Performance Magazine - Fall Issue 2 - 2025–26 Season

2025–2026 SEASON

FALL

PROGRAM NOTES

MICHAEL ABELS

Storyteller in Sound

NEW FACES ON STAGE

LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT

Transforming Lives Through Music

STEPHEN & SUSAN MOLINA

The Sound of Giving

COMPOSER-IN-RESIDENCE

DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

MICHAEL ABELS

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

dso.org

Michael Abels

WELCOME

Dear Friends,

Welcome to a new season with your Detroit Symphony Orchestra! Whether you are discovering us for the first time or returning as a longtime supporter, we are thrilled to share with you the music and memories that await this year.

Our 2025–2026 season is built on a simple but powerful idea: Life. Amplified. From classical masterpieces and jazz icons to pops favorites and concerts for the whole family, each performance is an invitation to experience music’s power to magnify every emotion, every connection, every moment.

We begin this fall with our dazzling Opening Night Gala, followed by a season full of unforgettable highlights including the return of legendary conductor Herbert Blomstedt and a multi-week Northern Lights Festival that illuminates Nordic music and culture. Still buzzing from the March 2025 release of Wynton Marsalis’s Blues Symphony recorded live right here in Orchestra Hall with our outstanding Music Director, Jader Bignamini, and the DSO—we are proud to continue our close partnership with Wynton by presenting several of his works throughout the season.

Life. Amplified. isn’t just about music—it’s about people. Musicians, audiences, donors, leaders on stage and off, volunteers, staff, and partners create a connected community that makes the DSO thrive, where people across our region (and around the world thanks to our Live from Orchestra Hall concert livestreams) can find a home in music.

This season, we’re also pleased to welcome new faces: In addition to new musicians on stage, Michael Abels joins us as Composer-in-Residence, and Ingrid Martin as Assistant Conductor (Phillip and Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador ) and Music Director of the Detroit Symphony Youth Orchestra. Read on to learn more about Michael and our new musicians.

As always, the DSO’s impact extends beyond the stage. Each year, we transform the lives of thousands of students through music education and foster deep connections with partner organizations—like through our Detroit Harmony initiative—engaging with one another to build a vibrant cultural landscape and champion our great city of Detroit.

No matter where life takes you, we want to be a constant, where you can always turn to experience the transformative power of music and community. We invite you to join us often this season, and to let the DSO be part of life’s most meaningful moments.

Warm regards,

Erik Rönmark

Faye Alexander Nelson President & CEO Chair, Board of Directors

Erik and Faye at Classical Roots 2025

DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

JADER BIGNAMINI , Music Director

Music Directorship endowed by the Kresge Foundation

ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ

Principal Pops Conductor

Devereaux Family Chair

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

OPEN

ASSISTANT CONCERTMASTER

Marguerite Deslippe*

Laurie Goldman*

Rachel Harding Klaus*

Eun Park Lee*

Nancy Schlichting and Pam Theisen Chair

Adrienne Rönmark*

William and Story John Chair

OPEN

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

Connor Chaikowsky*

Will Haapaniemi*

David and Valerie McCammon Chairs

Hae Jeong Heidi Han*

David and Valerie McCammon Chairs

Sheryl Hwangbo Yu*

Sujin Lim*

Tianyu Liu*

Yu-Ming Ma*

Hong-Yi Mo *

Marian Tănău*

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

Mike Chen*

Hart Hollman*

Glenn Mellow*

Hang Su*

Han Zheng*

TERENCE BLANCHARD

Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair

CELLO

Wei Yu

PRINCIPAL

OPEN

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Dorothy and Herbert Graebner Chair

Robert Bergman*

Jeremy Crosmer*

Victor and Gale Girolami Chair

David LeDoux*

Peter McCaffrey*

Joanne Danto and Arnold Weingarden

Chair

Úna O’Riordan*

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

PRINCIPAL

Alan J. and Sue Kaufman and Family Chair

Emily Bieker

ACTING SECOND FLUTE

Morton and Brigitte Harris Chair

Amanda Blaikie

ACTING ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Bernard and Eleanor Robertson Chair

