact for more students. VISIT DSO.ORG TO LEARN MORE
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WINTER 2025
A COMMUNITY-SUP PORTE D ORCHESTRA
JADER BIGNAMINI MUSIC DIRECTOR
DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
JADERDBIGNAMINI, Music Director JADER BIGNAMINI MUSIC DIRECTOR A COMMUNITY-SUP PORTE ORCHESTRA Music Directorship endowed by the Kresge Foundation
ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ
TERENCE BLANCHARD
TABITA BERGLUND
NA’ZIR MCFADDEN
Principal Pops Conductor Devereaux Family Chair
Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair
Principal Guest Conductor
Assistant Conductor, Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador
TITLE SPONSOR:
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS Friday, December 13, 2024 at 10:45 a.m. & 8 p.m. Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 3 p.m. & 8 p.m. Sunday, December 15, 2024 at 3 p.m. & 7 p.m. in Orchestra Hall ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ, conductor CHRISTIAN DANTE WHITE, vocalist KIMBERLY KALOYANIDES KENNEDY, violin BLOOMFIELD HILLS HIGH SCHOOL CHORUSES: BLOOMFIELD CHORALE AND THE JILLS Jessica Riley, director
Program to be announced from the stage.
Flash photography, extended video recording, tripods, and cameras with detachable lenses are strictly prohibited.
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DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 17
PROGR AM AT-A-GL ANCE | HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS Holiday Memories with the DSO Festive music and the holiday season go hand in hand. Some people crank up the holiday tunes in October, others prefer to wait for the snow to fly, yet there’s no denying the soundtrack to the season. From the radio in our car to the background of our holiday shopping, sleigh bells and jolly melodies transport us back to memories of celebrations past and remind us of traditions we hold dear. The DSO welcomes everyone to share in the tradition of ringing in the holidays with our favorite songs of the season. Whether you are home in Detroit with friends and family, or spending some time away, we welcome you to Orchestra Hall as your musical home for the holidays.
PROFILES For Enrico Lopez-Yañez biography, see page 7.
CHRISTIAN DANTE WHITE
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hristian Dante White is an acclaimed actor, with Broadway credits including My Fair Lady, Hello, Dolly!, Shuffle Along..., The Book of Mormon, and The Scottsboro Boys—having also performed the latter in London. White has performed in national tours of The Book of Mormon, Motown, and Hairspray. Other theater credits include On the Town (with the Boston Pops), Cotton Club Parade, Lost in the Stars, The Wiz (Encores!), The Scottsboro Boys (Ahmanson Theatre; The Vineyard), and Jersey Boys. Television and film credits include Bottomless Brunch at Colman’s (2020), BearCity (2010), and A Mann’s World (2011). White studied at Interlochen Arts Academy and Circle in the Square Theatre School.
KIMBERLY KALOYANIDES KENNEDY
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imberly Kaloyanides Kennedy won her coveted position as a violinist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra at the age of 22. Kennedy further realized her dream in 2003 when she became Associate Concertmaster (Schwartz and Shapero Family Chair). 18
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Kennedy pursued studies at Brevard Music Center and Interlochen Arts Camp as the Governor’s Scholar for the state of Ohio. She continued her studies at the Sarasota Music Festival; spent four summers at the Aspen Music Festival on Fellowship, as Associate Concertmaster of the Chamber Orchestra; spent three years at the Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, Florida; and finally landed at the University of Michigan with Paul Kantor. It was halfway through her senior year at Michigan in 1998 that her hard work paid off, joining the first violin section of the DSO. Throughout her training, she won several prizes in competitions around the country, including the Grand Prize in the National MTNA competition and First Prize in the Greek Women’s National Competition in Chicago; the Skokie Valley Concerto Competition; the University of Michigan Concerto Competition; and the Harid Conservatory Concerto Competition. Kennedy was one of the few Americans invited to the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis in 1998. She solos regularly with the DSO. Kennedy and her husband Bryan Kennedy, who previously served in the DSO’s horn section, are strongly committed to this orchestra and to this region, working diligently to ensure that it remains internationally renowned and artistically revered.
WINTER 2025
A COMMUNI TY-SUPPORTE D ORCHESTRA
JADER BIGNAMINI MUSIC DIRECTOR
DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
JADERDBIGNAMINI, Music Director JADER BIGNAMINI MUSIC DIRECTOR A COMMUNI TY-SUPPORTE ORCHESTRA Music Directorship endowed by the Kresge Foundation
ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ
TERENCE BLANCHARD
TABITA BERGLUND
NA’ZIR MCFADDEN
Principal Pops Conductor Devereaux Family Chair
Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair
Principal Guest Conductor
Assistant Conductor, Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador
PVS CLASSICAL SERIES Title Sponsor:
THE RITE OF SPRING Thursday, January 16, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. Friday, January 17, 2025 at 8 p.m. Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 8 p.m. in Orchestra Hall DANIELE RUSTIONI, conductor FRANCESCA DEGO, violin Camille Pépin Les Eaux célestes (b. 1990) Tisser les nuages La Séparation Les Larmes perlées Le Pont des ailes Dmitri Shostakovich Violin Concerto No.1 in A minor, Op. 99 (1906 - 1975) Nocturne Scherzo Passacaglia Burlesca Francesca Dego, violin Intermission Igor Stravinsky Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring) (1882 - 1971) Part I: The Adoration of the Earth Part II: The Sacrifice
Saturday’s performance will be webcast via our exclusive Live from Orchestra Hall series, presented by Ford Philanthropy. Technology support comes from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Flash photography, extended video recording, tripods, and cameras with detachable lenses are strictly prohibited.
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DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 19
PROGR AM AT-A-GL ANCE THE RITE OF SPRING A Tour-de-Force Camille Pépin’s Les Eaux célestes (The Celestial Waters)—inspired by an ancient Chinese legend later adopted into Japanese folklore—depicts the love between the sky god’s daughter, who weaves clothing from clouds, and a young man herding cows beneath the stars. A great celestial river is forced between them, and the daughter’s tears create pearls in the sky. The pair is finally reunited on the wings of a flock of birds. Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto follows, exhibiting extreme virtuosity and versatility. Composed during great political turmoil, Shostakovich defied expectations, infusing this work with the symbolic power that was so painfully stripped away from members of society. The second half of the program is devoted to The Rite of Spring, which had one of the most scandalous debuts in history. Stravinsky also subverted cultural expectations with this shocking, demanding, and complex masterwork on the eve of World War I. With this impactful program, we face different versions of loss and hardship but are guided to triumph over those who try to control our destiny.
PROGRAM NOTES Les Eaux célestes Composed 2023 | Premiered 2023
CAMILLE PÉPIN B. 1990
Scored for 2 flutes (one doubling on piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, percussion, harp, and strings. (Approx. 8 minutes)
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f Les Eaux célestes, Camille Pépin writes the following (translated from French): “Celestial Waters is inspired by a very ancient Chinese legend and is divided into four movements. Orihime, daughter of the sky god, weaves clouds to create clothing for the gods of the celestial realm. Hikoboshi, the herdsman of the stars, is responsible for looking after the dairy cows to feed the kingdom. They fall madly in love and gradually abandon their respective tasks. The cows go astray, and the gods wait in vain for their clothes. This part begins with impalpable and blurred sounds (phase shift of the strings, clouds of harmonics of moving strings, percussion with bow), and then becomes more mechanical (running lines of the woodwinds and keyboards) as it progresses. The princess weaves (Tisser les nuages). Then matter goes awry and the sky god decides to separate the two lovers by 20
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placing between them a great celestial river called the Milky Way. This moment results in a crescendo leading to a first climax symbolizing the pain shared by the two lovers (La Séparation). Touched by their sadness, the sky god finally grants them the opportunity to meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month. When they reunite, they don’t know how to cross the Celestial Waters and the princess, distraught, begins to cry. Her tears fall delicately on the fragile and vaporous texture of the clouds (harp and celesta on a base of string harmonics), creating small pearls of light in the sky (Les Larmes perlées). But a flock of birds passing by decides to help the lovers. With their wings, they form a bridge over the river and allow the couple to reunite. The out-of-phase keyboards (vibraphone, marimba, and celesta) create the texture leading to the final climax, bursting and celebrating the passion between the two lovers. (Le Pont des ailes). In this work, two melodic motifs are used: the first recalls Nuages by Debussy and represents the weaving goddess of the clouds. The pentatonic motif represents the herdsman of the stars. To illustrate this legend, I used new textures and alloys of stamps. The vibraphone, rattlesnakes, and cow bells when played with a bow represent the impalpable clouds. The strings move in WINTER 2025
space like a fog that we try in vain to catch. The tuned cow bells, tubular bells, and the earthy sound of the marimba symbolize the herdsman of the stars. Gongs, Chinese cymbal, and the celesta in the bass take us to China. Keyboards are also used in a glittering way, like stars. The wooden parts are fluid, virtuoso, and include numerous fusing features like the rustling of wings. If I chose this legend, it is because it inspired many orchestral colors and because, if the stars speak of the Universe, our stories about them tell something about us.” This performance marks the DSO premiere of Camille Pépin’s Les Eaux célestes.
Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 99 Composed 1948 | Premiered 1955
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH B. September 25, 1906, St. Petersburg, Russia D. August 9, 1975, Moscow, Russia
Scored for solo violin, 3 flutes (one doubling on piccolo), 3 oboes (one doubling on English horn), 3 clarinets (one doubling on bass clarinet), 3 bassoons (one doubling on contrabassoon), 4 horns, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, celeste, and strings. (Approx. 36 minutes)
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hostakovich devoted much of his early career to the symphony. Following the end of World War II, however, the composer began increasingly to explore other genres and wrote five concertos in the two decades to follow. The first of these concertos was his Violin Concerto in A Minor, Opus 99. Shostakovich created this work for the celebrated Soviet violinist David Oistrakh. The composer had known Oistrakh since the mid-1930s and often accompanied him in recital programs and performances of chamber music. The concerto opens with a long, meditative movement in slow tempo. Its tone is dso.org
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subdued, with recurring two-note figures that intimate a sense of sorrow or perhaps foreboding. A central episode that uses the celeste to striking effect lightens the music’s complexion only briefly. Shostakovich follows this opening movement with a boisterous scherzo whose first and second subjects give respectively the impressions of a frenetic jig and mad‑cap polka, and nod to the Jewish folk music of Russia and Ukraine. We also hear a motif that became Shostakovich’s musical signature, a fournote figure composed of the pitches D, E-flat, C, and B-natural. In German musical nomenclature (with which Russian musicians are commonly familiar), the pitch E-flat is indicated as “Es” and B-natural by the letter H. This gives the musical “spelling” of the motif as D-SC-H, an abbreviation of “Dmitri Shostakovich.” This motif crops up in several of the composer’s late compositions, most notably the Eighth String Quartet, where it forms a conspicuous presence. The third movement, one of the most beautiful in all Shostakovich’s music, is a great arching passacaglia, a set of variations over the recurring bass figure announced at the outset in the low strings. The movement concludes with an extended cadenza for the soloist that recalls motives from earlier movements and forms a bridge to the finale. Shostakovich originally planned to have the solo violin proceed directly from the cadenza to the finale, but Oistrakh asked if the soloist could not have a few moments of respite after the exertions of the long solo passage. Whimsical in character, this fourth movement features brilliant passagework for the soloist and lively melodies in the orchestra. Among them is a variant of the passacaglia theme, heard now in faster rhythms and a higher register than in the previous movement. The DSO most recently performed Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto in April 2018, conducted by Hannu Lintu and featuring Ray Chen as soloist. The DSO DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 21
first performed the piece in February 1975, conducted by Aldo Ceccato and featuring Leonid Kogan as soloist.
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring) Composed 1913 | Premiered 1913
IGOR STRAVINSKY B. June 17, 1882, Orianenbaum, Russia D. April 6, 1971, New York, New York
Scored for 3 flutes (one doubling piccolo), alto flute, piccolo, 4 oboes (one doubling English horn), English horn, 3 clarinets (one doubling bass clarinet), bass clarinet, E-flat clarinet, 4 bassoons (one doubling contrabassoon), contrabassoon, 8 horns (two doubling Wagner tuba), 4 trumpets (one doubling bass trumpet), piccolo trumpet, 3 trombones, two tubas, 2 timpani, percussion, and strings (Approx. 32 minutes)
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his masterpiece’s impact is so huge it can’t be overstated. The Rite of Spring is considered a turning point, a defining moment widely described as the birth of 20th century music. Stravinsky used rhythms as his dominant element, departing radically from the Romantic era’s insistence on the primacy of melody. The legendary work, subtitled “Scenes from Pagan Russia,” is a hymn to the violence and mystery of nature. Its ballet version depicts a prehistoric ritual in which a young woman is chosen by her tribe to dance feverishly until she dies to appease the gods of spring. Stravinsky once fondly recalled “the violent Russian spring that seemed to begin in an hour and was like the whole earth cracking”—an apt way also to describe his primal score.
