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Christian Zacharias

Christian Zacharias, who has dazzled DSO audiences as a pianist, returns to Orchestra Hall in his DSO conducting debut to do double duty as both piano soloist and conductor in Bach & Beethoven. The program features Schumann’s Overture, Scherzo, and Finale, Op. 52, Bach’s Concerto for Clavier and Orchestra in D minor, W. 23, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60. Concerts take place on Fri., Mar. 26 at 10:45 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sun., Mar. 28 at 3:00 p.m.

As both a conductor and pianist, Christian Zacharias is known for his uncompromising individuality and thoughtful approach to concert programming. Zacharias launched his conducting career in 1992 with a debut with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, and has since been a regular guest of all of the major European orchestras. In 2000, he made his U.S. conducting debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and in 2006 conducted the New York Philharmonic Orchestra for the first time. Zacharias maintains an ongoing relationship with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, and is Artistic Director of the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra’s annual Mozart Festival. He is an Artistic Partner of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra until 2012, and has been the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne since 2000.

Schumann’s Overture, Scherzo and Finale for Orchestra was written in 1841, a year in which Schumann concentrated on orchestral music. He wrote a Fantasy that was to become the first movement of his Piano Concerto, the two symphonies that were to be published as Nos. 1 and 4, and this Overture, Scherzo and Finale, which is a kind of informal symphony with no slow movement. Schumann stressed the work’s unique “light, friendly character” to his publisher; to Clara, his wife, he described its first section as “tender, merry. . . siren-like.” He aimed to give it a feeling that was less serious than a symphony although, as in some symphonies, he linked the movements thematically.

C. P. E. Bach probably composed the highly expressive Concerto for Clavier in D minor in 1747 for one of the regular royal musical soirees. The work, which Bach later transcribed for flute, displays features of both the Baroque and Classical periods. The beginning of the first movement sounds much like a Baroque concerto, but instead of introducing the harpsichord, when it enters, with new thematic material, the orchestral material is reprised and then the solo harpsichord, in Classical fashion, ventures off independently.

Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony stands between two of its creator’s most dramatic and popular compositions, his Third and Fifth Symphonies. Robert Schumann’s metaphoric description of this work as a “slender Greek maiden between two Norse giants” leaves something to be desired as a characterization, but it does suggest the enduring perception of this piece as a less weighty and important achievement among Beethoven’s middle-period symphonies. The Fourth Symphony is a finely crafted and beautiful work that follows the formal outline of the Classical period symphony but fills that outline with music that often sounds quite Romantic in character.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets to Bach & Beethoven range in price from $19 to $71 with a limited number of box seats available for $65 to $123. Tickets may be purchased at the Max M. Fisher Music Center box office (3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit); by calling (313) 576-5111; or online at www.detroitsymphony.com. Seniors (60 and over) and students with a valid student ID can purchase 50% off RUSH tickets at the box office 90 minutes prior to concerts based on availability.  For group discount information (10 people or more), please contact Chuck Dyer at (313) 576-5130 or cdyer@dso.org.

PERFORMANCE
Strategic Staffing Solutions Preferred Series Partner
Bach & Beethoven
Orchestra Hall
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Christian Zacharias, conductor and piano
Fri., Mar. 26 at 10:45 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.; Sun., Mar. 28 at 3:00 p.m.

SCHUMANN: Overture, Scherzo, and Finale, Op. 52
C. P. E. BACH: Concerto for Clavier and Orchestra in D minor, W. 23
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60

Students from MSU will be performing Beethoven Chamber Music.

Get the most out of each concert by attending Ford ConcerTalks, one hour prior to performances (excluding Coffee Concerts). ConcerTalks are informal and may include special guests, lectures and music that reveal interesting facts about the program and provide a behind-the-scenes look at the art of making music.