PICCOLO OPEN

OBOE

Alexander Kinmonth

PRINCIPAL

Jack A. and Aviva Robinson Chair

Erik Andrusyak

Sarah Lewis

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Monica Fosnaugh

Donovan Bown§

ENGLISH HORN

Monica Fosnaugh

TABITA BERGLUND Principal Guest Conductor

CLARINET

Ralph Skiano

PRINCIPAL

Robert B. Semple Chair

Kamalia Freyling

ACTING SECOND CLARINET

Jack Walters

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

PVS Chemicals Inc./

Jim and Ann Nicholson Chair

Shannon Orme

Triniti Rives§

E-FLAT CLARINET

Jack Walters

BASS CLARINET

Shannon Orme

Barbara Frankel and Ronald Michalak Chair

BASSOON

Conrad Cornelison

PRINCIPAL

Byron and Dorothy Gerson Chair

Cornelia Sommer

Ryan Turano

CONTRABASSOON

Ryan Turano

HORN

Edmund Rollett

PRINCIPAL HORN

David and Christine Provost Chair

Scott Strong

Ric and Carola Huttenlocher Chair

Patrick Walle

Cara Kizer

ACTING ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Kristi Crago

ACTING HORN

Ben Wulfman

ACTING HORN

TRUMPET

Hunter Eberly

PRINCIPAL

Austin Williams

Justin Emerich

ACTING ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

William Lucas

TROMBONE

Gracie Potter

PRINCIPAL

David Binder

Adam Rainey

Richard Sonenklar and Greg Haynes

Chair

BASS TROMBONE

Adam Rainey

TUBA

Dennis Nulty

PRINCIPAL

INGRID MARTIN

Assistant Conductor, Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador

TIMPANI

Jeremy Epp

PRINCIPAL

Richard and Mona Alonzo Chair

Jay Ritchie

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

PERCUSSION

Joseph Becker

PRINCIPAL

Ruth Roby and Alfred R. Glancy III Chair

Andrés Pichardo-Rosenthal

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

William Cody Knicely Chair

Jay Ritchie

LIBRARIANS

Robert Stiles

PRINCIPAL

Ethan Allen

LEGACY CHAIRS

Principal Flute

Women’s Association for the DSO

Principal Cello

James C. Gordon

PERSONNEL MANAGERS

Andrew Williams

DIRECTOR OF ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL

Benjamin Tisherman

MANAGER OF ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL

STAGE PERSONNEL

Dennis Rottell

STAGE MANAGER

Joe Corless

DEPARTMENT HEAD

William Dailing

DEPARTMENT HEAD

Zach Deater

DEPARTMENT HEAD

Isaac Eide

DEPARTMENT HEAD

Kurt Henry

DEPARTMENT HEAD

Matthew Pons

SENIOR AUDIO DEPARTMENT HEAD

Jason Tschantre

DEPARTMENT HEAD

PAST MUSIC DIRECTORS

Leonard Slatkin

MUSIC DIRECTOR LAUREATE

Neeme Järvi

MUSIC DIRECTOR EMERITUS

LEGEND

* These members may voluntarily revolve seating within the section on a regular basis

^ Leave of Absence

§ African American Orchestra

Fellow

BEHIND THE BATON

Jader Bignamini

MUSIC DIRECTORSHIP ENDOWED BY THE KRESGE FOUNDATION

Jader 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.

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 Sinfonica di Milano. Recent highlights include debuts with Opera de Paris, Deutsche Opera Berlin, Accademia di Santa Cecilia Orchestra, Washington’s National Symphony Orchestra, and the Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Minnesota symphonies; The Cleveland Orchestra at the Blossom Festival; and at the Grand Teton Festival. He has also appeared with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and London Philharmonic; with the Metropolitan Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Vienna State Opera, Dutch National Opera, and Bayerische Staatsoper; in Montpellier for the Festival de Radio France; and had return engagements with Oper Frankfurt and Santa Fe Opera. In Italy, Bignamini has conducted numerous operas at Arena of Verona, Rome’s Teatro dell’Opera, Teatro Massimo in Palermo, the Verdi Festival in Parma, Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, and La Fenice in Venice. In Asia, he has conducted the Osaka Philharmonic, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, and others. Bignamini enjoys working with the next generation of musicians and is a regular guest of Interlochen Center for the Arts with the DSO and of the Asian Youth Orchestra.