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Part I begins with a striking solo in the high register of the bassoon, playing one of the most famous chords in music history. The crushing bi-tonal sonority is hammered relentlessly in a constant 2/4 meter. Soon other woodwinds join in, their voices superimposed in a tangle of rhapsodic phrases suggesting a gradual awakening of nature. Before long, these sounds give way to music of a quite different character. After a brief recollection of the opening bassoon soliloquy, an insistent ostinato (repeated melody) is introduced by the strings, and the ensuing music unfolds in angular, hard-edged rhythms marked by violent syncopations and asymmetries. Those types of shifting rhythmic and harmonic accents fill the sweeping work, which requires a greatly expanded orchestra. With mounting frenzy, the music drives to a tremendous initial climax. Calm follows, but the mood again becomes restless, and a series of agitated passages lead to a final cataclysm. The second part of the work follows a similar pattern, beginning in an atmosphere of mystery and progressing through an increasingly animated, frenzied trajectory to the sacrificial dance’s shattering conclusion. —Paul Schiavo The DSO most recently performed Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring in June 2018, conducted by Robert Spano. The DSO first performed this piece in March 1966, conducted by Sixten Ehrling.
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PROFILES DANIELE RUSTIONI
FRANCESCA DEGO
aniele Rustioni is one of the most compelling conductors of his generation both in opera and orchestral repertoire. In 2022, he was awarded “Best Conductor of the Year” by the International Opera Awards. Rustioni has been Music Director of Opéra National de Lyon since September 2017 and became Music Director of the Ulster Orchestra in the United Kingdom in 2022–23 after three seasons as Chief Conductor. Between 2014 and 2020 he was Music Director of the Orchestra della Toscana and served as Artistic Director until January 2023. Rustioni has been engaged by all major international opera houses including the Metropolitan Opera House, Berlin Staatsoper, La Scala, Opéra Bastille, Opernhaus Zürich, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, and Teatro Real in Madrid. Rustioni is in demand by many of the leading international orchestras. In February 2023, he made his Carnegie Hall debut conducting the MET Orchestra. His recent and future debuts in the United States include the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. He has conducted all the major Italian symphony orchestras, including the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Orchestra and the Filarmonica della Scala. In September 2024, Rustioni debuted with the Philharmonia Orchestra on tour in Switzerland and Italy, and in November 2024 debuted with the London Symphony Orchestra. Rustioni is Chevalier des Arts et Lettres of the French Republic for his cultural services as Music Director of the Opéra National de Lyon.
talian American violinist Francesca Dego is celebrated for her versatility, compelling interpretations, and flawless technique. Her 2024–25 season includes debuts with the London Symphony Orchestra and Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and performances with the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Sinfonica di Milano, La Toscanini, Vancouver Symphony, Detroit and San Diego symphony orchestras, and Orchestre de Cannes. In recital, she appears at the Wigmore Hall with Alessandro Taverna, and Belfast International Chamber Festival and Dubai Opera with Francesca Leonardi. She regularly collaborates with esteemed conductors including Fabio Luisi and Philippe Herreweghe and performs as a chamber musician with renowned artists including Francesco Piemontesi and Daniel Müller-Schott. Dego is signed exclusively to Chandos Records. With a growing discography, her most recent recording of the violin concertos of Busoni and Brahms with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and conductor Dalia Stasevska was released in March 2024, for which she was awarded the prestigious Franco Abbiati Prize. Dego also has a passion for contemporary music and is a frequent contributor to specialist music magazines. Dego has also recently published her first book with Mondadori—Tra le Note. Classica: 24 chiavi di lettura—in which she explores the relevance, application, and deeper understanding of classical music in the modern day. Dego is based in London and plays a rare Francesco Ruggeri violin (Cremona 1697).
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DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 23
A COMMUNI TY-SUPPORTE D ORCHESTRA
JADER BIGNAMINI MUSIC DIRECTOR
DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
JADERDBIGNAMINI, Music Director JADER BIGNAMINI MUSIC DIRECTOR A COMMUNI TY-SUPPORTE ORCHESTRA Music Directorship endowed by the Kresge Foundation
ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ
TERENCE BLANCHARD
TABITA BERGLUND
NA’ZIR MCFADDEN
Principal Pops Conductor Devereaux Family Chair
Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair
Principal Guest Conductor
Assistant Conductor, Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador
WILLIAM DAVIDSON NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT SERIES
Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. at Congregation Shaarey Zedek Friday, January 24, 2025 at 8 p.m. at Plymouth First United Methodist Church Saturday, January 25, 2025 at 8 p.m. at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church Sunday, January 26, 2025 at 3 p.m. at Seligman Performing Arts Center JEANNETTE SORRELL, conductor • HANNAH HAMMEL MASER, flute AMANDA BLAIKE, flute • KIMBERLY KALOYANIDES KENNEDY, violin Georg Philipp Telemann Selections from Don Quixote Suite (1681 - 1767) Johann Sebastian Bach Suite No. 1 in C major for Orchestra, BWV 1066 (1685 - 1750) I. Overture II. Courante III. Gavatte I Gavatte II IV. Forlane V. Menuet I Menuet II VI. Bourrée I Bourrée II VII. Passepied I Passepied II Intermission Johann Sebastian Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major (1685 - 1750) I. Allegro II. Andante III. Presto Hannah Hammel Maser, flute Amanda Blaike, flute Kimberly Kaloyanides Kennedy, violin Georg Philipp Telemann Grillen-Symphonie, TMV 50:1 (1681 - 1767) (Whimsical Symphony) Etwas lebhaft Tändelnd Tändelnd Presto Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741) arr. Jeannette Sorrell
La Folia
Flash photography, extended video recording, tripods, and cameras with detachable lenses are strictly prohibited.
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PROGR AM AT-A-GL ANCE BACH’S COFFEEHOUSE Baroque Brews Like many of us, Bach was rumored to be quite the coffee addict. He spent much of his time at Zimmermann’s Coffeehouse in Leipzig, where he showcased his compositions and those of his close friends. He later assumed directorship of Collegium Musicum, a secular performance ensemble started by Georg Philip Telemann that regularly performed at Zimmermann’s. This program transports us to this quaint Baroque era café for an evening of Bach and his compositional colleagues Telemann and Antonio Vivaldi. From the various dance movements in Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 1 that encourage us to move, to the virtuosic demands of Vivaldi’s La Folia, it is not hard to imagine that caffeine may have been rushing through the veins of these legendary composers while writing these works.
PROGRAM NOTES Selections from Don Quixote Suite Composed ~1720
GEORG PHILIPP TELEMANN B. March 24, 1681, Magdeburg, Germany D. June 25, 1767, Hamburg, Germany
Scored for strings. (Approx. 16 minutes)
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eorg Philipp Telemann was, after Bach and Handel, the most accomplished German musician of his day and produced a vast and varied output. In 1702, he became director of the local opera house in Leipzig and two years later, started a Collegium Musicum with some of his talented university friends in a local coffee house to give concerts of instrumental music. (This endeavor, which Bach took over after he came to Leipzig, was the direct predecessor of the Gewandhaus concerts, thus making it the oldest continuous concert-giving organization in the world.) Also in 1704, Telemann was appointed organist and Kapellmeister of Leipzig’s Neukirche, a job whose requirements forced him to give up singing at the opera house. A year later, Count Erdmann von Promnitz lured Telemann to his estate at Sorau, a hundred miles southeast of Berlin, to become his music master. In 1708 or 1709, Telemann was appointed court composer at Eisenach, Bach’s birthplace, and in 1712, he moved to the post of city music director in Frankfurt-am-Main. dso.org
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Nine years later, he was appointed director of music at Hamburg’s five main churches, a position he retained for the rest of his long life. Well-read and with an extraordinary gift for musical storytelling, Telemann composed his Don Quixote Suite around 1720 as a charming orchestral depiction of Miguel de Cervantes’s legendary protagonist. The suite opens with a formal French-style Baroque overture, and the following movements depict scenes from the adventures of Don Quixote and his squire, Sancho Panza, capturing the imaginative spirit of Cervantes’s timeless tale. This performance marks the DSO premiere of Telemann’s Don Quixote Suite.
Suite No. 1 in C major for Orchestra JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH B. March 31, 1685, Eisenach, Germany D. July 28, 1750, Leipzig, Germany
Scored for 2 oboes, bassoon, continuo, and strings. (Approx. 21 minutes)
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o autographed scores exist for Bach’s four orchestral suites, only copies written out when he was in Leipzig. Nor is there any evidence that the four suites we know were conceived as a unit, like the Brandenburg concertos, since no 18th-century source groups more than three of the four together. Most scholars DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 25
attribute all four to Bach’s Cothen period (1721–23), when he composed the bulk of his instrumental music. But at least one musicologist has tried to make a case for dating the First Suite from the Leipzig period, and another denies the work to Bach altogether, attributing it to Johann Fasch (1688–1758). In the earliest manuscripts, the suite takes its title from the opening movement, Ouverture, which combines features of the Lullian overture and the allemande, traditionally the first dance movement in a suite. In form, this movement follows the Lullian plan, opening with a slow section in dotted rhythm, followed by a fugal section, and a reprise of the opening. In the slow section the following passagework that characterizes the allemande is prominent, and in the fast section there are important concertante sections for the trio of two oboes and bassoon. The Courante that follows was one of the four dances traditionally included in the keyboard suite. Bach’s contemporary Johann Mattheson describes the dance as follows: “The passion or stirring of the soul that is to be presented in the Courante is sweet hope. For yearning and something joyful in this melody; all parts from which hope is compiled.” The Bourre and the Gavotte are French folk dances, the former being quicker and more spirited. The Minuet and the Passepied are likewise related, the latter being a faster version of the former. The name Forlane disguises the Italian origins of the dance originally called forlana, which in its heyday was associated especially with Venice. By the end of the 17th century, it had lost some of its friskiness to become a French court dance; as such it appears here and in the fourth Concert royal of Couperin. This one is an especially telling example of Bach’s ability to derive the maximum effect from the most basic orchestral resources. The oboes in unison have the tune, while the violas and cellos provide a flowing countermelody, and the cellos, basses 26
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and bassoons, anchored at first to the keynote C and its octave, provide rhythmic punctuation. The DSO most recently performed Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 1 in December 1997, conducted by Jaime Laredo. The DSO first performed the piece on tour in Massachusetts in October 1972, conducted by Pierre Hétu.
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH B. March 31, 1685, Eisenach, Germany D. July 28, 1750, Leipzig, Germany
Scored for 2 flutes, continuo, and strings. (Approx. 17 minutes)
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ach learned the art of concerto by transcribing the works of others. Vivaldi was his model, and during Bach’s youth, he arranged several of Vivaldi’s string concertos for organ and harpsichord. In addition to honing his skills as an arranger, these new versions helped him to master the characteristics of the Vivaldi concerto: high energy, a sharp distinction between solo and ensemble, and virtuoso treatment of the solo instrument. So equipped, Bach was ready to compose concertos of his own, the first notable batch of which goes today under the name Brandenburg Concertos. The title is not Bach’s own: In his handwritten dedication to the Margrave of Brandenburg, he called them concertos avec plusieurs instruments —concertos for several instruments. Each has a strikingly different instrumentation, designed to show off the players of the Margrave’s court orchestra, and the traveling virtuosi who frequently called there. The first movement of the Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 is a tour de force of rhythmic vitality, as the violin takes center stage. In the second movement, the violin and flutes engage in an intimate dialogue over a steady bass line, creating an introspective mood. The final movement returns to the festive spirit of the opening, driving the concerto WINTER 2025
to a jubilant conclusion. The DSO most recently performed Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in November 2011, conducted by Leonard Slatkin and featuring flutists Sharon Sparrow and Marina Piccinini, and violinist Hai-Xin Wu. The DSO first performed the piece in October 1965, conducted by Sixten Ehrling and featuring flutists Albert Tipton and Irvin Gilman, and violinist Mischa Mischakoff.
showcasing Telemann’s talent for surprising and delighting listeners. This performance marks the DSO premiere of Telemann’s Grillen-Symphonie (Whimsical Symphony).
