• What you should be doing this December (having fun)

• MSU’s Broad Museum (opens in April) names Alison Gass (SFMoMA) Curator

• The comeback of Detroit’s art venues

• Nice article about young artists re-imagining Detroit, including Kobie Solomon (that huge mural at The Russell)

Sonny Rollins

American Jazz tenor saxophonist and improviser Sonny Rollins will make his solo debut at Orchestra Hall on Apr., 6, 2010 at 8 p.m. Rollins is one of the few surviving icons of the golden era of jazz, having collaborated with such legendary jazz contemporaries as John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Max Roach. The concert, part of the Bank of America Paradise Jazz Series, will be preceded by the Civic Jazz Live! featuring the DSO’s Civic Jazz Orchestra in The Music Box at 6:30 p.m.

Walter Theodore “Sonny” Rollins was born in Harlem, New York on Sept., 7, 1930, of parents native to the Virgin Islands. His older brother Valdemar and sister Gloria were also musically inclined, but only Sonny veered away from classical music after his uncle, a professional saxophonist, introduced him to jazz and blues. By the time he was out of school, Rollins was already working with big-name musicians such as Bud Powell, Fats Navarro, and Roy Haynes.

In the 1950 and 60s, Rollins played in the Max Roach–Clifford Brown Quintet, one of the most definitive hard-bop ensembles of its day. He recorded The Bridge in 1961 with Jim Hall and Bob Cranshaw, led a quartet with trumpeter Don Cherry and drummer Billy Higgins, and recorded with his idol Coleman Hawkins. He also received a Grammy nomination for his score for the popular film Alfie. He won his first performance Grammy for This Is What I Do (2000), and his second for 2004’s Without a Song (The 9/11 Concert), in the Best Jazz Instrumental Solo category (for “Why Was I Born”). Sonny, Please was nominated for a best jazz album Grammy in 2006. In addition, Sonny received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in 2004. Most recently, he was named best tenor saxophonist in the 2008 Down Beat Critics’ Poll and the Jazz Times Readers’ Poll, and by the Jazz Journalists Association in their June 2008 awards event.

Tickets for Sonny Rollins on Apr. 6 range in price from $22 to $73 with a limited number of box seats available for $108. Tickets may be purchased and/or reserved at the DSO Box Office (3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit), by calling the DSO at (313) 576-5111 or by visiting www.detroitsymphony.com.
PERFORMANCE
Bank of America Paradise Jazz Series
Sonny Rollins
Sonny Rollins, saxophone
Orchestra Hall
Tue., Apr. 6 at 8 p.m.
Selections to be announced from the stage
The DSO does not appear on this program
Concert preceded by Civic Jazz Live! Featuring the Civic Jazz Orchestra in The Music Box at 6:30 p.m.

Join us for the DP2A Launch Party on Thursday, August 20 at Centaur Bar in Detroit.

Come check out the latest information on our newest program: DP2A!  Appetizers are on us, and will include a cheese spread, pizzas, thai chicken & red pepper canapes.

From 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Centaur will donate $1 per alcoholic drink sold back to DP2A.

Admission to the Launch Party is free, so please invite your friends and help us spread the word!

CENTAUR
2233 Park Avenue
Detroit, MI 48201
313-963-4040
www.centaurbar.com

What is DP2A?

6 Performances

6 Events

7 Cultural Orgs

Arts, food, drink, dance

Social Networking

All this for one low price of $89

www.dp2a.org

Passport Destinations

9.25.09       Destination 1 – Detroit Symphony Orchestera

11.13.09     Destination 2 – The Hilberry Theatre

3.2010        Destination 3 – The Detroit Film Theatre

4.10.10       Destination 4 – Eisenhower Dance Ensemble

5.10.10       Destination 5 – Michigan Opera Theatre

6.21.10       Destination 6 – Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings and the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival

For more information, please visit www.dp2a.org

DP2A is designed to attract new or fringe audiences to Metro Detroit’s cultural institutions by breaking down common barriers such as high cost, perceptions of elitism, and lack of familiarity with the art forms – all factors which often deter people from participating in the arts.