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.

Enrico Lopez-Yañez

PRINCIPAL POPS CONDUCTOR AND DEVEREAUX FAMILY CHAIR

Celebrated for his charismatic stage presence, genre-defining collaborations, and passion for making orchestral music accessible to all, Enrico LopezYañez is one of the most innovative and in-demand conductors in North America. He currently serves as Principal Pops Conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Pacific Symphony, Principal Conductor of Dallas Symphony Presents, and Principal Guest Conductor of Pops at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. He previously spent eight seasons conducting the Nashville Symphony, where he also served as their Principal Pops Conductor.

As a trailblazer in the symphonic world, Lopez-Yañez has premiered dozens of groundbreaking symphonic collaborations with artists including Dolly Parton, Kelsea Ballerini, and Tituss Burgess. His wide-ranging collaborations span genres and generations, featuring artists such as Nas, Itzhak Perlman, Gladys Knight, Ben Folds, The Beach Boys, and Kenny G.

As a composer and arranger, he has written for artists like Big Sean and Mariachi Los Camperos, and he has been commissioned by major orchestras across the U.S. A passionate advocate for Latin music, he has arranged and produced concerts featuring Latin Fire, Mariachi Los Camperos, and The Three Mexican Tenors, and collaborated with Aida Cuevas, Arturo Sandoval, Lila Downs, and Lupita Infante.

Lopez-Yañez is also Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Symphonica Productions, LLC, a creative production company developing innovative pops, family, and educational concerts for orchestras.

Terence Blanchard

FRED A. ERB JAZZ CREATIVE DIRECTOR CHAIR

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.

DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, INC.

LIFETIME DIRECTORS

Samuel Frankel◊

Stanley Frankel

David Handleman, Sr.◊

Dr. Arthur L. Johnson ◊

Chacona W. Baugh

Penny B. Blumenstein

Richard A. Brodie

Marianne Endicott

Sidney Forbes

Faye Alexander Nelson Chair

Erik Rönmark President & CEO

Shirley Stancato Vice Chair

James B. Nicholson

Barbara Van Dusen

Clyde Wu, M.D.◊

CHAIRS EMERITI

Peter D. Cummings

Mark A. Davidoff

Phillip Wm. Fisher

Stanley Frankel

DIRECTORS EMERITI

Herman H. Frankel

Dr. Gloria Heppner

Ronald Horwitz

Harold Kulish

Bonnie Larson

Arthur C. Liebler

David McCammon

Marilyn Pincus

OFFICERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Laura Trudeau Treasurer

Renato Jamett Secretary

Ric Huttenlocher Officer at Large

Daniel J. Kaufman Officer at Large

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Robert S. Miller

James B. Nicholson

David T. Provost

Glenda Price

Marjorie S. Saulson

Jane Sherman

Arthur A. Weiss

David Nicholson Officer at Large

Dr. David M. Wu, M.D. Officer at Large

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

Dr. Marcus Collins

Jeremy Epp, Orchestra Representative

Aaron Frankel

Ralph J. Gerson

Laura Grannemann

Dr. 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 Alexander Nelson, Board Chair

David Nicholson

Arthur T. O’Reilly

Bernard I. Robertson

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Shirley Stancato

Scott Strong, Orchestra Representative

Laura J. Trudeau

James G. Vella

Dr. David M. Wu, M.D.

Ellen Hill Zeringue

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, M.D.

Karen Cullen

Joanne Danto

Stephen D’Arcy

Maureen T. D’Avanzo

Jasmin DeForrest

Cara Dietz

Afa Sadykhly Dworkin

Emily Elmer

James C. Farber

Amanda Fisher

Linda D. Forte

Carolynn Frankel

Christa Funk

Robert Gillette

Jody Glancy

Mary Ann Gorlin

Darby Hadley

Michele Hodges

Julie Hollinshead

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, 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

Rochelle Riley

Jim Rose, Jr.