Palmer Woods Music in Homes continues its series of jazz, classical and world music concerts in historic mansions, castles and cool homes. On Saturday, March 27 at 8 pm, let Palmer Woods Music in Homes hypnotize you with the music of flute, oud and tablas—some of the best traditional Middle Eastern music in the world!

Lebanese-born flutist Nadim Dlaikan and oud player Abdu Karim Bader, National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellows, have performed across the globe, including on the stage of the prestigious Kennedy Center. These international masters join with superb tabla player Mustapha Atat to share the beautiful melodies and engaging rhythms of their ancestors.

Enjoy this rare opportunity in the aura of an elegant, spacious Palmer Woods manor. A reception with delicious theme-related foods is included. (More biographical information on the artists at http://palmerwoods.org/music-in-homes/musicians-2009-2010).

Tickets and info on www.Palmerwoods.org

Future Concerts: The series continues with concerts every month in cool homes and regal mansions:

Sat., April 24, 8 pm
La Inspiracion
Led by Puerto Rican-born congero Ozzie Rivera and music director-pianist Bill Meyer, Orquesta La Inspiracion is the hottest Latin band in the Motor City.

Saturday, May 22, 8 pm
Flutist Eric Lamb
Pianist Paul Vasile
Celebrate Spring with Mozart, Schubert, Doppler, Bach, Debussy, Barber and Saint-Saens. These classic masters come to life with Lamb and Vasile’s masterful interpretations.

Fri. & Sat., June 25-26, 8 pm
Sunday, June 27, 2 pm
Spencer Barefield & Friends
@ Frank Lloyd Wright-Turkel home
Acclaimed jazz guitarist A. Spencer Barefield joins with Juno award winner bassist Dave Young and drummer Djallo Keita to team up with three of Detroit’s jazz greats.

Friday: Rayse Biggs Tribute to Trumpet Masters
Biggs, a dynamic horn player who’s worked with Freddie Hubbard and Dizzy Gillespie, will play their works and that of Miles Davis, Lee Morgan, Clifford Brown and more.

Saturday: Sax Virtuoso David McMurray
Recording artist and sideman to Bob James, Kid Rock and Kem, McMurray will play Barefield originals and works by Monk, Mingus, Coltrane and more.

Sunday : Horn Master Wendell Harrison
This Sun Ra alumnus and cofounder of the legendary Tribe, has worked with jazz giants Grant Green, Eddie Harris and many others. Recently he’s been performing with Carl Craig and Tribe.

The series continues with concerts every month in cool homes and regal mansions:

Sunday, Feb. 28, 7 pm
Lotus Ensemble
Joe Striplin, Velda Kelly, Rick Robinson, John Madison
Great composers such as Duke Ellington, William Grant Still, Scott Joplin and Detroit’s own Rick Robinson receive the spotlight with this quartet of Detroit Symphony and Michigan Opera Theatre string players.

Saturday, March 27, 8 pm
Nadim Dlaikan’s Dearborn Traditional Ensemble
Some of the best Middle Eastern music in the world can be heard in Detroit. Flutist Nadim Dlaikan, oud player Abdu Karim Bader and tabla player Mustapha Atat share the beautiful melodies and rhythms of their ancestors.

Sat., April 24, 8 pm
La Inspiracion
Led by Puerto Rican-born congero Ozzie Rivera and music director-pianist Bill Meyer, Orquesta La Inspiracion is the hottest Latin band in the Motor City.

Saturday, May 22, 8 pm
Flutist Eric Lamb
Pianist Paul Vasile
Celebrate Spring with Mozart, Schubert, Doppler, Bach, Debussy, Barber and Saint-Saens. These classic masters come to life with Lamb and Vasile’s masterful interpretations.

Fri. & Sat., June 25-26, 8 pm
Sunday, June 27, 2 pm
Spencer Barefield & Friends
@ Frank Lloyd Wright-Turkel home
Acclaimed jazz guitarist A. Spencer Barefield joins with Juno award winner bassist Dave Young and drummer Djallo Keita to team up with three of Detroit’s jazz greats.