Grillen-Symphonie (Whimsical Symphony)
B. 1965, San Francisco, California
GEORG PHILIPP TELEMANN B. March 24, 1681, Magdeburg, Germany D. June 25, 1767, Hamburg, Germany
Scored for flute, piccolo, oboe, clarinet, harpsichord, and strings. (Approx. 9 minutes)
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elemann’s music was well suited to the galant, mid-18th century German taste. Combining the lyricism of Italian opera, the grandeur of French dance music and the harmonic invention of the German instrumentalists, Telemann’s work was so highly prized that he could boast of subscribers for his publications as far distant as Spain and Russia. His creative output includes at least forty operas, a dozen full series of cantatas and motets for the liturgical year (perhaps 3,000 individual items), 44 Passions and other sacred works, as many as 1,000 Ouvertures (instrumental suites), hundreds of concertos, and an immense flotilla of miscellaneous chamber, keyboard, and vocal works. His Grillen-Symphonie, oftentimes referred to as the Whimsical Symphony, or sometimes Cricket Symphony (as it evokes the sounds of crickets chirping), is an exercise in originality and wit. On the manuscript, Telemann jokingly noted that the work was “‘in the Italian, English, Scottish, and Polish styles.’’ With unusual instrumentation, the work integrates unexpected twists, contrasting moods, and amusing exchanges between strings and woodwinds,
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La Folia ANTONIO VIVALDI B. March 4, 1678, Venice, Italy D. July 28, 1741 (age 63 years), Vienna, Austria
ARR. JEANNETTE SORRELL Scored for keyboard and strings. (Approx. 9 minutes)
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f the many composers who helped bring the Italian Baroque style to its zenith at the beginning of the 18th century, Antonio Vivaldi was probably the most creative. Like J.S. Bach, Vivaldi directed his energies toward perfecting existing forms rather than inventing new ones. He standardized some of the characteristics we associate with the concerto genre—for example, he regularly composed concertos with fast outer movements and a slower central one. And he is popular among opera fans for groundbreaking Italian operas like L’Olimpiade and Armida al campo d’Egitto. Vivaldi’s influence is so vast because he created a new musical language. His trademarks include simple effects with hidden strength, driving rhythms, bold melodic contours, unusual colors, and unprecedented solo virtuosity in his concertos’ fast movements. Vivaldi’s works not only changed form, procedure, and technique, but they contributed immeasurably to the development of musical thinking. The Folia melody, originating as a Portuguese dance in the late 15th century, became a popular framework for Baroque composers including Vivaldi and Corelli to showcase their creativity. Vivaldi’s take is a thrilling display of virtuosity and expressiveness. The work unfolds in a DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 27
series of variations that alternate between fiery brilliance and lyrical elegance. Centered on the theme’s recognizable structure, the violins engage
in dazzling interplay and passages of rapid scales and intricate ornamentation create an exhilarating sense of tension and release.
PROFILE JEANNETTE SORRELL
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rammy®-winning conductor Jeannette Sorrell is recognized internationally as one of today’s most compelling interpreters of Baroque and Classical repertoire. She is the subject of the documentary by Oscar-winning director Allan Miller, titled PLAYING WITH FIRE: Jeannette Sorrell and the Mysteries of Conducting, commercially released in 2023. Bridging the period-instrument and symphonic worlds from a young age, Sorrell studied conducting under Leonard Bernstein, Roger Norrington, and Robert Spano at the Tanglewood and Aspen music festivals. As a harpsichordist, she studied with Gustav Leonhardt in Amsterdam and won First Prize and the Audience Choice Award in the Spivey International Harpsichord Competition. As a guest conductor, Sorrell has led prominent orchestras around the world and has attracted national awards for her creative programming and her “storytelling” approach to early music, which has attracted many new listeners to the genre. As the founder and artistic director of Apollo’s Fire, Sorrell has led the renowned period ensemble in sold-out concerts at venues across North America and Europe. At home in Cleveland, she and Apollo’s Fire have built one of the largest audiences of any Baroque orchestra in North America and have surpassed more than 17 million views on YouTube. Sorrell holds an Artist Diploma from Oberlin Conservatory, an honorary doctorate from Case Western University and an award from the American Musicological Society. Passionate 28
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about guiding the next generation of performers, Sorrell is the architect of Apollo’s Fire’s Young Artist Fellowship program, which has produced many of the nation’s leading young professional baroque players.
HANNAH HAMMEL MASER
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annah Hammel Maser joined the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as Principal Flute in January 2020. Before joining the DSO, Maser held the position of Principal Flute of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra from 2017 to 2019. An active chamber musician, she frequently curates and performs recitals with her DSO colleagues and has performed with chamber music organizations including Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings and New Music Detroit. As an orchestral musician, Maser has performed as a guest with prominent orchestras and festivals across the country. A sought-after educator and orchestral excerpt coach, Maser maintains an active private studio, joined the Flute Faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2024, and served as acting Assistant Professor of Flute at Michigan State University in 2023. Maser has been featured as a soloist with the DSO on numerous occasions, and as a student, won first prize in the National Flute Association’s Young Artist Competition, with special distinction given for the Best Performance of the Newly Commissioned Piece, and the Orchestral Excerpt & Masterclass Competition. She is the only flutist in NFA history to have won all three honors. WINTER 2025
A native of Richmond, Virginia, Maser holds a Bachelor of Music in flute performance and a minor in music theory from the Oberlin Conservatory and a Master of Music in flute performance from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. Maser plays on an 18K gold Muramatsu flute and a Keefe piccolo.
AMANDA BLAIKIE
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manda Blaikie is known for her sparkling tone and sensitive, expressive musicality. She was appointed Second Flute of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra by Leonard Slatkin in 2015, previously holding the position of Principal Flute with the Detroit Opera orchestra and the Sarasota Opera. Other orchestral appointments include Principal Flute with the Miami City Ballet and the Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed extensively with the New York Philharmonic, including for a Live from Lincoln Center television broadcast, Carnegie Hall performances, and a European tour. Blaikie regularly performs chamber music with organizations including Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings, Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, New Music Detroit, Cut-Time Players, and the WRCJ Classical Brunch Series. Her highlights as a soloist include performing concertos with the Allegro Chamber Orchestra, a solo performance at Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall, and numerous solo performances at the 2018 National Flute Association Convention in Orlando. Blaikie earned a Professional Studies Certificate from the Manhattan School of Music, a Master in Music in flute performance from the University of Miami, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Principia College. A passionate music educator, Blaikie is an Applied Instructor of Flute at Oakland dso.org
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University and is actively involved in the DSO’s community and educational outreach programs.
KIMBERLY KALOYANIDES KENNEDY
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imberly Kaloyanides Kennedy won her coveted position as a violinist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra at the age of 22. Kennedy further realized her dream in 2003 when she became Associate Concertmaster (Schwartz and Shapero Family Chair). Kennedy pursued studies at Brevard Music Center and Interlochen Arts Camp as the Governor’s Scholar for the state of Ohio. She continued her studies at the Sarasota Music Festival; spent four summers at the Aspen Music Festival on Fellowship, as Associate Concertmaster of the Chamber Orchestra; spent three years at the Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, Florida; and finally landed at the University of Michigan with Paul Kantor. It was halfway through her senior year at Michigan in 1998 that her hard work paid off, joining the first violin section of the DSO. Throughout her training, she won several prizes in competitions around the country, including the Grand Prize in the National MTNA competition and First Prize in the Greek Women’s National Competition in Chicago; the Skokie Valley Concerto Competition; the University of Michigan Concerto Competition; and the Harid Conservatory Concerto Competition. Kennedy was one of the few Americans invited to the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis in 1998. She solos regularly with the DSO. Kennedy and her husband Bryan Kennedy, who previously served in the DSO’s horn section, are strongly committed to this orchestra and to this region, working diligently to ensure that it remains internationally renowned and artistically revered. DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 29
A COMMUNI TY-SUPPORTE D ORCHESTRA
JADER BIGNAMINI MUSIC DIRECTOR
DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
JADERDBIGNAMINI, Music Director JADER BIGNAMINI MUSIC DIRECTOR A COMMUNI TY-SUPPORTE ORCHESTRA Music Directorship endowed by the Kresge Foundation
ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ
TERENCE BLANCHARD
TABITA BERGLUND
NA’ZIR MCFADDEN
Principal Pops Conductor Devereaux Family Chair
Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair
Principal Guest Conductor
Assistant Conductor, Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador
PVS CLASSICAL SERIES Title Sponsor:
PRICE & PROKOFIEV Friday, January 31, 2025 at 10:45 a.m. Saturday, February 1, 2025 at 8 p.m. Sunday, February 2, 2025 at 3 p.m. in Orchestra Hall CHRISTIAN REIF, conductor RANDALL GOOSBY, violin Florence Price Violin Concerto No. 2 (1887 - 1953) Randall Goosby, violin Adoration Jimmy López Symphony No. 5: Fantastica (b. 1978) (DSO Co-Commission) The Book of Books Atreyu’s Great Quest Moon Child Bastian The Savior AURYN Intermission Anatol Lyadov (1855 - 1914)
The Enchanted Lake, Op. 62
Sergei Prokofiev Symphony No. 7 in C-sharp minor, Op. 131 (1891 - 1953) Moderato Allegretto Andante espressivo Vivace
Saturday’s performance will be webcast via our exclusive Live from Orchestra Hall series, presented by Ford Philanthropy. Technology support comes from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Flash photography, extended video recording, tripods, and cameras with detachable lenses are strictly prohibited.
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PROGR AM AT-A-GL ANCE | PRICE & PROKOFIE V Tales from the Orchestra Music’s ability to tell impactful stories without using words is the defining feature of this program. In Symphony No. 5: Fantastica, a DSO co-commission by Jimmy López, the composer sonically depicts the experiences of the protagonists of Michael Ende’s novel The Neverending Story. The next two pieces by Florence Price are infused with the stories that shaped her upbringing and culture as she seamlessly blends folk traditions and African American spirituals into classical forms. After intermission, we take a dip in Anatoly Lyadov’s Enchanted Lake. Instead of telling us a story, Lyadov creates a setting for us to imagine our own tales of enchantment. The program concludes with Sergei Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 7. His final symphony, this work shares the story of a composer striving to stay true to himself while being influenced by colleagues and political pressures. While these works are intricate and complex, they share stories that will resonate with all of us within the walls of Orchestra Hall.
PROGRAM NOTES Violin Concerto No. 2 Composed 1952
FLORENCE PRICE B. April 9, 1887, Little Rock, Arkansas D. June 3, 1953, Chicago, Illinois
Scored for solo violin, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, celeste, and strings. (Approx. 14 minutes)
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lorence Beatrice (Smith) Price was the most widely known African American female composer from the 1930s until her death in 1953. She was also the first Black female composer to have a symphony performed by a major American orchestra: her Symphony No. 1 in E minor, premiered by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on June 15, 1933. The premiere brought instant recognition and accolades to Price, yet much of her music eventually fell into neglect due to “a dangerous mélange of segregation, Jim Crow laws, entrenched racism, and sexism.” (Women’s Voices for Change, 2013). Price’s compositions reflect a romantic nationalist style, while incorporating African American musical forms. Price composed her second violin concerto just one year before her untimely death at age 66. The manuscript was never published and was considered lost dso.org
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after her daughter died in 1975. It wasn’t until a 2009 renovation of the home that Price once owned in St. Anne, Illinois that the work was rediscovered, and finally received long overdue attention. Throughout the concerto, the music is reminiscent of 1930s American violin concertos by Samuel Barber and Erich Korngold. The piece begins with a sober orchestral introduction, pausing for a beat to let the solo violin make its honeyed, serpentine entrance. The piece’s breezy melodic theme and dotted rhythm propels the music forward. This performance marks the DSO premiere of Florence Price’s Violin Concerto No. 2.
Adoration Composed 1951
FLORENCE PRICE B. April 9, 1887, Little Rock, Arkansas D. June 3, 1953, Chicago, Illinois
Scored for strings. (Approx. 4 minutes) riginally composed for organ, Price’s Adoration is among her most wellknown pieces and was among the works discovered in the 2009 renovation of her Illinois home. This piece is a testament to her early musical career playing organ in various churches and theatres to make a living in the 1930s. Scored for string orchestra, this is a work of deep devotion and sincerity, simple yet beautiful. This performance marks the DSO premiere of Florence Price’s Adoration.
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Symphony No. 5: Fantastica Composed 2024 | DSO Co-Commission
JIMMY LÓPEZ B. 1978, Lima, Peru
Scored for 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo), 2 oboes (one doubling English horn), 2 clarinets (one doubling E-flat clarinet), 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, and strings. (Approx. 25 minutes)
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f Symphony No. 5: Fantastica, Jimmy López writes the following: “There is something truly special about Michael Ende’s 1979 novel The Neverending Story, something that I can’t quite pinpoint, even after having written a whole symphony inspired by it. Perhaps, like all great masterworks, it refuses to give away all its mysteries at once, therefore begging for repeated readings—just like the great masterpieces of music require repeated listening, over decades and centuries, to be fully understood. Across its many chapters one is met with oracles, centaurs, flying dragons, and a host of fantastical creatures that seem to pour incessantly from an endless fountain of creativity. Much is demanded from the reader, for one cannot sit on the sidelines while our main protagonist, Bastian, is inevitably drawn to this magical world not by his own will, but by the irresistible and magnetic power of Fantastica, a realm where everything that the mind can conjure up seems possible. By the time I had reached the middle of the book, I felt as if the walls between reality and fiction had been completely obliterated, and I found myself questioning whether I was also a part of this story, and whether Ende had found a way for our minds to move across dimensions in ways that our bodies are not yet capable of. The music flowed. It flowed from within me and beyond me. There were times it 32
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felt as if I was taking dictation rather than composing, where I felt like a mere scribe rather than the author of the music. The characters lived and thrived within me and each one of them seemed to claim their own musical realm. I opted to remain still and listen to them. This is how the music was born, or at least this is how writing this symphony felt from the very first bar. Divided into five movements, this symphony is an adventure on its own. Rather than narrating the events in detail, I have chosen to follow the grand arch of the novel and focus on its main protagonists. The Book of Books presents us with a disheveled Bastian, rushing into Mr. Coreander’s bookshop and discovering The Neverending Story its cover adorned with an intriguing seal named AURYN. The score is peppered with lightning-quick scales on woodwinds and harp, piercing pizzicati on strings, and percussion effects that include the use of paper, but this movement also contains thematic clues to all the other movements; something that can only be caught after repeated listening. At the beginning of the book we are met with a mysterious force called The Nothing, which is slowly consuming Fantastica, and a terribly ill Childlike Empress whose destiny is so intertwined with that of her subjects that her death would mean the end of Fantastica as well. Atreyu’s Great Quest, takes us on Atreyu’s impossible task of finding a cure for the Childlike Empress. For his protection, the Empress bestows Atreyu, a boy warrior, with AURYN, a most powerful amulet that is capable of protecting from any and all harm. Atreyu valiantly takes on this task, first with his beloved horse Artax, and later with Falkor, a flying luckdragon. The movement opens with a hunting call by the horns, which later join a galloping string section. The brass lead the way throughout this movement, symbolizing grit and relentless power. In Moon Child, we enter the ethereal world of the Childlike Empress and her WINTER 2025
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Classical Guitarist Adam Levin and Mandolinist Yaki Reuven Most Holy Trinity Church, Corktown 3 p.m.