Laurie DeMond-Rosen

Carlo Serraiocco

Lois L. Shaevsky

Elliot Shafer

Shiv Shivaraman

Dean P. Simmer

Richard Sonenklar

Dhivya Srinivasan

Rob Tanner

Yoni Torgow

Nate Wallace

Gwen Weiner

Donnell White

R. Jamison Williams

BY LATOYA CROSS

Stephen and Susan Molina: The Sound of Giving

Detroit in the 1970s was an interesting time socially and culturally. In the aftermath of the 1967 rebellion, the city struggled with economic mobility, racial tensions, and adverse headlines; but the rich tapestry of music prevailed—from Motown to classical.

Whether song lyrics reflect the times or a melody carries thoughts into an optimistic future, music has a way of providing solace amid socio-cultural shifts; of being a soothing balm in times of challenge and celebration.

In 1979, The Detroit Symphony Orchestra embarked on a European Tour that had potential to shape a new narrative for the city—one that swayed negative attention and turned focus toward the creativity and resilience of the people. This tour was the keystone that set the DSO on the national stage.

Stephen Molina—a bass player from Long Island, New York who won his DSO audition in 1976, just three years prior to the European Tour, describes the sendoff and welcome back home as among his top memorable moments with the orchestra. Molina, also a music educator, has served the DSO for nearly 50 years in capacities ranging from assistant personnel manager to his current seat as Assistant Principal Bass.

“The DSO is an organization that I have always believed to be at the center of all the arts organizations in Detroit and southeastern Michigan; I still feel strongly about this,” he expresses. “The importance back in 1979 was to highlight this great orchestra, this cultural gem to the rest of the world in a way never done before. Today, the DSO is still one of the great orchestras of our country. Moreover, it has evolved into one of the most inviting and innovative orchestras, with a mission to bring great music to the world and create opportunities for young people to learn and realize their own aspirations in music.”

It was at Orchestra Hall where Stephen and his wife, Susan, had their first date. And it is because of the organization’s work and dedication to evolving as an educational and musical asset to Detroit communities—along with its status as a world-class orchestra—that he and Susan commit to being DSO donors.

“Giving back is something I learned from my parents. Whether it is giving of your time, your skills, or your financial contributions... all are valuable.”

STEPHEN MOLINA,

DSO Assistant Principal Bass ( Renato and Elizabeth Jamett Chair) and Donor

“During our 19 years of marriage, Susan has attended, my guess, would be well over 500 concerts—nearly every subscription concert as well as many pops and special events,” Molina says. “Our dedication to the DSO as donors allows us to be a very small part of a group of people that want to see this great orchestra grow and thrive for decades to come.”

Join Stephen and Susan and other DSO donors in creating lasting impact. Give now at dso.org

Michael Abels: Storyteller in Sound

When audiences hear the music of Michael Abels, they are immediately drawn into a journey—sometimes haunting, sometimes joyful, always deeply human. The Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, best known for his opera Omar (co-composed with Rhiannon Giddens) and his groundbreaking film scores for Jordan Peele’s Get Out, Us, and Nope, has long balanced the worlds of concert music and cinema. In the 2025–26 season, the DSO is proud to welcome Abels as Composer-in-Residence, offering audiences the chance to experience the breadth of his work live in Orchestra Hall.

That’s a really nice feeling.”

The DSO has performed several of Abels’s works in past seasons, but the residency marks the most significant collaboration to date. Over the course of the season, audiences will hear five of his compositions, ranging from early milestones to fresh premieres. For Abels, the programming highlights the central theme of variety: “I’ve written in various genres and for various media, so you’re going to get a little bit of everything this season.”

“It’s a huge honor,” Abels says. “I feel like the Detroit Symphony has been one of the home ensembles for me through my career—an ensemble that really gets me.

Among the works to be performed is Unbound, a short but powerful tribute to Olympic champion Jesse Owens. Audiences will also hear Global Warming (1991), one of Abels’s earliest orchestral successes. Written in the hopeful years following the fall of the Berlin Wall, the piece celebrates shared cultural

Michael Abels

threads across global folk traditions while reflecting on a rapidly changing world. Abels calls it the first piece where he “understood who I am”—a work that, decades later, still resonates.

The DSO will also perform More Seasons, Abels’s playful deconstruction of Vivaldi’s famous concertos. He describes it as “Vivaldi in a Mixmaster,” subjecting familiar themes to minimalist twists and surprising turns. Family audiences can look forward to Frederick’s Fables, a delightful work for narrator and orchestra based on the award-winning children’s stories of Leo Lionni. “These were favorites of mine growing up,” Abels recalls. “Now I get to help introduce them to young audiences in a way that shows how well an orchestra can take a story and make it live, along with narration.”