“With an $89 Passport, what purchasers are really looking at is $15 per event. At that price point, people can explore their curiosity about arts and culture in metro Detroit without making a big financial commitment,” states Natalie Bruno, Director of Development for Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings and its partner organizations, the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival and Eisenhower Dance Ensemble. “It’s ideal for individuals who are on the fence about participation in the arts to learn more about what the region has to offer.”

Each performance will be paired with an exclusive event for Passport holders, featuring activities such as wine or beer tastings, dance lessons, guest speakers and more. Events will occur pre- or post-concert, depending on the venue. Each DP2A event is designed to provide valuable insight into the evening’s performance while adding a social element to the cultural experience. Admission to these events is included in the $89 Passport price.

Administered by Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings and its partners, DP2A will feature the following organizations and performances during the inaugural 2009-10 season. Dates are still being finalized:

Sharon Isbin plays Rodrigo in September

· September 25, 2009: Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Isbin Plays Rodrigo

· November (TBD) 2009: The Hilberry Theatre, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

· March (TBD) 2010: The Detroit Film Theatre of the DIA, Oscar-nominated film shorts

· April 10, 2010: Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, Dances from the Heart of Rock ‘n Roll

· May 21, 2010: Michigan Opera Theatre, Tosca

· June 19, 2010: Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings/Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, Dual season finale

Driven by a Steering Committee of young professionals, the DP2A program supports the notion that the next generation of arts leaders and cultural patrons is likely to come from all professions, walks of life and education levels.

“Programs aimed at developing new audiences are an important investment for arts organizations to make right now,” commented Ross Binnie, Vice President of Audience Development for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. “We need to get young people through our doors – that is the first step towards cultivating a future generation of long-term supporters.”

Laura Nealssohn, Director of Communications for Michigan Opera Theatre, also expressed enthusiasm for the program: “There are lots of individuals out there who are on the cusp of becoming involved in the arts – DP2A is designed to provide an easy entrée for them. Those who are less familiar with the performing arts can “sample” the area’s various offerings, without having to dig too deep in their pockets. It is a great way for them to discover what really interests them most.”

More information about DP2A is available at www.dp2a.org. Details regarding the DP2A Launch Party, to be held in mid-August, will be released on the website shortly. Passports may be purchased in advance by calling the Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings offices at 248.559.2095.

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.

July 1st-4th

What could be more American than celebrating Independence Day at America’s greatest history museum, feasting on sumptuous all-American favorites and listening to America’s finest orchestra?

Join the DSO and The Henry Ford for the 17th annual Salute to America July 1-4 at Greenfield Village.

The red, white and blue will be flying high in the historic Walnut Grove district as the DSO serves up a rousing portion of apple pie favorites like Stars and Stripes Forever, God Bless America, marches by John Philip Sousa and other patriotic favorites.

There will be picinics, kids activities, a drum and fife corp and a grand finale of dazzling fireworks and historical cannon firing all accomapnied by Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.

Gates open at 6pm

Prelude Concert at 7:30pm

Detroit Symphony Orchestra at 8:30pm
www.detroitsymphony.com

Thursday, June 18

7. Detroit Public Library
5201 Woodward – detroitpubliclibrary.org

Thornetta Davis
7:30pm – R&B | Soul
Local singing sensation, Thornetta Davis, has a rich, soulful voice that reaches through the microphone to both soothe and excite.

Linton Kwesi Johnson
9:00pm – Poetry
Reading from his third book of poetry, Jamaican-born and London-based dub poet, Linton Kwesi Johnson, shares his award-winning style of reggae poetry, a genre of writing he helped to originate.

