The Detroit Symphony Orchestra Participates in Free Family Entertainment on the Detroit Riverfront this Summer with Three Great Concerts |
| Release Date: June 30, 2009 |
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 Selections to be announced from the stage.
Selections to be announced from the stage.
Selections to be announced from the stage.
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