Perhaps the most anticipated event of the residency will be the world premiere of a new orchestral suite from Omar, the opera that won Abels and Giddens the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in Music. The suite brings the opera’s powerful themes and melodies into the concert hall, where the orchestra will take center stage. “In opera, many of the most memorable melodies are given to the voice,” Abels explains. “In the orchestral suite, the orchestra takes on the leading role in all of those melodies that people remembered and fell in love with. I’m really looking forward to letting the orchestra completely shine through in this work that means so much to me.”

Abels’s versatility has allowed him to thrive in multiple spheres. His scores for Jordan Peele’s films brought him international recognition, winning the World Soundtrack Award, the Jerry Goldsmith Award, and numerous critics’ honors. Meanwhile, his concert works have been performed by major orchestras across the country, from Chicago and Cleveland to Philadelphia and Atlanta. He is also co-founder of the Composers Diversity Collective, advocating for greater representation of composers of color in film, gaming, and streaming media. Outside of music, he is an amateur triathlete.

Yet across this wide-ranging output, certain values remain constant. “I want to write music that musicians love playing,” Abels says. “People coming together to play is one of the most magnificent and inspiring things.”

For DSO Music Director Jader Bignamini, Abels is a natural fit. “Michael is a unique figure in the contemporary music scene thanks to his ability to blend different genres into cohesive and deeply expressive compositions,” Bignamini says. “His artistic identity is deeply rooted in his multicultural background and his commitment to diversity and inclusion. Michael is much more than a composer: he is a cultural mediator, a sound innovator, and a promoter of change.”

Born in Phoenix and raised in rural South Dakota, Abels studied at the University of Southern California and the California Institute of the Arts. His music reflects a wide-ranging curiosity: classical structures infused with elements of jazz, gospel, hip-hop, and world music. “When I was in school, I was afraid that my interest in different genres was a bad thing,” he admits. “But then I realized I use genre the way other people use orchestration—it’s a feature of how I approach music. That is my brand.”

Bignamini first collaborated with Abels several years ago and immediately sensed a creative kinship. “His artistic vision, human depth, and natural ability to connect with a wide range of audiences make him an ideal partner for an institution that values creativity, openness, and community impact,” he says.

For Abels, the residency is not only about performances, but also about connection—with musicians and audiences. “There is an implied trust between a composer and a listener,” he reflects. “A listener says, ‘I’m interested in you taking me on a journey,’ and I want to honor that trust. At the end of that journey, I want them to feel it was time well spent.”

LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT AT THE DSO

TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH MUSIC

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is an inclusive and culturally relevant community where all people can experience their world through music. From classrooms and gathering spaces to care settings and concert halls, the DSO’s programs connect, inspire, and transform lives. Visit dso.org to learn more.

Learning Programs

DSO Civic Youth Ensembles (ages 7–19) and Detroit Community Ensembles (for adults) offer classical, jazz, orchestra, and band experiences that nurture musicianship at every stage. Nearly 800 people from 147 zip codes come together each week to make music in Orchestra Hall. Detroit Harmony has given out 2,164 instruments to aspiring young musicians.

Educational Concert Series

Designed for students in grades 3–8, these thematically-designed concerts explore topics like science, history, and art through orchestral music, both in Orchestra Hall and online. Last season, 81,000 students tuned in, and over 12,000 students experienced the music live in Orchestra Hall, most for the first time.

Programs in Schools

In-school programs and performances with DSO musicians and teaching artists lay groundwork for music education opportunities later in life, and longterm academic and social success. Last season, we made music with nearly 2,500 children in every Detroit Public School Pre-K classroom. We also launched our Detroit Harmony mobile lesson program, offering lessons in schools to support local music programs.

Accessibility, Health, and Wellness

Together with healthcare and wellness providers, the DSO offers music experiences that support patients and care partners. Through sensory friendly performances, open rehearsals, music therapy sessions, and hospital performances, hundreds of people have access to the healing power of the arts.