Friday: Rayse Biggs Tribute to Trumpet Masters
Biggs, a dynamic horn player who’s worked with Freddie Hubbard and Dizzy Gillespie, will play their works and that of Miles Davis, Lee Morgan, Clifford Brown and more.

Saturday: Sax Virtuoso David McMurray
Recording artist and sideman to Bob James, Kid Rock and Kem, McMurray will play Barefield originals and works by Monk, Mingus, Coltrane and more.

Sunday : Horn Master Wendell Harrison
This Sun Ra alumnus and cofounder of the legendary Tribe, has worked with jazz giants Grant Green, Eddie Harris and many others. Recently he’s been performing with Carl Craig and Tribe.

The Friends of the Freer House will host an historical re-creation of the first concert performed at the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. in 1924. Marking the 86th anniversary of the inaugural recitals held at the newly opened Freer Gallery of Art, this concert of classical and contemporary chamber music will be performed by the Scarab Club String Quartet in the intimate setting of the historic Charles Lang Freer House. The concert will benefit the Friends of the Freer House and includes a reception and tour following the performance.

On February 7, 1924, the first in a series of three recitals of chamber music was held at the Freer Gallery of Art. The concerts were sponsored by Mrs. Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, founder of the Berkshire Music Festival, to encourage support for the Library of Congress musical manuscript collection. The recitals featured works primarily by 20th century composers of chamber music and winners of the annual Berkshire Prize.

This Feb 7, 2010 concert will feature selections from the original 1924 program including works for string quartet by Joseph Haydn, Leo Weiner, H. Waldo Warner and G. Francesco Malipiero. Each piece will be introduced by one of the musicians with a short history of these award winning composers, their music and the ground breaking concerts held at the Freer Gallery of Art.

The Scarab Club String Quartet, all of whom perform with the Michigan Opera Theatre Orchestra, includes violinist Velda Kelly, violinist Andrew Wu, violist James Greer, and cellist Nadine Deleury.

Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity to experience beautiful chamber music in the original exhibition gallery of the Freer House. Enjoy an afternoon of music and history and still be home in time for the Superbowl!

Space is Limited (RSVP Required) 313-872-1790 or email: mpsi@wayne.edu

Benefit concert tickets are: $25 general public and $10 for students

$20 for members of The Friends of the Freer House
$50 Patrons. Patron level tickets include reserved seating and parking

For location and parking information please visit mpsi.wayne.edu
Flyer: http://www.mpsi.wayne.edu/freer/scarab_concert.pdf

Charles Lang Freer House
71 East Ferry, Detroit

Quartet for clarinet, violin, viola and cello – Krzysztof Penderecki
Trio for oboe, clarinet and bassoon – Kirke Mechem
Con Slancio for bass clarinet and string quartet – Justin Boyer

Prices Range from $15-$20. Students only $10.

http://www.scarabclub.org/html/chamber_music_.html

The Scarab Club 217 Farnsworth, Detroit, MI 48202

Phone 313.831.1250

Mansions, Castles, Cool Homes Great Music

Thornetta Davis

Detroit’s historic neighborhood Palmer Woods toots its horn, strums its strings, and draws sellout crowds to its jazz, classical and world music concerts held in its historic homes. The first concert of the Palmer Woods Music in Homes featuring Blues queen Thornetta Davis on Saturday, December 26 (day after Christmas), is almost sold out, and the sales are lively for the eight additional concerts in the series. Concert tickets, $35 each, are available at www.palmerwoods.org or by calling 313-891-2514 for information. Discounts for groups and series tickets are available.

The 2009-2010 Lineup for Palmer Woods Music in Homes:

Saturday, Dec. 26, 8 pm
Thornetta Davis Trio with jazz stars A. Spencer Barefield, guitar, and Don Mayberry, bass
The holidays would certainly be blue without Motor City Blues Queen Thornetta Davis to warm things up in a breathtaking Old English Castle. Davis’s powerful voice has helped keep the local Blues, R&B and Soul scene alive and earned her a spot in the Detroit Music Hall of Fame.