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magnificent Ivory Tower. A trio of vibraphone, harp and glockenspiel create a fragile atmosphere that transports us to her enigmatic world. It is at this point that the Childlike Empress tears down the walls between dimensions and asks Bastian—who all this time has been reading the book at his school’s attic—to give her a new name, for that is the only way in which Fantastica can be saved. Unlike Atreyu, Bastian is not known for his boldness nor bravery, and only at the very last minute does he finally manage to gather the courage to give the Empress a new name: Moon Child. By then, however, Fantastica has been almost completely consumed by The Nothing and reduced to a single grain of sand. Not all is lost though, because, as the Moon Child tells Bastian, Fantastica can rise again through him and his imagination. The rebirth of Fantastica is portrayed in this movement through a grand orchestral tutti that grows all the way from a simple melody on solo cello and bassoon. dso.org
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11/19/24 10:38 AM
Bastian the Savior is the most substantial movement of the symphony, and it tells of Bastian’s adventures within Fantastica, after he decides to leave the real world and enter the book for good. In Fantastica he is regarded as a great savior, but over time he begins to lose his memories and forget that he was once human. Bastian becomes corrupt and arrogant, making inappropriate use of AURYN (which is now in his hands) to create dangers and creatures for him to vanquish and therefore boast of his conquests. This brings great imbalance to Fantastica, but through Atreyu’s insistence, Bastian is persuaded to repent by understanding the true power of love. Gritty, insidious, and at times ferocious, the music in this movement takes us through all the different stages of Bastian’s decadence and ultimate redemption. The last movement takes us to the most beautiful and powerful moment of this story. In it, I quote all the previous themes, DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 33
creating a cumulative effect that brings both: thematic cohesiveness and emotional catharsis. Replete with symbolism, Ende has his characters enter the AURYN. Bastian, Atreyu and Falkor, all step in it and find the Water of Life, from which Bastian drinks. Bastian regains his memories, returns to the world of humans, and reconciles with his father, who until then had been neglecting him after losing his wife. Bastian then discovers that he has brought the Water of Life with him from Fantastica, manifested in his father’s tears of love and joy. I am incredibly grateful to my dear friend, Christian Reif, for asking me to write this piece, and for introducing me to this unique novel. Like many, I had only known The Neverending Story through the 1984 motion picture, but reading the book was a completely different, almost mystical experience. Known mostly as a novel for children of all ages, I am convinced that any adult will find this book deeply satisfying, as it has layer upon layer of metaphor and symbolism that could have only been conceived by an illuminated mind. With this knowledge, I also tasked myself with creating a work that could appeal to all audiences, but which could be especially enticing to children, teenagers, and young adults. This is why I don’t shy away from using an arsenal of stylistic tools that feed off musical worlds as contrasting as contemporary, post romantic, film, and video game. Symphony No. 5: Fantastica was co-commissioned by Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Gävle Symphony Orchestra, and Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz. It is dedicated to Christian Reif and to his son, John Lukas. Christian’s devotion and love for John Lukas have been a guiding light while writing this work.” This performance marks the DSO premiere of Jimmy López’s Symphony No. 5: Fantastica.
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The Enchanted Lake, Op. 62 Composed | Premiered
ANATOLY LYADOV B. May 12, 1855, Saint Petersburg, Russia D. August 28, 1914, Borovichi, Russia
Scored for 3 flutes, 2 oboes, 3 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, timpani, percussion, harp, celeste, and strings. (Approx. 7 minutes)
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y most standards— including his own—Anatoly Lyadov would be considered a minor composer. He was notoriously lazy, rarely tackling anything as demanding as an opera or a symphony, and a persistent self-consciousness further impeded his ability to get work done. But his talent was anything but minor; as one critic writes, “He has every conceivable gift: a marvelous technique, originality, a genuine poetic fancy.” And yet, the same author continues, “all he gives us, year in and year out, is about 10 pages of music, sometimes less.” Born into a family of prominent musicians (his father was a chief conductor at the famous Maryinsky Theater), Lyadov attended the St. Petersburg Conservatory and was swooped into an influential group of composers that included RimskyKorsakov, Borodin, and Mussorgsky. He is primarily celebrated as a composer of miniatures—works that are small in scale but immaculately crafted, not unlike a dazzling piece of custom jewelry. The Enchanted Lake is a colorful atmospheric fantasy that envelops the listener in a portrait of moonlit stillness. It is based on a fairy tale, one of Lyadov’s preferred points of inspiration, and refers to an actual lake (called Lake Limen) just south of St. Petersburg. The composer employs a gentle, shimmering orchestration, mainly in the winds and strings; very slow changes of harmony; and short, repeated motives that call to mind the reflections one might see in a lake. The WINTER 2025
piece became Lyadov’s favorite: “How picturesque it is, how clear the multitude of stars hovering over the mysteries of the deep,” he writes. “One must feel the change of the colors, the incessantly changeable stillness and seeming immobility.” The DSO most recently performed Lyadov’s The Enchanted Lake in November 2017, conducted by Juraj Valčuha. The DSO first performed the piece in February 1928, conducted by Victor Kolar.
Symphony No. 7, Op. 131 Composed 1952 | Premiered 1952
SERGEI PROKOFIEV B. April 23, Sontzovska D. March 7, 1953, Moscow, Russia
Scored for 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, piano, and strings. (Approx. 31 minutes)
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rokofiev had seen an about-turn in critical opinion on his Sixth Symphony, the premiere of which, in October 1947, came just months before the political crackdown on Soviet artists. It was another four years until he broached the idea of yet another symphony, and his first comments to the press in 1951 about what would become his Seventh suggested that it would be extraordinarily simple, intended for young listeners. By March 1952, he had finished the piano score; he relied on the pianist Anatoly Vedernikov to prepare the orchestral score from his detailed sketches of instrumentation. At the same time, Vedernikov made a four-hands piano version, which he played for the members of the Composers Union. Those who heard it were pleased, but Prokofiev, too ill to attend this private performance, was still worried. “But isn’t the music too simple?” he asked. He had a chance to decide for himself when he dso.org
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attended the official premiere in October. This was the last public performance of his music he would ever attend. The music is simple, a trait that some Western critics ascribed to the composer’s failing health and the political pressures on him. The British critic and composer Robert Layton is one of those who have found words of praise for it: “This immensely likable symphony, for all its shortcomings, shows that even at his weakest…Prokofiev’s was a mind so musical, so fertile, interesting, and spontaneous that he never lost his power to fascinate.” He relied very little on orchestral color, which he had previously deployed with great skill, though sometimes with a heavy hand. The instrumentation is comparatively light in the Seventh Symphony, and rarely does the entire ensemble play together. . The opening movement develops two themes, the first a shy one that slips in on the offbeat, the second more extroverted and wider ranging. His instinctive feel for the dance surfaces in the second movement, whose waltz theme enters only after a considerable buildup by the orchestra. For a moment, we glimpse the bygone world of Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet, and years melt away from the composer’s face. The passions of the slow movement are kept carefully damped, and even the finale is uncharacteristically sober. For just a moment, he casts a glance backward here, recalling the full breathed second theme from the opening movement. Is it too fanciful to imagine that he was taking a last look back, not only at this work, but at a lifetime? Five months later, he drew his last breath, unaware that three hours later, his old tormentor, Stalin, would follow him to the grave. The DSO most recently performed Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 7 in April 1997, conducted by Neeme Järvi. The DSO first performed the piece in November 1967, conducted by Sixten Ehrling. DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 35
PROFILES CHRISTIAN REIF
RANDALL GOOSBY
hief Conductor of the Gävle Symphony Orchestra, Grammy® Award-winning artist Christian Reif has established a reputation for his natural musicality, innovative programming, and technical command. Since 2022, Reif has served as Music Director of the Lakes Area Music Festival, a month-long summer festival in Minnesota featuring the nation’s top classical performers. Highlights of Reif’s 2024–25 season include debut performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Phoenix Symphony, Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, SWR Symphony Orchestra, and Royal Northern Sinfonia. He led the Cincinnati Symphony in the world premiere of Symphony No. 5: Fantastica, a newly commissioned work by composer Jimmy López dedicated to Reif based on The Neverending Story. He conducts his own arrangement of John Adams’s El Niño with the Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Gävle Symphony, and the American Modern Opera Company in December 2024. Reif and his wife, soprano Julia Bullock, also bring Bullock’s original program History’s Persistent Voice to performances at Lincoln Center and Yale University’s Schwarzman Center in February 2025. Reif enjoys conducting opera and has led productions including The Merry Wives of Windsor with Juilliard Opera, Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci with Opera San Jose, and Ariadne auf Naxos and The Rake’s Progress with the Lakes Area Music Festival. In 2024, Reif won a Grammy® for the Nonesuch Records album Walking in the Dark, Bullock’s debut solo album on which Reif accompanied her on piano and led London’s Philharmonia Orchestra.
igned exclusively to Decca Classics in 2020 at the age of 24, American violinist Randall Goosby is acclaimed for the sensitivity and intensity of his musicianship alongside his determination to make music more inclusive and accessible, as well as bringing the music of underrepresented composers to light. In spring 2023, Goosby’s debut concerto album was released for Decca Classics together with Yannick NézetSéguin and The Philadelphia Orchestra performing the violin concertos by Max Bruch and Florence Price. Highlights of Goosby’s 2024–25 season include debut performances with the Chicago Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, and return engagements with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and others. Goosby was First Prize Winner in the 2018 Young Concert Artists International Auditions. In 2019, he was named the inaugural Robey Artist by Young Classical Artists Trust in partnership with Music Masters in London; and in 2020 he became an Ambassador for Music Masters, a role that sees him mentoring and inspiring students in schools around the United Kingdom. In 2010, he won first prize of the Sphinx Concerto Competition. Goosby made his debut with the Jacksonville Symphony at age nine and with the New York Philharmonic on a Young People’s Concert at age 13. A former student of Itzhak Perlman and Catherine Cho, he received his bachelor’s, master’s, and artist diploma degrees from The Juilliard School. He plays the Antonio Stradivarius, Cremona, “ex-Strauss,” 1708 on generous loan from Samsung Foundation of Culture.
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A COMMUNI TY-SUPPORTE D ORCHESTRA
JADER BIGNAMINI MUSIC DIRECTOR
DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
This performance marks the DSO premiere of Vivaldi’s La Folia. JADERDBIGNAMINI, Music Director JADER BIGNAMINI MUSIC DIRECTOR A COMMUNI TY-SUPPORTE ORCHESTRA Music Directorship endowed by the Kresge Foundation
ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ
TERENCE BLANCHARD
TABITA BERGLUND
NA’ZIR MCFADDEN
Principal Pops Conductor
Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair
Principal Guest Conductor
Assistant Conductor, Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador
PARADISE JAZZ SERIES TERENCE BLANCHARD: A TALE OF GOD’S WILL Friday, January 31, 2025 at 8 p.m. in Orchestra Hall
THE E-COLLECTIVE TERENCE BLANCHARD, composer and trumpeter CHARLES ALTURA, guitar TAYLOR EIGSTI, keyboards DAVID GINYARD JR., bass OSCAR SEATON, drums TURTLE ISLAND QUARTET DAVID BALAKRISHNAN, violin GABRIEL TERRACCIANO, violin BENJAMIN VON GUTZEIT, viola NASEEM ALATRASH, cello
Program to be announced from the stage, artists subject to change
MADE POSSIBLE WITH SUPPORT FROM DownBeat magazine
Flash photography, extended video recording, tripods, and cameras with detachable lenses are strictly prohibited.
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DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 37
PROGR AM AT-A-GL ANCE | TERRENCE BL ANCHARD: A TALE OF GOD’S WILL A Force of Nature Terence Blanchard, DSO’s Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair, creates vivid musical tapestries by weaving cultural, political, social, and personal themes together with jazz, blues, classical, and film music threads. In his Grammy Awardwinning work, A Tale of God’s Will: A Requiem for Katrina, he sheds light on how Hurricane Katrina did more than just cause physical destruction of the land. Katrina exposed racial and economic inequalities, caused lasting trauma and loss of life, displaced more than one million people, and unveiled a concerning lack of preparedness. New Orleans has become a symbol of resilience in the aftermath, fortified by a spirit rich in tradition and culture. Big Easy born, Blanchard is a testament to this resilience, and uses this work to showcase profound stories of perseverance.