Music in our Communities

Each season, the DSO co-creates over 200 performances and workshops outside of Orchestra Hall. Detroit Neighborhood Initiative events celebrate local artistry and connect families with resources; DSO on the Go offers musical programs in shelters and community centers, DTE Community Concerts and the William Davidson Neighborhood Concert Series bring the orchestra to communities in and around our city.

Support our Detroit Harmony Instrument Drive!

We are now accepting instruments. Please consider donating new or used instruments through our instrument drive. We are committed to making sure that all children in Detroit have the opportunity to grow as young musicians.

ON STAGE NOW:

New Faces

CONNOR CHAIKOWSKY VIOLIN

Previous Roles: Concertmaster for several programs with the New World Symphony.

Appearances: The Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Grand Teton Music Festival, New York String Orchestra, YoungArts Miami, and Tanglewood Music Center.

Education: Peabody Preparatory, bachelor’s degree in violin performance from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music.

TIANYU LIU VIOLIN

Awards: Winner of the Naftzger Young Artist Competition and Sigma Alpha Iota Competition at Chautauqua Institution; first prize in the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Young Artist Performance String Competition; and grand prize at the Ronald Sachs International Music Competition in North Carolina.

Appearances: Richmond Symphony Orchestra, Wuhan Conservatory Orchestra, The Juilliard School Chamber Festival, Taos School of Music, Bowdoin International Music Festival, and Cremona International Music Festival.

Awards: Verbier Festival, where he was awarded the Prix de APCAV for “embodying the spirit of the festival.”

Fun Facts: In 2021, he created and performed Le Boeuf en Concert, a multidisciplinary video concert inspired by the history and influences of Milhaud’s Le Bœuf sur le toit, which was featured in the Houston Chronicle. Outside of music, Connor enjoys running, cycling, and cooking.

Education: Master of Music from The Juilliard School (Kovner Fellowship); undergraduate studies at College of Charleston; and currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Michigan.

Fun Facts: A native of Wuhan, China, Tianyu made his American debut at Bruno Walter Auditorium (Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts) performing the Waxman Carmen Fantasie.

YU-MING MA VIOLIN

Previous Roles: Principal Second Violin of the New York String Orchestra Seminar; frequent concertmaster with the Shepherd School of Music’s symphony orchestra and chamber orchestra; and substitute violinist with the Houston Symphony.

Appearances: Encore Chamber Music Festival, Kneisel Hall, Taos Chamber Music Festival, Tongyeong International Music Festival, and the 2024 Music@Menlo International Program.

As Soloist: Chausson’s Poème with the Cleveland Institute of Music

Orchestra, and violin concertos by Dvořák and Tchaikovsky with the SiungSong Orchestra under the baton of Wen-Pin Chien in Taiwan.

Education: Bachelor of Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music; master’s degree from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music; and currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts at Rice University.

Fun Facts: Born in Taiwan, Yu-Ming began his musical journey at the age of five. His teachers have since included Todor Pelev, Ivan Zenaty, Jinjoo Cho, Jan Sloman, and Jaime Laredo.

ERIK ANDRUSYAK SECOND OBOE

Previous Roles : Co-Principal Oboe of the United States Coast Guard Band; Principal Oboe of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, and Elgin Symphony; and Civic Orchestra of Chicago.

Appearances : Pacific Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, Berkshire Opera Festival, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Grant Park Festival Orchestra, New World Symphony, Springfield Symphony, Albany Symphony, Illinois

Symphony, the Joffrey Ballet, and the Chicago Philharmonic.

As soloist: U.S. Coast Guard Band, Connecticut Symphony, Masterworks Festival Orchestra, Eastern Connecticut Symphony, and the Yellow River Music Festival.

Education: Bachelor of Music from DePaul University.

Fun Facts: Erik enjoys spending time with his wife, Jamie, and their two cats, Bocal and Lilly.

RYAN TURANO CONTRABASSOON, BASSOON

Previous Roles: Contrabassoonist for the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.

Appearances: Sunflower Music Festival, Buzzards Bay Music Festival, Tanglewood Music Center, and Aspen Music Festival; prestigious concert halls in South America and Europe including the Konzerthaus Berlin, Dvořák Hall, the Mozarteum, the Zoltán Kodály Center, the Musikverein, and the Concertgebouw;

and with the Eureka Ensemble, Kendall Square Orchestra, and Du Bois Orchestra.