Saturday, Jan. 30, 8 pm
Dwight Adams Ensemble Mardi Gras Celebration
When Dwight Adams calls out Mardi Gras on his trumpet, it connects the entire history of jazz from old New Orleans up to today. A regular in Stevie Wonder’s touring band, Adams will lead his ensemble in an authentic Mardi Gras celebration in one of our most magnificent and palatial homes.

Sunday, Feb. 28, 7 pm

Violinists Joe Striplin and Velda Kelly, bassist Rick Robinson,
and violist John Madison

Lotus Ensemble: Violinists Joe Striplin and Velda Kelly, bassist Rick Robinson, and violist John Madison
Great composers such as Duke Ellington, William Grant Still,  Scott Joplin and Detroit’s own Rick Robinson receive the spotlight with this quartet of Detroit Symphony and Michigan Opera Theatre string players in an exquisitely-crafted Tudor. The Takeaway’s new star national radio host Celeste Headlee, Grant Still’s granddaughter, will join us.

Saturday, March 27, 8 pm
Nadim Dlaikan’s Dearborn Traditional Ensemble
Some of the best Middle Eastern music in the world can be heard in Detroit. Flutist Nadim Dlaikan, oud player Abdu Karim Bader and tabla player Mustapha Atat share the beautiful melodies and rhythms of their ancestors. Their talent has graced the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., and we now can enjoy it in the aura of an elegant, spacious manor in Palmer Woods.

Sat., April 24, 8 pm
Orquesta La Inspiracion
Led by Puerto Rican-born congero Ozzie Rivera and music director-pianist Bill Meyer, Orquesta La Inspiration is the hottest Latin band in the Motor City. This 10-piece unit, featuring the golden voices of Mickey Figueroa and Armando Vega, fuses local salsa and jazz veterans into a musical tour de force.

Saturday, May 22, 8 pm
Flutist Eric Lamb & Pianist Paul Vasile
Celebrate Spring with Mozart, Schubert, Doppler, Bach, Debussy, Barber and Saint-Saens. These classic masters will come to life with Lamb and Vasile’s masterful interpretations in a stunning hall, surrounded by stained glass and especially designed for chamber music.

Jazz Fest in the Woods at Frank Lloyd Wright-Turkel home
Fri. & Sat., June 25-26, 8 pm
Sunday, June 27, 2 pm
Spencer Barefield & Friends
Acclaimed jazz guitarist A. Spencer Barefield joins with Juno award winner bassist Dave Young and drummer Djallo Keita to team up with three of Detroit’s jazz greats.

Friday: Rayse Biggs Tribute to Trumpet Masters
Biggs, a dynamic horn player who’s worked with Freddie Hubbard and Dizzy Gillespie, will play their works and that of Miles Davis, Lee Morgan, Clifford Brown and more.

Saturday: Grooving with Sax Virtuoso David McMurray
Recording artist and sideman to Bob James, Kid Rock and Kem, McMurray will play Barefield originals and works by Monk, Mingus, Coltrane and more.

Sunday: Horn Master Wendell Harrison
This Sun Ra alumnus and cofounder of the legendary Tribe, has worked with jazz giants Grant Green, Eddie Harris and many others. Recently he’s been performing with Carl Craig and Tribe.

Long considered to be one of Michigan’s premiere communities, Palmer Woods actively works to preserve and enrich the quality of life in Detroit. The concerts help raise funds for neighborhood preservation and improvements, as well as support the arts and project a positive and creative image about Detroit. Performance are held in different historic Palmer Woods mansions, castles and cool homes each month through June. The “concert halls” have included homes designed by legendary architects Minoru Yamasaki, Albert Kahn, Richard Marr and others. Many of the homes have never been open to the public. Two non-profits, the Palmer Woods Association (501c4) and the Creative Arts Collective (a 30-year-old Detroit-based 501c3 directed by Palmer Woods residents Spencer and Barbara Barefield) join hands to present the third year of this series.