A TALE OF GOD’S WILL: A REQUIEM FOR KATRINA
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n the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans native son Terence Blanchard created an impassioned, Grammy®-Award winning work— A Tale of God’s Will: A Requiem for Katrina. This adaptation of the evening-length emotional tour-de-force of anger, rage, compassion, melancholy, and beauty features Blanchard’s The E-Collective, as well as the Turtle Island Quartet. An important jumpstart for A Tale of God’s Will was director Spike Lee’s decision to document the aftermath of Katrina on film, in what turned out to be the award-winning HBO documentary, When
the Levees Broke. Lee, who has enlisted Blanchard on numerous occasions to score his films, including Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X, and Inside Man, tapped him once again for his documentary. Four of the tracks from the documentary were given new arrangements and expanded, rounding out a work consisting of nine new pieces inspired by New Orleans during and after Hurricane Katrina. Following high praise at Blanchard’s sold out two-night career retrospective at Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center in March 2024, this 9-piece ensemble tours what has become widely known as one of this composer and bandleader’s seminal artistic works.
LIVE FROM ORCHESTRA HALL Enjoy the DSO from anywhere with Live from Orchestra Hall! View free, live webcasts of PVS Classical Series and Classroom Edition performances, plus Civic Youth Ensembles presentations.
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PROFILES For Terence Blanchard biography, see page 7.
TURTLE ISLAND QUARTET
S
ince its inception in 1985, the Turtle Island Quartet (TIQ) has been a singular force in the creation of bold, new trends in chamber music for strings. Winner of the 2006 and 2008 Grammy Awards® for Best Classical Crossover Album, Turtle Island fuses the classical quartet esthetic with contemporary American musical styles, and by devising a performance practice that honors both, the state of the art has inevitably been redefined. Cellist nonpareil Yo-Yo Ma has proclaimed TIQ to be “a unified voice that truly breaks new ground—authentic and passionate—a reflection of some of the most creative music-making today.” The Quartet’s birth was the result of violinist David Balakrishnan’s brainstorming explorations and compositional vision while completing his master’s degree program at Antioch University West. The journey has taken Turtle Island through forays into folk, bluegrass, swing, be-bop, funk, R&B, new age, rock, and hip-hop, as well as music of Latin America and India—a repertoire consisting of hundreds of ingenious arrangements and originals. It has included over a dozen recordings on labels such as Windham Hill, Chandos, Koch, Telarc, and Azica; soundtracks for major motion pictures, TV and radio credits such as The Today Show, All Things Considered, A Prairie Home Companion,
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and Morning Edition; feature articles in People and Newsweek magazines; and collaborations with famed artists including trumpeter Terence Blanchard, clarinetist Paquito D’Rivera, vibraphonist Stefon Harris, guitar legends Leo Kottke and the Assad brothers, The Manhattan Transfer, pianists Billy Taylor, Kenny Barron, Cyrus Chestnut, and Ramsey Lewis, singers Tierney Sutton and Nellie McKay, the Ying Quartet, and the Parsons and Luna Negra dance companies. Another unique element of Turtle Island is their revival of venerable improvisational and compositional chamber traditions that have not been explored by string players for nearly 200 years. At the time of Haydn’s apocryphal creation of the string quartet form, musicians were more akin to today’s saxophonists and keyboard masters of the jazz and pop world, i.e., improvisers, composers, and arrangers. Each Turtle Island member is accomplished in these areas of expertise. As Turtle Island members continue to refine their skills through the development of repertory by some of today’s cutting-edge composers, performances and recordings with major symphonic ensembles, and a determined educational commitment, the Turtle Island Quartet stakes its claim as the quintessential “New World” string quartet of the 21st century.
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The Fine Instrument Collection of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra The Larson Piano, a Steinway Model D Concert Grand Piano, handmade in the New York Steinway Factory. Currently played by guest pianists. Contributed to the DSO in 2023 by Bonnie Larson. David Tecchler cello, made in 1711 referred to as “The Bedetti” after a previous owner (Dominicus Montagna 1711). Currently played by Wei Yu, DSO Principal Cello. Contributed to the DSO in 2018 by Floy and Lee Barthel. J.B. Guadagnini viola, made in 1757 (Joannes Baptifta Guadagnini Pia centinus fecit Mediolani 1757). Currently played by Eric Nowlin, DSO Principal Viola. Contributed to the DSO in 2019 by donors who wish to remain anonymous.
Learn more at dso.org
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THE ANNUAL FUND
Gifts received between September 1, 2023 and August 31, 2024.
The DSO is proudly a community-supported orchestra and over 500,000 people engage with music through the DSO each year. Your gift is an investment in providing this community with music we can feel and the future of arts in Detroit, whether a first-time patron or lifelong subscriber. From our leadership donors of the Gabrilowitsch Society, to our vital Governing Members, to the thousands of Friends who support the DSO each year, all donations are essential in ensuring that memorable music experiences thrive in our community for years to come. We extend special recognition to the following donors who contributed $1,500 or more to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Annual Fund between September 1, 2023, and August 31, 2024. If you have questions about this roster, or would like to make a donation, please contact 313.576.5114 or go visit dso.org/donate.
GIVING OF $250,000 & MORE Penny & Harold Blumenstein Julie & Peter Cummings Ms. Leslie C. Devereaux ◊ Linda Dresner & Ed Levy, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Frankel
Mary Lee Gwizdala Mr. & Mrs. Peter Karmanos, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. James B. Nicholson Mr. & Mrs. David Provost Barbara C. Van Dusen
GIVING OF $100,000 & MORE Mr. & Mrs.◊ Richard L. Alonzo James & Patricia Anderson Mr. & Mrs. Raymond M. Cracchiolo Joanne Danto & Arnold Weingarden Mr. & Mrs. Phillip Wm. Fisher
The Polk Family Bernard & Eleanor Robertson Drs. David & Bernadine Wu Paul & Terese Zlotoff
GIVING OF $50,000 & MORE Nicole & Matt Lester David & Valerie McCammon Mr. & Mrs. Eugene A. Miller Patricia & Henry Nickol◊ Mr. & Mrs. Arn Tellem
Ms. Karol Foss Mr. & Mrs. Aaron Frankel Mr. & Mrs. Ralph J. Gerson Mary Ann & Robert Gorlin Ric & Carola Huttenlocher Mrs. Bonnie Larson
GIVING OF $25,000 & MORE Ms. Sharon Backstrom Mrs. Cecilia Benner Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Brownell Mrs. Marjory Epstein Mr. Michael J. Fisher Madeline & Sidney Forbes Mr. & Mrs. Edsel B. Ford II/Henry Ford II Fund Mrs. Martha Ford Dale & Bruce Frankel Mr. & Mrs. James Grosfeld Ronald M. & Carol+ Horwitz Mr.+ & Mrs. Norman D. Katz Mr. Alan J. & Mrs. Sue Kaufman Morgan & Danny Kaufman dso.org
#IAMDSO
Xavier & Maeva Mosquet Mr. David Nicholson Ms. Ruth Rattner Martie & Bob Sachs Laura & Jimmy Sherman Mr. & Mrs. Larry Sherman Richard Sonenklar & Gregory Haynes Philanthropic Fund Dr. Doris Tong & Dr. Teck M. Soo Mr. & Mrs. Gary Torgow Peter & Carol Walters S. Evan & Gwen Weiner Wolverine Packing Company And one who wishes to remain anonymous ◊
Deceased
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GABRILOWITSCH SOCIETY - GIVING OF $10,000 & MORE Mr. & Mrs. Robert A. Allesee ◊ Diane Allmen Dr. Lourdes V. Andaya Janet & Norman Ankers Pamela Applebaum Drs. Brian & Elizabeth Bachynski Drs. John◊ & Janice Bernick Gwen & Richard Bowlby Michael & Geraldine Buckles Ms. Elena Centeio Thomas W. Cook & Marie L. Masters Mr. Kevin S. Dennis & Mr. Jeremy J. Zeltzer Adel & Walter Dissett Mr. Charles L. Dunlap & Mr. Lee V. Hart Margie Dunn & Mark Davidoff Dr. & Mrs. A. Bradley Eisenbrey Margo & Jim Farber Sally & Michael Feder Amanda Fisher Dr. Saul & Mrs. Helen Forman Barbara Frankel◊ & Ronald Michalak Herman & Sharon Frankel Lynn & Bharat Gandhi Girolami Family Charitable Trust◊ Dr. Robert T. Goldman Mr.◊ & Mrs. James A. Green
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Hage Judy◊ & Kenneth Hale Michael E. Hinsky & Tyrus N. Curtis Mr.◊ & Mrs. Norman H. Hofley Ms. Nicole Holmes Ms. Carole Ilitch Renato & Elizabeth Jamett Mr. & Mrs. Richard J. Jessup William & Story John Lenard & Connie Johnston Paul & Marietta Joliat Betsy & Joel Kellman Dr. David & Mrs. Elizabeth Kessel Mr. & Mrs. Kosch LeFevre Family Bud & Nancy Liebler Mr. & Mrs.◊ Joseph Lile Dana Locniskar & Christine Beck Dr. Stephen & Paulette Mancuso Ms. Deborah Miesel Dr. Robert & Dr. Mary Mobley Cyril Moscow Geoffrey S. Nathan & Margaret E. Winters◊ David Robert◊ & Sylvia Jean Nelson Eric & Paula Nemeth Jim & Mary Beth Nicholson
Gloria & Stanley Nycek George & Jo Elyn Nyman Debra & Richard Partrich Kathryn & Roger Penske Dr. Glenda D. Price Dr. Heather Richter Dr. Erik Rönmark* & Mrs. Adrienne Rönmark* Mr. Ronald Ross & Ms. Alice Brody Peggy & Dr. Mark B. Saffer Elaine & Michael Serling Lois & Mark Shaevsky Mrs. Sharon Shumaker Mr. Norman Silk & Mr. Dale Morgan Mr. Steven Smith Charlie & John Solecki Mr. & Mrs. John Stroh III Emily & Paul Tobias Ms. Marie Vanerian Mr. James G. Vella Mr.◊ & Mrs. Jonathan T. Walton Mr. & Mrs. R. Jamison Williams Ms. Mary Wilson And three who wish to remain anonymous
Sandra & Paul Butler Dr. & Mrs. Roger C. Byrd Richard Caldarazzo & Eileen Weiser Mr. & Mrs. Brian C. Campbell Philip & Carol Campbell Mrs. Carolyn Carr Mr.◊ & Mrs. François Castaing Dr. Carol S. Chadwick & Mr. H. Taylor Burleson Dr. Betty Chu Mr. Fred J. Chynchuk Dr. & Mrs. Charles G. Colombo Dr. & Mrs. Bryan & Phyllis Cornwall Ms. Elizabeth Correa Mr.◊ & Mrs. Gary L. Cowger Mr. & Mrs. Matthew P. Cullen Dr. Edward & Mrs. Jamie Dabrowski Deborah & Stephen D’Arcy Fund Maureen T. D’Avanzo Lillian & Walter Dean Mr. & Mrs. Richard L. DeVore Dr. Anibal & Vilma Drelichman Elaine C. Driker Ms. Ruby Duffield Randall & Jill* Elder Mr. Lawrence Ellenbogen Ms. Laurie Ellias & Mr. James Murphy