Reception & Book Signing from 6:30pm-7:30pm

Friday, June 19

8. Whitney Restaurant
4421 Woodward – thewhitney.com
Garden Party

The Guggenheim Grotto
8:00pm – Folk | Pop
Dublin, Ireland duo, Guggenheim Grotto, mix multi-instrumental pop/folk with sampling, electronic techniques and poetic lyrics set to rhythmic pop melodies.

Oscar Lopez
10:00pm – Latin Guitar
Letting the passion and fire within his soul loose through his fingertips and onto the guitar strings, Oscar Lopez, a world-class musician and two-time Juno award winner, plays with a soulful energy and fiery intensity that captivates and entertains.

Saturday, June 20

9. Ellington Lawn
Mack Avenue just east of Woodward

East Village Opera Company
8:30pm – Opera | Rock | Classical
Traditional operatic pieces transformed into modern musical arrangements that combine a classical string section with a powerhouse rock band.

Detroit Symphony Orchestra & Project Bandaloop
10:30pm - Symphony | Aerial Dance
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra appears in a late-night outdoor concert performing the Overture to “Midsummer Night’s Dream.”  The repertoire will include works by Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Hindemith, and Stravinsky.  San Francisco’s gravity-defying aerial dance troupe, Project Bandaloop, add their beautiful, vertical choreography to this special performance.

To commemorate the 20^th anniversary of Final Fantasy and the music from this best-selling, world-wide video game franchise, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) and conductor Arnie Roth will feature a one-night special concert titled Distant Worlds: music from Final Fantasy on June 18 at 8 p.m. in Orchestra Hall. 

The program features the orchestrated music of composer and musician Nobuo Uematsu from games throughout the Final Fantasy series as well as a world premiere of the new score The Man with the Machine Gun!, a piece written by Uematsu and arranged by Roth.  During the performance, videos from the games’ most memorable sequences will be projected on a screen above the stage.  Guest artists for the performance include Detroit native, recording artist and featured soprano, Susan Calloway; Tina Sandor Bunce, mezzo-soprano; Matthew Eldred, tenor; Sean Cooper, bass-baritone; and the Stoney Creek High School Chamber Singers under the direction of Brandon Ulrich.         

Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra, Arnie Roth is a Grammy Award-winning artist known for his work with performers such as Il Divo, Diana Ross, Jewel, The Irish Tenors, Charlotte Church, Peter Cetera and Dennis DeYoung.  Roth has conducted the London, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, BBC, San Francisco, San Diego, Winnipeg, Sydney and the National Symphony orchestras, as well as the Hollywood Bowl, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Czech National Chamber Orchestra, the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, the Ravinia Festival Orchestra, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and the Tokyo Philharmonic.          

Roth is well-known in the world of video game music for his work with Nobuo Uematsu and Square Enix as Music Director and conductor of “Dear Friends: music from Final Fantasy;” “More Friends: music from Final Fantasy;” and “Voices: music from Final Fantasy” as well as his role as Music Director and conductor of “Play! A Video Game Symphony.”  He was the winner of the Best Score Award at the 2003 DVD Premier Awards for his score for the film Barbie™ as Rapunzel, and was nominated for an Emmy in 2007 for his original song “Shine” from the movie Barbie™ in The Twelve Dancing Princesses.                   

Up-and-coming recording artist Susan Calloway first turned record industry heads last year when many of her songs were featured on popular WB television shows.  Her energetic live performances and exceptional vocal style have won her a fan base all over the U.S.         

Originally from Detroit, Calloway is an accomplished pianist, rhythm guitar player and producer.  She is currently in the studio working on her first full length CD, scheduled for release this fall.          

Since her professional debut nearly twenty years ago, Tina Sandor Bunce has garnered a reputation, both here and abroad, for her rich mezzo voice, musicality and astounding versatility of repertoire.  Primarily known for her work in oratorio and on the concert stage, she has excelled as a soloist in performances of many of the great works for choir and orchestra, including the Verdi Requiem, Handel Messiah, Mendelssohn Elijah, Mozart Requiem, and the St. John and St. Matthew Passions of J.S. Bach.  She has also sung many major works of the 20th century, including the music of Duruflé, Vaughan Williams and Copland.          