Concerts are produced by the Creative Arts Collective. The Palmer Woods Association and Creative Arts Collective present Palmer Woods Music in Homes to strengthen our neighborhood and Detroit’s image, showcase Palmer Woods as a wonderful place to live and visit, and enrich the quality of life and cultural environment in our city. Concerts are supported in part by Be Well Medical Center in Berkley, Barefield DesignWorks, Blossoms in Birmingham, Elegance by Design in Ferndale and DMC-Sinai Grace Hospital.

Friday, November 6, 2009 at 8:30 p.m.

Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings presents a concert of the DSO’s finest horn players in the intimate setting of Hagopian Rugs in downtown Birmingham.

The program ranges from Baroque favorites by J.S. Bach to modern masterpieces by Kerry Turner and Lowell Shaw. The performance takes place Friday, November 6, 2009 at 8:30 PM at Hagopian World of Rugs in Birmingham, MI. Refreshments will be served at 8:00 p.m. preceding the performance.
Ticket Information
Discounted advance tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students, and can be purchased on-line at www.detroitchamberwinds.org, or by calling 248-559-2095.  Admission will also be available at the door for an additional $5 per ticket. Hagopian World of Rugs is located at 850 S. Old Woodward in downtown Birmingham.
Performance
Horns O’ Plenty III
With Karl Pituch, Bryan Kennedy, Corbin Wagner and David Everson
Hagopian World of Rugs

Friday, July 31, 2009 7 & 8:30 p.m.
Xiao Dong Wei is a classically trained Chinese musician, playing everything from Erhu (two-string Chinese violin), Guzheng, Pipa to piano, cello, percussion, and vocals. A recent transplant to Detroit from her native Beijing, China, she teams up here with Yuki Mack, one half of the Mack Sisters Piano Duo. Xiao Dong and Yuki play music from the classical Asian, as well as classical Western repertoire.

Drop-in Workshop: Fans: Uchiwa
6–9 p.m.
(12 and under must be with an adult)

Uchiwa is a particular style of paper fan common in Japan. Learn about the tradition of making Uchiwa as you create a fan of your own based on this design.

Drawing in the Galleries for Youth
6–9 p.m.
(Ages 6–14, children 12 and younger must be accompanied by an adult)

Artist/instructors help participants create pencil drawings to take home. No experience necessary; materials provided.

Location: See the This Week at the DIA handout at any Information Desk.

Drawing in the Galleries for Adults
6–9 p.m.
(Ages 15 & older)

Artist/instructors help participants create pencil drawings to take home. No experience necessary; materials provided.

Location: See the This Week at the DIA handout at any Information Desk.

Guided Tours
6 and 7:30 p.m.

Highlights of the museum tours offered at both times.

SUMMER NIGHTS with the DSO
MEADOW BROOK MUSIC FESTIVAL

July 25, 26, 31 & August 1 & 2
Music Director Leonard Slatkin kicks-off Summer Nights with the DSO at Meadow Brook Music Fesival with two concerts featuring the hits of Tchaikovsky and Gershwin. Hear some of your favorite music; including the 1812 Overture, music from Swan Lake, selections from Porgy and Bess and Rhapsody in Blue.
Resident Conductor Thomas Wilkins takes the podium the second weekend with a celebration of Benny Goodman’s 100th Birthday, an all Beethoven program and a Children’s Matinee.
Treat yourself to the good life and spend a night, or two, with the DSO under the stars.

MEADOW BROOK MUSIC FESTIVAL
TCHAIKOVSKY SPECTACULAR
Saturday, July 25 at 8 pm
GERSHWIN GALORE
Sunday, July 26 at 7:30 pm
BENNY GOODMAN’S 100th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
Friday, July 31 at 8 pm
ALL BEETHOVEN
Saturday, August 1 at 8 pm
MUSICAL MAGIC CHILDREN’S MATINEE
Sunday, August 2 at 4 pm

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) teams up with the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy and the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) to bring music, art and summer fun to three, free outdoor events at Rivard Plaza on the Detroit riverfront with 2nd Saturdays on the Riverfront. Each event will take place between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on July 11, Aug. 8 and Sep. 12.