Mr. & Mrs. John M. Erb Fieldman Family Foundation John & Karen Fischer Dorothy A. & Larry L. Fobes Dr. & Mrs. Franchi Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Frick Kit & Dan Frohardt-Lane Mr.◊ & Mrs. Richard M. Gabrys Myndi & Alan Gallatin Mrs. Janet M. Garrett Mr. Max Gates Ambassador Yousif B. Ghafari & Mrs. Mara Kalnins-Ghafari Mr. & Mrs. James Gietzen Keith & Eileen Gifford Dr. & Mrs. Theodore Golden Ms. Jacqueline Graham Dr. Herman & Mrs. Shirley Mann Gray Ms. Chris Gropp Leslie Groves & Joseph Kochanek Robert & Elizabeth Hamel Mr. Sanford Hansell & Dr. Raina Ernstoff Mr. Eric J. Hespenheide & Ms. Judith V. Hicks Mr. Donald & Marcia Hiruo Mr. Matthew Howell & Mrs. Julie Wagner Mrs. Jane Iacobelli
GIVING OF $5,000 & MORE Mrs. Denise Abrash Mrs. Jennifer Adderley Richard & Jiehan Alonzo Dr. & Mrs. Joel Appel Drs. Kwabena & Jacqueline Appiah Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Aronoff Mr. David Assemany & Mr. Jeffery Zook* Ms. Ruth Baidas Dr. David S. Balle James A. Bannan Mr. Joseph Bartush W. Harold & Chacona W. Baugh Mr. Mark G. Bartnik & Ms. Sandra J. Collins Mr. & Mrs. Martin S. Baum Mr. & Mrs. Richard Beaubien Ms. Therese Bellaimey Mr. William Beluzo Hadas & Dennis Bernard Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey A. Berner Mr. Michael G. Bickers Dr. George & Joyce Blum Timothy J. Bogan Ms. Debra Bonde Ms. Nadia Boreiko The Honorable Susan D. Borman & Mr. Stuart Michaelson Mr. Anthony F. Brinkman
*Current DSO Musician or Staff
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Deceased
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GIVING OF $5,000 & MORE, CONTINUED Mr. & Mrs. Kent Jidov Mr. George G. Johnson Paul & Karen Johnson Carol & Rick Johnston Connie & Bill Jordan Mr. & Mrs. Steven Kalkanis Judy & David Karp Mike & Katy Keegan Mrs. Frances King Dr. & Mrs. Edward L. Klarman Dr. Sandy Koltonow & Dr. Mary Schlaff Ms. Susan Deutch Konop James Kors & Victoria King Mr. David Lalain & Ms. Deniella OrtizLalain Deborah Lamm Dr. Raymond Landes & Dr. Melissa McBrien-Landes Drs. Lisa & Scott Langenburg Bill & Kathleen Langhorst Mr. Leonard LaRocca Dr. Lawrence O. Larson Max Lepler & Rex L. Dotson Mr. & Mrs. Robert K. Leverenz Drs. Donald & Diane Levine Mr. & Mrs. Richard Lewnau Mr. John Lovegren & Mr. Daniel Isenschmid Bob & Terri Lutz Daniel & Linda* Lutz Mrs. Sandra MacLeod Mr. & Mrs. Winom J. Mahoney Cis Maisel Maurice Marshall
Brian & Becky McCabe Patricia A.◊ & Patrick G. McKeever Mr. Anthony Roy McCree Dr. Susan & Mr. Stephen* Molina Mr. & Mrs. Daniel E. Moore Ms. Jennifer Muse Joy & Allan Nachman Mr. & Mrs. Albert T. Nelson, Jr. Ms. Jacqueline Paige & Mr. David Fischer Mr. & Mrs. Randy G. Paquette Benjamin B. Phillips Mr. David Phipps & Ms. Mary Buzard William H. & Wendy W. Powers Charlene & Michael Prysak Mrs. Anna M. Ptasznik Drs. Yaddanapudi Ravindranath & Kanta Bhambhani Drs. Stuart & Hilary Ratner Mr. & Mrs. Dave Redfield Mr. & Mrs. Gerrit Reepmeyer Mr. & Mrs. Jon Rigoni Dr. & Mrs. John Roberts Ms. Linda Rodney Ms. Patricia Rodzik Seth & Laura Romine Michael & Susan Rontal Mr. & Mrs. Robert B. Rosowski Mr. Ronald Ross & Ms. Alice Brody Mr. Chris Sachs Linda & Leonard Sahn Mr. David Salisbury & Mrs. Terese Ireland Salisbury Marjorie Shuman Saulson
Ms. Joyce E. Scafe Mr. & Mrs. Donald and Janet Schenk Sandy Schreier Robert & Patricia Shaw Shiv Shivaraman Dean P. & D. Giles Simmer Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Simoncini William & Cherie Sirois Michael E. Smerza & Nancy Keppelman Peter & Patricia Steffes Dr. Gregory Stephens Mrs. Kathleen Straus & Mr. Walter Shapero David Szymborski & Marilyn Sicklesteel Joel & Shelley Tauber Dr. & Mrs. Howard Terebelo Dr. Barry Tigay Yoni & Rachel Torgow Charles◊ & Sally Van Dusen Mrs. Eva von Voss Mr. Michael A. Walch & Ms. Joyce Keller Gary L. Wasserman & Charles A. Kashner Beverly & Barry Williams Dr. & Mrs. Ned Winkelman Ms. June Wu Ms. Andrea L. Wulf Dr. Sandra & Mr. D. Johnny Yee Mr. & Mrs. Wesley Yee Ms. Ellen Hill Zeringue And one who wishes to remain anonymous
Michelle Devine & Brian Mahany Dr. Mark & Karen Diem Dr. & Mrs. Thomas Ditkoff Diana & Mark Domin Ms. Felicia Donadoni Ms. Marla Donovan Paul◊ & Peggy Dufault Hon. Sharon Tevis Finch Ms. Joanne Fisher Amy & Robert Folberg Ms. Linda Forte & Mr. Tyrone Davenport Mr. George Georges Stephanie Germack Thomas M. Gervasi Dr. Kenneth◊ & Roslyne Gitlin Mr. Lawrence Glowczewski Judie Goodman & Kurt Vilders Dr. William & Mrs. Antoinette Govier Ms. Ann Green Diane & Saul Green Anne & Eugene Greenstein Sharon Lopo Hadden Mr. & Mrs. Darby Hadley Dr.◊ & Mrs. David Haines Thomas & Kathleen Harmon
Cheryl A. Harvey Ms. Barbara Heller Mr. and Mrs. Robert Holcomb Mr. & Mrs. Peter Hollinshead The Honorable Denise Page Hood & Reverend Nicholas Hood III James Hoogstra & Clark Heath Dr. Karen Hrapkiewicz Larry & Connie Hutchinson Sally Ingold Ms. Elizabeth Ingraham Carolyn & Howard Iwrey Dr. Raymond E. Jackson & Dr. Kathleen Murphy Mr. John S. Johns Diane & John Kaplan Lucy & Alexander* Kapordelis Bernard & Nina Kent Philanthropic Fund John Kim & Sabrina Hiedemann Aileen & Harvey Kleiman Thomas◊ & Linda Klein Tom◊ & Beverly Klimko Mr. & Mrs. Ludvik F. Koci Mr. & Mrs. Robert Koffron Douglas Korney & Marieta Bautista
GIVING OF $2,500 & MORE Mr. & Mrs. Joel Adelman William Aerni & Janet Frazis Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Anthony Dr. & Mrs. Ali-Reza R. Armin Pauline Averbach & Charles Peacock Mr. Joseph Aviv & Mrs. Linda Wasserman Mrs. Jean Azar Ms. Elizabeth Baergen Ellie & Mitch Barnett Nancy & Lawrence Bluth The Achim & Mary Bonawitz Family Rud◊ & Mary Ellen Boucher Don & Marilyn Bowerman Mr. & Mrs. Mark R. Buchanan Dr. Robert Burgoyne & Tova Shaban Mr. & Mrs. Richard Burstein Mr.◊ & Mrs. Robert J. Cencek Ronald◊ & Lynda Charfoos Mr. William Cole & Mrs. Carol Litka Cole Mr. & Mrs. Brian G. Connors Patricia & William◊ Cosgrove, Sr. Ms. Joy Crawford* & Mr. Richard Aude Mrs. Barbara Cunningham DeLuca Violin Emporium Ms. Jane Deng
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◊
Deceased
DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 43
GIVING OF $2,500 & MORE, CONTINUED Mr. Michael Kuhne Mrs. Maria E. Kuznia Mr. & Mrs. Robert LaBelle Dr. & Mrs. Gerald Laker Ms. Sandra Lapadot Ms. Anne T. Larin Dr. Jonathan Lazar Marguerite & David Lentz Arlene & John Lewis Mr. Dane Lighthart & Ms. Robyn Bollinger* David & Clare Loebl Mr. & Mrs. Eugene LoVasco Mr. Sean Maloney & Mrs. Laura PepplerMaloney Mr. & Mrs. Charles W. Manke, Jr. Barbara J. Martin Dr. & Mrs. Peter M. McCann, M.D. Mr. Edward McClew Ms. Mary McGough Ms. Kristen McLennan Dr. & Mrs. David Mendelson Lynn & Randall Miller Mr. & Mrs. Robert S. Miller H. Keith Mobley Dr. Van C. Momon, Jr. & Dr. Pamela Berry Eugene & Sheila Mondry Foundation Ms. Sandra Morrison Megan Norris & Howard Matthew
Lisa & Michael O’Brien Mr. & Mrs. Robert Obringer Mr. & Mrs. Arthur T. O’Reilly Mr. Tony Osentoski & Mr. David Ogloza Cara Parsons Dietz Mark Pasik & Julie Sosnowski Priscilla & Huel Perkins Peter & Carrie Perlman Ms. Alice Pfahlert Mr. Steven Read Mr. & Mrs. William A. Reed Dr. Claude & Mrs. Sandra Reitelman Denise Reske Mr. & Mrs. John Rieckhoff The Steven Della Rocca Memorial Fund/ Courtenay A. Hardy Mr. James Rose Ms. Martha A. Scharchburg & Mr. Bruce Beyer Shirley Anne & Alan Schlang Joe & Ashley Schotthoefer Catherine & Dennis B. Schultz Dr. & Mrs. Richard S. Schwartz Sandy◊ & Alan Schwartz Mrs. Rosalind B. Sell Mr. Jeffrey S. Serman Carlo & Nicole Serraiocco Shapero Foundation
Bill* & Chris Shell Dr. Les Siegel & Ellen Lesser Siegel Ralph & Peggy Skiano Mr. Michael J. Smith & Mrs. Mary C. Williams Ms. Susan Smith Shirley R. Stancato Mrs. Andreas H. Steglich Nancy C. Stocking Dr. & Mrs. Gerald Stollman Mr. Jt Stout Mr. & Mrs.◊ John Streit Dr. & Mrs. Sugawa Dr. Neil Talon Mr. Rob Tanner Barbara & Stuart Trager Tom & Laura Trudeau Gerald & Teresa Varani Mr. William Waak Dr.◊ & Mrs. Ronald W. Wadle Richard P. & Carol A. Walter Mr. Patrick Webster Elizabeth & Michael Willoughby Rissa & Sheldon Winkelman Ms. Eileen Wunderlich Ms. Gail Zabowski And six who wish to remain anonymous
Mr. Joseph & Mrs. Lois Gilmore Allan D. Gilmour & Eric C. Jirgens Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Goodman Dr. Susan Harold Jean Hudson Mr. & Ms. Charles Jacobowitz Carole Keller Mr. & Mrs. Gerd H. Keuffel Mr. & Mrs.+ Gregory Knas Mr. Robert Kosinski Mr. & Mrs. Charles Laurencelle Mr. Steven L. Lipton Dr. & Mrs. Richard Miller Steve & Judy Miller Carolyn & J. Michael Moore Muramatsu America Flutes Mr. James Murawski Dr. William W. O’Neill Ken & Geralyn Papa Anne Parsons◊ & Donald Dietz Mr. & Mrs. Mark H. Peterson Mr. & Mrs. Richard Rapson
Mr. & Mrs. Rodney Rask Dr. Natalie Rizk Ms. Carole Robb Ms. Elana Rugh Brian & Toni Sanchez-Murphy Mr. & Mrs. Kingsley G. Sears Elliot Shafer Ms. Sandra Shetler Donna & Robert Slatkin Dr. & Mrs. Martin Tessler David & Lila Tirsell Dennis & Jennifer Varian Mr. Barry Webster Ms. Janet Weir Ms. Joan Whittingham Mr. & Mrs.◊ Richard Wigginton Mr. Francis Wilson Ms. Gail Zabowski And three who wish to remain anonymous
GIVING OF $1,500 & MORE Nina Dodge Abrams Jacqueline D. Adams Mrs. Lynn E. Adams Dr. & Mrs. Gary S. Assarian Mr. & Mrs. Russell Ayers Mr. & Mrs. William C. Babbage Drs. Richard & Helena Balon Dr. & Mrs. William L. Beauregard Mr. & Mrs. David W. Berry Mr. and Mrs. John Bishop John◊ & Marlene Boll Mr. & Mrs. Byron Canvasser Steve & Geri Carlson Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Colombo Catherine Compton Mr. & Mrs. David Conrad Mr. & Mrs. Alfred J. Darold Gordon & Elaine Didier Mrs. Connie Dugger Mr. Howard O. Emorey Mr. & Mrs. Francis A. Engelhardt Burke & Carol Fossee
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TRIBUTE GIFTS Gifts received – September 1, 2024 to October 31, 2024 Tribute gifts to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra are made to honor accomplishments, celebrate occasions, and pay respect in memory or reflection. These gifts support current season projects, partnerships and performances such as DSO concerts, education programs, free community concerts, & family programming. For information about making a tribute gift, please call 313.576.5114 or visit dso.org/donate.