Education: Master of Music from the Colburn Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Richard Beene; Bachelor of Music from the New England Conservatory, studying with Richard Svoboda.

Fun Facts: Hailing from Hopkinton, Massachusetts, Ryan began playing the bassoon at the age of 12.

EDMUND ROLLETT PRINCIPAL HORN

Christine and David Provost Chair

Previous Roles: Associate Principal and Acting Principal of the Utah Symphony; Guest Principal of the San Francisco Symphony and Atlanta Symphony; and Principal Horn of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de México and the Orquesta Filarmónica de la Ciudad de México.

Appearances: Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra.

Recordings: Edmund performed on Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with the Utah Symphony and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (Reference Recordings, 2017).

Fun Facts: Away from the horn, Edmund enjoys chasing his three children around, trail running, and reading books when time occasionally permits.

PATRICK WALLE UTILITY HORN

Patrick previously served as Acting Principal Horn with the DSO in the 2024–25 season and now joins the orchestra full time as Utility Horn.

Previous Roles: Third/Associate Principal Horn of the Nashville Symphony; Fourth/Associate Principal Horn of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra; various roles with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra; and substitute with the Syracuse Symphony.

Education: Bachelor’s degree from the Eastman School of Music (Performer’s Certificate) and a master’s degree in performance.

Fun Facts: Away from his instrument, Michigan-native Patrick is a health enthusiast and enjoys competitive cycling and weight training. When his son was born in 2020, he took up yet another hobby of artisanal sourdough baking.

This season, the DSO is also pleased to welcome African American Orchestra Fellows Donovan Bown (oboe) and Triniti Rives (clarinet), and long-term replacement musicians Emily Bieker (Acting Second Flute, Morton and Brigitte Harris Chair), Kamalia Freyling (Acting Second Clarinet), Cara Kizer (Acting Assistant Principal Horn), Kristi Crago (Acting Horn), Benjamin Wulfman (Acting Horn), and Justin Emerich (Acting Assistant Principal Trumpet).

ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ

Principal Pops Conductor

Devereaux Family Chair

DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

JADER BIGNAMINI , Music Director Music Directorship endowed by the Kresge Foundation

TERENCE BLANCHARD

Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair

TABITA BERGLUND

Principal Guest Conductor

PVS CLASSICAL SERIES

Title Sponsor:

INGRID MARTIN

Assistant Conductor, Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador

BIGNAMINI CONDUCTS MOZART AND BEETHOVEN

Friday, November 14, 2025 at 10:45 a.m. & 8 p.m. Saturday, November 15, 2025 at 8 p.m. in Orchestra Hall

JADER BIGNAMINI, conductor FRANCESCO PIEMONTESI, piano

Ludwig van Beethoven Overture to Coriolan, Op. 62 (1770 - 1827)

Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15 (1770 - 1827) I. Allegro con brio

II. Largo

III. Rondo: Allegro Francesco Piemontesi, piano

Intermission

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550 (1756 - 1791) [revised version]

I. Molto allegro

II. Andante

III. Menuetto: Allegretto

IV. Allegro assai

THE LARSON PIANO

With support from Bonnie Larson, the DSO is proud to feature The Larson Piano on this weekend’s program. Part of the DSO’s fine instrument collection, the Steinway Model D Concert Grand Piano is the standard by which other concert pianos are judged and compared. Handmade in the New York Steinway Factory, this majestic musical instrument is the pinnacle of concert grands.

BONNIE ANN AND ROBERT C. LARSON GUEST PIANIST FUND

The Bonnie Ann and Robert C. Larson Guest Pianist Fund helps the DSO deliver unsurpassed musical experiences by underwriting annually the performance of extraordinary pianists such as Hélène Grimaud. On behalf of the artists and audiences who benefit from this important endowed fund now and in the years to come, the DSO is grateful to Bonnie Larson for her generous support.

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.