A proponent of the music of our time, Bunce has made numerous appearances as a guest soloist on the annual New Music & Art Festival at Bowling Green State University, at the Heidelburg University New Music Festival and was the solo mezzo-soprano in the world premiere of the intermedia-dance-opera Lives in Crisis: Jesus’ Daughter by Burton Beerman.  A video version has been presented at various international video festivals, including the 1998 “Dance on Camera I” festival at New York’s Museum of Modern Art and Lincoln Center.         

Matthew Eldred is a senior at Michigan State University majoring in Vocal Performance and currently holds the Helen Tretheway Endowment for Voice.  Recent leading roles with the MSU Opera Theater have included Ramiro in Rossini’s La Cenerentola and Governor/Ragotski in Candide as well as recent solo performances at the Shenyang Conservatory of Music in China.  Eldred has been engaged by the Lansing Concert Band, Kalamazoo and Lansing Symphony orchestras and MSU Philharmonic as tenor soloist for works ranging from J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion to Handel’s Messiah.         

Bass-baritone Sean Cooper has appeared as Colline in the Broadway cast of Baz Luhrmann’s La Bohème.  He has also sung the role in San Francisco, New York, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Guam.  Cooper has performed such roles as Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro, Leporello in Don Giovanni, Truffaldino in Ariadne auf Naxos, Il Re in Aida, Betto in Gianni Schicchi, Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance, Speaker in The Emperor of Atlantis, Sarastro in The Magic Flute, Seneca in L’Incoronazione di Poppea, and David in Barber’s A Hand of Bridge.         

Concert performances include the title roles in Mendelssohn’s Elijah and St. Paul, Raphael in Haydn’s The Creation, Jesus in Bach’s St. John Passion, Priest/Angel in Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, the bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Schubert’s Mass in C Major, Bach’s Magnificat, the Fauré Requiem, and several of the Bach cantatas.         

Cooper has performed with such companies as the Memphis, Pittsburgh and Toledo Symphony orchestras, as well as the Opera Carolina, Opera Memphis, Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh, Opera North, Liederkranz Opera, Opera Theatre of Guam, Sacramento Choral Society, and Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera.         

The Choirs at Stoney Creek High School have earned a reputation of excellence throughout the state, earning consistent superior ratings at district and state festivals.  The choirs perform with the Detroit and Rochester Symphony orchestras on a regular basis, and have also performed with the Detroit Chamber Winds, at the Michigan Opera House and were the choral forces for the Canadian Premiere of Play! at the Hummingbird Centre (Toronto) in 2006.  The Chamber Singers have been invited to perform at the 2006, 2007 and 2009 Michigan Music Conferences.  Choral students from Stoney Creek have won significant performance competitions including Youth Arts Festival Soloist nominations, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Idol Competitions and NATS Competitions.  Stoney Creek students have earned places in numerous all-state ensembles, are featured in national touring companies and Broadway shows, and many have gone on to study music at the collegiate level.  The Stoney Creek Choirs are under the direction of Brandon Ulrich, Eric Kausch and Traci Bartell. 

Tickets to Final Fantasy range in price from $25 to $65 with a limited number of box seats available for $75.  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. 

PERFORMANCES 

Special Event
DISTANT WORLDS: MUSIC FROM FINAL FANTASY
Orchestra Hall

Detroit Symphony Orchestra

Arnie Roth, conductor; Susan Calloway, soprano; Tina Sandor Bunce, mezzo-soprano; Matthew Eldred, tenor; Sean Cooper, bass-baritone; Stoney Creek High School Chamber Singers, Brandon Ulrich, director

 Thu., June 18 at 8 p.m.

 Selections to be announced from stage.

Where: The Max M. Fisher Music Center, Detroit

When: 8:00PM

Tix: $25.00-$75.00

www.detroitsymphony.com