In Honor
In Memory
Mrs. Linda Lutz Dr. and Mrs. Sheldon N. Kaftan
Andrea Lighthall Marlene Bihlmeyer
Herbert Couf Ms. Karen Couf-Cohen
Patricia Nickol Mr. and Mrs. Eugene A. Miller Dr. and Mrs. Edward E. Hagenlocker Michael Sweeney
Bob Sabourin Mr. and Mrs. Jim Barry
Armando Delicato Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Clement
Raymond Benner Ms. Amy Willetts
Bill Sikora Ms. Sara Repen Kate King and Xuyan Guo Dr. Qiang Nai
dso.org
*Current DSO Musician or Staff
#IAMDSO
Wickham Allen Beth Buzzelli Carlson
Martin, Brigid, Martin II, & Craig Parker Ms. Stacie Parker William D. Hodgman Brian Hodgman Tom Grubba Linda, Jay, Jen, Neil, Maggie, Zoe, Lauren and Sam Grubber
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CORPORATE, FOUNDATION, AND GOVERNMENT GIVING Giving of $500,000 & more SAMUEL & JEAN FRANKEL FOUNDATION
Giving of $200,000 & more EMORY M. FORD JR. ENDOWMENT FUND
STATE OF MICHIGAN
Giving of $100,000 & more PAUL M. ANGELL FAMILY FOUNDATION MARVIN & BETTY DANTO FAMILY FOUNDATION
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Giving of $50,000 & more William Randolph Hearst Foundation The Kresge Foundation Masco Corporation Milner Hotels Foundation
National Endowment for the Arts Donald R. Simon & Esther Simon Foundation Myron P. Leven Foundation
Giving of $20,000 & more MGM Grand Detroit Eleanor & Edsel Ford Fund Richard & Jane Manoogian Foundation Stone Foundation of Michigan
Matilda R. Wilson Fund Wolverine Packing Mandell & Madeleine Berman Foundation
Giving of $10,000 & more Honigman LLP Applebaum Family Philanthropy The Cassie Family Foundation Geoinge Foundation Huntington
Oliver Dewey Marcks Foundation Penske Foundation, Inc. Karen & Drew Peslar Foundation Young Woman’s Home Association Burton A. Zipser & Sandra D. Zipser Foundation
Giving of $5,000 & more Sun Communities Inc. Fisher Funeral Home & Cremation Services Benson & Edith Ford Fund James & Lynelle Holden Fund Hylant Group Marjorie & Maxwell Jospey Foundation KPMG LLP
Lithia Motors, Inc. Mary Thompson Foundation Sigmund and Sophie Rohlik Foundation Taft Warner Norcross + Judd HUB International
Giving of $1,000 & more Coffee Express Roasting Company Jack, Evelyn, & Richard Cole Family Foundation Enterprise Holdings Foundation EY Frank & Gertrude Dunlap Foundation Japan Business Society of Detroit Foundation Ludwig Foundation Fund
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Michigan First Credit Union Plante Moran Renaissance (MI) Chapter of the Links Samuel L. Westerman Foundation Louis & Nellie Sieg Foundation Anonymous
DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 47
DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
CELEBRATING YOUR LEGACY SUPPORT BARBARA VAN DUSEN, Honorary Chair
The 1887 Society honors individuals who have made a special legacy commitment to support the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Members of the 1887 Society ensure that future music lovers will continue to enjoy unsurpassed musical experiences by including the DSO in their estate plans. Ms. Doris L. Adler Dr. & Mrs. William C. Albert Mr. & Mrs. Robert A. Allesee ◊ Dr. Lourdes V. Andaya Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Applebaum ◊ Dr. Augustin & Nancy◊ Arbulu Mr. David Assemany & Mr. Jeffery Zook Ms. Sharon Backstrom Sally & Donald Baker Mr. & Mrs. Lee Barthel Mr. Mark G. Bartnik & Ms. Sandra J. Collins Stanley A. Beattie Mr. Melvyn Berent & Ms. Barbara Spreitzer-Berent Mr. & Mrs. Mandell L. Berman ◊ Virginia B. Bertram ◊ Mrs. Betty Blair◊ Ms. Rosalee Bleecker Mr. Joseph Boner Gwen & Richard Bowlby Mr. Harry G. Bowles ◊ Mr. Charles Broh ◊ Mrs. Ellen Brownfain William & Julia Bugera CM Carnes Dr. & Mrs.◊ Thomas E. Carson Cynthia Cassell, Ph. D. Eleanor A. Christie Ms. Mary F. Christner Mr. Gary Ciampa Robert & Lucinda Clement Lois & Avern Cohn ◊ Drs. William ◊ & Janet Cohn Mrs. RoseAnn Comstock◊ Mr. Scott Cook, Jr. Mr. & Ms. Thomas Cook Dorothy M. Craig ◊ Mr. & Mrs. John Cruikshank Julie & Peter Cummings Joanne Danto & Arnold Weingarden Mr. Kevin S. Dennis & Mr. Jeremy J. Zeltzer Ms. Leslie C. Devereaux◊ Mr. John Diebel◊ Mr. Stuart Dow◊ Mr. Roger Dye & Ms. Jeanne A. Bakale Mr. & Mrs. Robert G. Eidson ◊ Marianne T. Endicott Ms. Dorothy Fisher◊ 48
Mrs. Marjorie S. Fisher◊ Mr. & Mrs. Phillip Wm. Fisher Dorothy A. & Larry L. Fobes Samuel & Laura Fogleman Mr. Emory Ford, Jr.◊ Endowment Dr. Saul & Mrs. Helen Forman Barbara Frankel◊ & Ron Michalak Herman & Sharon Frankel Mrs. Rema Frankel◊ Jane French ◊ Mark & Donna Frentrup Alan M. Gallatin Janet M. Garrett Dr. Byron P.◊ & Marilyn Georgeson Jim & Nancy Gietzen Mr. Joseph & Mrs. Lois Gilmore Victor & Gale Girolami ◊ Ruth & Al◊ Glancy David & Paulette Groen Mr. Gerald Grum ◊ Rosemary Gugino Mr. & Mrs. William Harriss Donna & Eugene ◊ Hartwig Gerhardt A. Hein ◊ & Rebecca P. Hein Ms. Nancy B. Henk◊ Joseph L. Hickey◊ Mr.◊ & Mrs. Thomas N. Hitchman Ronald M. & Carol◊ Horwitz Andy Howell Carol Howell ◊ Paul M. Huxley & Cynthia Pasky David & Sheri Jaffa Mr. & Mrs. Thomas H. Jeffs II Mr. & Mrs. Richard J. Jessup Mr. George G. Johnson Ms. Carol Johnston Lenard & Connie Johnston Carol M. Jonson Drs. Anthony & Joyce Kales Faye & Austin ◊ Kanter Norb ◊ & Carole Keller Dr. Mark & Mrs. Gail Kelley June K. Kendall◊ Dimitri ◊ & Suzanne Kosacheff Douglas Koschik Mr. & Mrs. Arthur J. Krolikowski ◊ Mary Clippert LaMont◊ Ms. Sandra Lapadot Mrs. Bonnie Larson
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Ann C. Lawson ◊ Leslie Jean Lazzerin Allan S. Leonard Max Lepler & Rex L. Dotson Dr. Melvin A. Lester◊ Mr. & Mrs.◊ Joseph Lile Eugene & Jeanne LoVasco Family Eric & Ginny Lundquist Harold Lundquist◊ & Elizabeth Brockhaus Lundquist Roberta Maki Eileen ◊ & Ralph Mandarino Judy Howe Masserang Mr. Glenn Maxwell Ms. Elizabeth Maysa ◊ Mary Joy McMachen, Ph.D. Judith Mich ◊ Rhoda A. Milgrim ◊ Mr. & Mrs. Eugene A. Miller John & Marcia Miller Jerald A. & Marilyn H. Mitchell Mr.◊ & Mrs. L. William Moll Shari & Craig Morgan Ms. I. Surayyah R. Muwwakkil◊ Joy & Allan Nachman Geoffrey S. Nathan & Margaret E. Winters ◊ Beverley Anne Pack David & Andrea Page ◊ Mr. Dale J. Pangonis Ms. Mary Webber Parker◊ Mr. David Patria & Ms. Barbara Underwood ◊ Mrs. Sophie Pearlstein ◊ Helen & Wesley Pelling ◊ Dr. William F. Pickard ◊ Mrs. Bernard E. Pincus Ms. Christina Pitts Mrs. Robert Plummer◊ Mr. & Mrs. P. T. Ponta Mrs. Mary Carol Prokop ◊ Ms. Linda Rankin & Mr. Daniel Graschuck Mr. & Mrs. Douglas J. Rasmussen Ms. Elizabeth Reiha ◊ Deborah J. Remer Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd E. Reuss ◊ Barbara Gage Rex◊ Ms. Marianne Reye ◊ Lori-Ann Rickard Katherine D. Rines
Bernard & Eleanor Robertson Ms. Barbara Robins ◊ Jack & Aviva Robinson ◊ John & Barbara Rohrbeck Mr. & Mrs. Gerald F. Ross ◊ Mr. & Mrs.◊ George Roumell Marjorie Shuman Saulson Ruth Saur Trust Mr. & Mrs. Donald and Janet Schenk Ms. Yvonne Schilla David W. Schmidt◊ Mr. & Mrs. Fred Secrest◊ Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Shaffer◊ Patricia Finnegan Sharf Ms. Marla K. Shelton Edna J. Shin Ms. June Siebert Mr. & Mrs. Donald R. Simon ◊ Dr. Melissa J. Smiley & Dr. Patricia A. Wren David & Sandra Smith Ms. Marilyn Snodgrass ◊ Mrs. Margot Sterren ◊ Mr.◊ & Mrs. Walter Stuecken Mr.◊ & Mrs. Alexander C. Suczek David Szymborski & Marilyn Sicklesteel Alice ◊ & Paul Tomboulian Roger & Tina Valade Charles ◊ & Sally Van Dusen Barbara C. Van Dusen Mr. & Mrs. Melvin VanderBrug Mr. & Mrs. George C. Vincent◊ Mr. Sanford Waxer◊ Christine & Keith C. Weber Mr. Herman Weinreich ◊ John ◊ & Joanne Werner Mr.◊ & Mrs. Arthur Wilhelm Mr. Robert E. Wilkins ◊ Mrs. Michel H. Williams Ms. Nancy S. Williams ◊ Mr. Robert S. Williams & Ms. Treva Womble Ms. Barbara Wojtas Elizabeth B. Work◊ Dr. & Mrs. Clyde Wu ◊ Ms. Andrea L. Wulf Mrs. Judith G. Yaker Milton & Lois Zussman ◊ And six who wish to remain anonymous WINTER 2025
The DSO’s Planned Giving Council recognizes the region’s leading financial and estate professionals whose current and future clients may involve them in their decision to make a planned gift to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Members play a critical role in shaping the future of the DSO through ongoing feedback, working with their clients, supporting philanthropy and attending briefings twice per year. Mrs. Katana H. Abbott* Mr. Joseph Aviv Mr. Christopher Ballard* Ms. Jessica B. Blake, Esq. Ms. Rebecca J. Braun Mr. Timothy Compton Ms. Wendy Zimmer Cox* Mr. Robin D. Ferriby* Mrs. Jill Governale* Mr. Henry Grix* Mrs. Julie Hollinshead, CFA Mr. Mark W. Jannott, CTFA
Ms. Jennifer Jennings* Ms. Dawn Jinsky* Mrs. Shirley Kaigler* Mr. Robert E. Kass* Mr. Christopher L. Kelly Mr. Bernard S. Kent Ms. Yuh Suhn Kim Mrs. Marguerite Munson Lentz* Mr. J. Thomas MacFarlane Mr. Christopher M. Mann* Mr. Curtis J. Mann Mrs. Mary K. Mansfield
Mr. Mark E. Neithercut* Mr. Steve Pierce Ms. Deborah J. Renshaw, CFP Mr. James P. Spica Mr. David M. Thoms* Mr. John N. Thomson, Esq. Mr. Jason Tinsley* Mr. William Vanover Mr. William Winkler
*Executive Committee Member
Share the music of the DSO with future generations INCLUDE THE DSO AS A BENEFICIARY IN YOUR WILL Remembering the DSO in your estate plans will support the sustainability and longevity of our orchestra, so that tomorrow’s audience will continue to be inspired through unsurpassed musical experiences. If you value the role of the DSO—in your life and in our community—
please consider making a gift through your will, trust, life insurance, or other deferred gift. To learn more please call Alexander Kapordelis at 313.576.5198 or email akapordelis@dso.org.
DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
dso.org
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DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 49
Y O U R E X P E R I E N C E AT T H E M A X
Our Home on Woodward Avenue The Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center is one of Detroit’s most notable cultural campuses. The Max includes three main performance spaces: historic Orchestra Hall, the Peter D. and Julie F. Cummings Cube (The Cube), and Robert A. and Maggie Allesee Hall, plus our outdoor green space, Sosnick Courtyard. All are accessible from the centrally located William Davidson Atrium. The Jacob Bernard Pincus Music Education Center is home to the DSO’s Wu Family Academy and other music education offerings. The DSO is also proud to offer The Max as a performance and administrative space for several local partners.
Parking The DSO Parking Deck is located at 81 Parsons Street. Self-parking in the garage costs $12 for most concerts (credit card payment only). Accessible parking is available on the first and second floors of the garage. Note that accessible parking spaces go quickly, so please arrive early! Valet parking is also available for all patrons (credit card payment only), and a golf cart-style DSO Courtesy Shuttle is available for all patrons who need assistance entering The Max.