This family-friendly summer extravaganza includes performances by Southpaw Isle Steelband on July 11, Biakuye Percussion Group on Aug. 8 and The Gratitude Steel Band on Sept. 12. All performances begin at 11 a.m. followed by a second set at 12:15 p.m. The event will also include art-making tables, airbrush and clown balloon artists, rides on the Cullen Family Carousel and the Marshall Music Instrument Petting Zoo (Instrument Petting Zoo only available on July 11 and Aug. 8).

The Rivard Plaza is located at 1340 E. Atwater St. in Detroit. Parking will be available at the surface lots at Atwater E. of Rivard and at Atwater and St. Antoine. Reserved seats are not required for the performances. Concertgoers should arrive early for best seating. Chairs will be set up for the performances, but attendees are also invited to bring their own chairs. For more information please visit detroitriverfront.org.

While rooted in Caribbean pan tradition, Southpaw Isle Steelband continually stretches the limits of the steelband sound with a repertoire that includes jazz, classical, samba and calypso influences. The group has presented workshops, assemblies, and educational concerts for students of all ages, including three sold-out performances as part of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Tiny Tots Concert Series at the Max M. Fisher Music Center.

Known for their energetic concert programs for children, Biakuye Percussion Group not only engages the audience with their unique brand of cultural fusion, but also provides education about African and American culture. Among the Akan people of Ghana, Biakuye means unity. It is this spirit of unity that brings the American and African members together to perform “melorhythmic world percussion.” Some of the group’s performance highlights include previous engagements with the Henry Ford II Fund Tiny Tots Concert Series, the Detroit Festival of the Arts and the African Xylophone Festival in New York City.

Based in Sylvan Lake, Michigan, The Gratitude Steel Band started in 1988 as an all Gospel ensemble. Eventually the group evolved to bring listeners a combination of gospel, reggae and tropical influences that today creates their one-of-a-kind sound. Part of their mission is to provide family entertainment that promotes the art of steel drum music through educational programs, concerts and events.

The internationally acclaimed Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the fourth-oldest symphony orchestra in the United States, is known for trailblazing performances, visionary maestros and collaborations with the world’s foremost musical artists. In the 2008-09 season, esteemed conductor Leonard Slatkin, called “America’s Music Director” by the Los Angeles Times, became the 12th Music Director of the DSO. A household name in classical music, Slatkin combines extraordinary musicianship with a passion for his role as a visionary orchestra leader.

The DSO makes its home in historic Orchestra Hall, one of America’s most acoustically perfect concert halls. The orchestra has earned awards and accolades for nearly 150 recordings since 1918, and its past touring and residency destinations include Europe, the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland, Japan, the Hollywood Bowl, Florida, the Bravo! Colorado Festival and the State of Michigan.

The DSO’s diversity programs include the pioneering Classical Roots concerts, the Elaine Lebenbom Memorial Competition for Women Composers, the annual Concert of Colors music festival and the African-American Fellowship program established in 1990. For more information on the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s programs, initiatives and concerts, please visit www.detroitsymphony.com.

PERFORMANCE
2nd Saturdays on the Riverfront
Southpaw Isle Steelband
Rivard Plaza
Sat., July 11at 11 a.m.
Selections to be announced from the stage.

2nd Saturdays on the Riverfront
Biakuye Percussion Group
Rivard Plaza
Sat., Aug. 8 at 11 a.m.
Selections to be announced from the stage.

2nd Saturdays on the Riverfront
The Gratitude Steel Band
Rivard Plaza
Sat., Sep. 12 at 11 a.m.
Selections to be announced from the stage.