What Should I Wear? You do you! We don’t have a dress code, and you’ll see a variety of outfit styles. Business casual attire is common, but sneakers and jeans are just as welcome as suits and ties. Please reference page 51 for our bag policy.
Food and Drink Concessions are available for purchase on the first floor of the William Davidson Atrium at most concerts, and light bites are available in the Paradise Lounge on the second floor. Bars are located on the first and third floors of the William Davidson Atrium and offer canned sodas (pop, if you prefer), beer, wine, and specialty cocktail mixes. Patrons are welcome to 50
THE MAX M. & MARJORIE S. FISHER MUSIC CENTER 3711 Woodward Avenue Detroit, MI 48201 Box Office: 313.576.5111 Group Sales: 313.576.5111 Administrative Offices: 313.576.5100 Facilities Rental Info: 313.576.5131 Visit the DSO online at dso.org For general inquiries, please email info@dso.org
take drinks to their seats at all performances except Friday morning Coffee Concerts; food is not allowed in Orchestra Hall. Please note that outside food and beverages are prohibited.
person with a sensory processing difference, including noise-reducing headphones and fidget toys. The DSO also has a quiet room, available for patrons to use at every performance at The Max.
Accessibility
• A golf cart-style DSO Courtesy Shuttle is available for all patrons who need assistance entering The Max.
Accessibility matters. Whether you need ramp access for your wheelchair or are looking for sensory-friendly concert options, we are thinking of you. • The Max has elevators, barrierfree restrooms, and accessible seating on each level. Security staff are available at all entrances to help patrons requiring extra assistance in and out of vehicles. • The DSO’s Sennheiser MobileConnect hearing assistance system is available for all performances in Orchestra Hall. You can use your own mobile device and headphones by downloading the Sennheiser MobileConnect app, or borrow a device by visiting the Box Office. • Available at the Box Office during all events at The Max, William Davidson Neighborhood Concert Series venues, and chamber recitals, the DSO offers sensory toolkits to use free of charge, courtesy of the Mid-Michigan Autism Association. The kits contain items that can help calm or stimulate a
DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE
• Check out the Accessibility tab on dso.org/yourexperience to learn more
WiFi Complimentary WiFi is available throughout The Max. Look for the DSOGuest network on your device. And be sure to tag your posts with #IAMDSO!
Shop DSO Merchandise Visit shopdso.org to purchase DSO and Civic Youth Ensembles merchandise anywhere, anytime!
The Herman and Sharon Frankel Donor Lounge Governing Members can enjoy complimentary beverages, appetizers, and desserts in the Donor Lounge, open 90 minutes prior to each concert through the end of intermission. For more information on becoming a Governing Member, contact Cassidy Schmid at cschmid@dso.org. WINTER 2025
Gift Certificates Gift certificates are available in any denomination and may be used towards tickets to any DSO performance. Please contact the Box Office for more information.
Rent The Max Elegant and versatile, The Max is an ideal setting for a variety of events and performances: weddings, corporate gatherings, meetings, concerts, and more. Visit dso.org/rentals or call 313.576.5131 for more information.
• No weapons or disruptive materials are allowed on DSO property.
SEATING Please note that all patrons (of any age) must have a ticket to attend concerts. If the music has already started, an usher will ask you to wait until a break before seating you. The same applies if you leave Orchestra Hall and re-enter. Most performances are broadcast (with sound) on a TV in the William Davidson Atrium.
TICKETS, EXCHANGES, AND CONCERT CANCELLATIONS n All sales are final and non-refundable.
POLICIES
BAG POLICY For the safety of our patrons, musicians, staff, volunteers and vendors, we have implemented the following policies: • All bags entering DSO facilities are subject to inspection. • No backpacks, large/duffel bags, large purses, and suitcases are permitted. Purses, medical bags, diaper bags, and medical devices smaller than 14” x 14” x 6” are allowed. • There is no storage available for bags that do not adhere to the above standards.
n Even though we’ll miss you, we understand that plans can change unexpectedly, so the DSO offers flexible exchange and ticket donation options. n Please contact the Box Office to exchange tickets and for all ticketing questions or concerns. n The DSO is a show-must-go-on orchestra. In the rare event a concert is cancelled, our website and social media feeds will announce the cancellation, and patrons will be notified of exchange options.
PHONES Your neighbors and the musicians appreciate your cooperation in turning your phone to silent and your brightness down while you’re keeping an eye on texts from the babysitter or looking up where a composer was born!
PHOTOGRAPHY & RECORDING We love a good selfie for social media (please share your experiences using @ DetroitSymphony and #IAMDSO) but remember that having your device out can be distracting to musicians and audience members. Please be cautious and respectful if you wish to take photos or videos. Flash photography, extended video recording, tripods, and cameras with detachable lenses are strictly prohibited.
NOTE: By entering event premises, you consent to having your likeness featured in photography, audio, and video captured by the DSO, and release the DSO from any liability connected with these materials. Visit dso.org for more.
SMOKING Smoking and vaping are not allowed anywhere in The Max.
To report an emergency during a concert, immediately notify an usher or DSO staff member. If an usher or DSO staff member is not available, please contact DSO Security at 313.576.5199
Your investment makes the DSO a place where people of all ages belong, feel welcome, and are inspired. Give today at dso.org/donate to bring our community together through music.
dso.org
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DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 51
A D M I N I S T R AT I V E S TA F F EXECUTIVE OFFICE
ORCHESTRA OPERATIONS
Erik Rönmark President and CEO James B. and Ann V. Nicholson Chair
Kathryn Ginsburg General Manager
Jill Elder Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer Linda Lutz Vice President and Chief Financial & Administrative Officer Martin Sher Vice President and Chief Artistic & Operating Officer
Bronwyn Hagerty Orchestra and Training Programs Librarian Benjamin Tisherman Manager of Orchestra Personnel
ADVANCEMENT
Serena Donadoni Executive Assistant to the Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer
Ali Huber Director of Donor Engagement
ARTISTIC OPERATIONS ARTISTIC PLANNING Jessica Ruiz Senior Director of Artistic Planning Jessica Slais Creative Director of Popular & Special Programming Stephen Grady Jr. Program Manager, Popular & Special Programming Lindzy Volk Artistic Manager
Amanda Tew Major Gift Officer
Dennis Rotell Stage Manager
Alex Kapordelis Senior Director of Advancement
Anne Parsons ◊ President Emeritus
Samantha Taylor Manager of Foundation Relations
Patrick Peterson Orchestra Manager
Joy Crawford Executive Assistant to the President and CEO
BUILDING OPERATIONS Ken Waddington Senior Director of Facilities & Engineering
Demetris Fisher Manager of Environmental Services (EVS)
Cassidy Schmid Director of Individual Giving Zach Suchanek Associate Director of Annual Giving Alex Anderson Manager of Advancement Events Bryana Hall Data & Research Specialist
Francesca Leo Manager of Governance & Donor Engagement Elizabeth McConnell Specialist, Donor Communications Juanda Pack Advancement Benefits Concierge
Marc Geelhoed Executive Producer of Live from Orchestra Hall
Susan Queen Gift Officer, Corporate Giving
◊
Deceased
COMMUNICATIONS Matt Carlson Senior Director of Communications & Media Relations Sarah Smarch Director of Content & Storytelling Natalie Berger Manager of Multimedia Brand Content LaToya Cross Communications & Advancement Content Specialist Hannah Engwall Elbialy Public Relations Manager Marisa Jacques Coordinator of Public Relations
William Guilbault EVS Technician
LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT
Robert Hobson Chief Maintenance Technician
Karisa Antonio Senior Director of Social Innovation & Learning
Aaron Kirkwood EVS Lead
Damien Crutcher Managing Director of Detroit Harmony
Anthony Lindsey EVS Technician Daniel Speights EVS Technician
EVENT AND PATRON EXPERIENCE
Jane Koelsch Major Gift Officer
DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE
Shay Vaughn Major Gift Officer
Teresa Beachem Chief Engineer
LIVE FROM ORCHESTRA HALL
52
Bethany Simmerlein Grant Writer
Christina Williams Director of Event & Patron Experience Neva Kirksey Manager of Events & Rentals
Debora Kang Director of Education Clare Valenti Director of Community Engagement Kiersten Alcorn Manager of Community Engagement Chris DeLouis Manager of Learning, Student & Program Deveopment
Alison Reed, CVA Manager of Volunteer & Patron Experience
Erin Faryniarz Detroit Harmony Partnerships & Services Coordinator
Andre Williams Beverage Program Manager
Samuel Hsieh Coordinator of Learning Operations Kendra Sachs Manager of Learning, Enrollment & Communications
WINTER 2025
FINANCE Agnes Postma Senior Director of Accounting & Finance Adela Löw Director of Accounting & Financial Reporting Tanisha Hester Accountant Sophie Lall Accounting Clerk Assistant Sandra Mazza Senior Accountant of Business Operations Claudia Scalzetti Staff Accountant
HUMAN RESOURCES Hannah Lozon Senior Director of Talent & Culture
Sharon Gardner Carr Tessitura Event Operations Manager Jay Holladay Brand Graphic Designer LaHeidra Marshall Direct Marketing Manager Thomas Monks Loyalty Marketing Manager Declan O’Neal Marketing & Promotions Coordinator Kristin Pagels-Quinlan Digital Advertising Manager Grace Venner Manager of Growth Marketing
PATRON SALES & SERVICE
Angela Stough Director of Human Resources
Michelle Marshall Director of Patron Sales & Service
Sharon Tse Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Valerie Jackson Group Sales Representative
Shuntia Perry Recruitment & Employee Experience Specialist
James Sabatella Group & Tourism Sales Manager
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Chantel Woodard Manager of Patron Sales & Service
William Shell Director of Information Technology Pat Harris Systems Administrator Michelle Koning Web Manager Aaron Tockstein Database Administrator
MARKETING & AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Connor Mehren Director of Growth Marketing Juliana Nahas Director of Loyalty Marketing
dso.org
SAFETY & SECURITY
PERFORMANCE Winter 2025 • 2024-25 Season Hannah Engwall Elbialy, editor hengwall@dso.org • ECHO PUBLICATIONS, INC. Tom Putters, publisher echopublications.com • Cover design by Jay Holladay • To advertise in Performance: visit echodetroit.com, call 248.582.9690 or email tom@echodetroit.com Read Performance anytime! dso.org/performance
George Krappmann Director of Safety & Security Johnnie Scott Safety & Security Manager Willie Coleman Security Officer Joyce Dorsey Security Officer Tony Morris Security Officer
Activities of the DSO are made possible in part with the support of the Michigan Arts & Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Eric Thomas Security Officer & Maintenance Technician
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DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE 53
UPCOMING CONCERTS & EVENTS
MAR 6–8
PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION
MAR 9
CELTIC JOURNEY
FEB 21 & 23
BIZET’S CARMEN
FEBRUARY
MARCH
PRICE & PROKOFIEV JAN 31–FEB 2
CLASSICAL ROOTS FEB 28 – MAR 1
PNC POPS SERIES
PVS CLASSICAL SERIES
BROADWAY LOVE SONGS FEB 14–16
PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION MAR 6–8
PARADISE JAZZ SERIES SF JAZZ COLLECTIVE: 20TH ANNIVERSARY FEB 22
PNC POPS SERIES
BRAHMS’S THIRD SYMPHONY MAR 27–29
CELTIC JOURNEY MAR 9
— APRIL
PVS CLASSICAL SERIES
PVS CLASSICAL SERIES
BIZET’S CARMEN FEB 21&23
PVS CLASSICAL SERIES
FAMILY GOLD RUSH: AN AMERICAN MUSICAL ADVENTURE MAR 15
For complete program listings, including Live from Orchestra Hall webcast dates, visit dso.org 54
DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE
PNC POPS SERIES LA VIDA LOCA MAR 14–16 PVS CLASSICAL SERIES
BEETHOVEN & BRAHMS MAR 21–23
PVS CLASSICAL SERIES
CLASSICAL BEETHOVEN & SCHUMANN APR 4–6 PARDISE JAZZ SERIES RON CARTER APR 4 TICKETS & INFO dso.org 313.576.5111 WINTER 2025
Now serving Lunch Two Course Pre-Theater menu before all and A�ternoon Tea evening performances a�ter Friday Co�fee The Whitney is so proud to continue our long-lasting relationship with Concerts goers. Celebrating the art & beauty of Detroit is a core value for The Whit
pleased tospecially be a part of your memorableto experience. Menu designed Classic dining to complete your getin,you to the we would loveshow to inviteon you time. to cozy up and enjo elegant outing. As the winter blues roll course Warm up to Winter menu. An ideal meal prior to exceptional eve Two course dinners, justan$49 performing art scene. Make another memory at the iconic Whitney mansio Advance reservations required Dine on perfectly composed plates by our culinary team! Dinner prices run for Tea Service. Reservations menu is offered Thursday and Friday 5:00 – 6:00PM and Sunday 4:0 Reservations recommended recommended for Lunch. 313-832-5700 We look forward to welcoming you to the Whitney soon 313-832-5700 4421 Woodward Ave Detroit, MI 48201
313 832 5700
4421 Woodward Avenue, Detroit | 313 832 5700 | thewhitney.com
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