PROGRAM AT-A-GLANCE | BIGNAMINI CONDUCTS MOZART & BEETHOVEN

Beauty in Times of Turbulence

The three works on this program, all written within 20 years of one another, showcase the emotional breadth of human experience. Beginning with Beethoven’s tense, moody, and foreboding Overture to Coriolan, the orchestra demands our attention. Beethoven continues with his Piano Concerto No. 1 to remind us that there is immense beauty found between these turbulent melodies. Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 dramatically expresses angst and passion. These emotions are delivered via simple yet expressive melodies in this Great G Minor Symphony—one of only two symphonies Mozart composed in a minor key.

PROGRAM NOTES

Overture to Coriolan, Op. 62

Composed 1807 | Premiered March 1807

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

B. December 16, 1770, Bonn, Germany

D. March 26, 1827, Vienna, Austria

Scored for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, and strings. (Approx. 8 minutes)

In1807, Beethoven composed an overture to Heinrich von Collin’s tragic play, Coriolan. The play, originally performed on November 24, 1802, with musical interludes arranged from Mozart’s Idomeneo, is on the same subject as Shakespeare’s Coriolanus. The title character in this story, a Roman nobleman, has his ambitions frustrated because of his arrogance towards the common Roman citizens. He decides to aid the Roman’s enemies, the Volscians. After being sought out by his wife, daughter, and son, he tries to negotiate a peace treaty instead and is killed by the Volscians for his treachery. The Coriolan Overture was first performed in March 1807, in two concerts at the palace of Prince Lobkowitz, one of Beethoven’s patrons. The overture was brought together with the play in a performance on April 24, 1807. The Coriolan Overture is a piece dominated by mood—anger, destruction, and ultimately, despair. The introductory passage is one of the most unusual in Beethoven; it provides little clue regarding meter or tempo. The principal theme is then introduced at a point of

metric irregularity and uncertainty. This theme shows unusual rhythmic independence and contains a number of accents which conflict with the prevailing meter. The rhythmic independence of one of the motifs in this theme is strikingly presented at the conclusion of the overture, where it is gradually expanded and modified to close the piece in one of Beethoven’s gloomy C minor moods.

The DSO most recently performed Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture in December 2015, conducted by Case Scaglione. The DSO first performed this work in March 1916, conducted by Weston Gales.

Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15

Composed 1795 | Premiered 1795

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

B. December 1770, Bonn, Germany

D. March 26, 1827, Vienna, Austria

Scored for solo piano, flute, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, and strings. (Approx. 37 minutes)

Though it carries the label “No. 1,” Beethoven’s C major piano concerto marks his third attempt in the genre. The earliest is an unfinished concerto in E-flat major, and the B-flat major Piano Concerto No. 2—while published later— was largely composed before the No. 1. But as they say, the third time is the charm! The C major concerto, though written when Beethoven was just 25, is a startlingly mature work that synthesizes the then-popular piano styles of Mozart

and Haydn with Beethoven’s own brilliant innovations.

The extended length of the concerto’s first movement, some 478 measures, is an indication of Beethoven moving away from the Classical model of the concerto form, and toward a more involved and perhaps even symphonic conception for the genre. Besides its length, the first movement is remarkable for the lyricism and rapid-fire arpeggios that Beethoven grants the soloist.

The tender slow movement, in the contrasting key of A-flat major, has a sense of the sublime that was so valued by Beethoven’s Viennese contemporaries. Much of the restatement of the opening uses a new triplet accompaniment that transforms its rhythmic feel. And the final movement, Allegro scherzando, is a rondo whose good humor and wit provides contrast with the seriousness of the opening two movements—and recalls the lightheartedness of Haydn, Beethoven’s teacher in Vienna.

The DSO most recently performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in January 2024, conducted by Osmo Vänskä and featured Paul Lewis on piano. The DSO first performed this concerto in December 1924, conducted by Ossip Gabrilowitsch and featured Rudolph Ganz on piano.

Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550 [revised version]

Composed 1788 | Possibly premiered 1788, 1789, 1790, or 1791

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART

B. January 27, 1756, Salzburg, Austria

D. December 5, 1791, Vienna, Austria

Scored for flute, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, and strings. (Approx. 35 minutes)

Of all of Mozart’s symphonies, the “Great G minor” Symphony No. 40 is the one which most fascinated musicians and scholars in the 19th century. Coupled

with its unconventional structure, the work’s classical balance, emotional intensity, wealth of ideas, and remarkable chromaticism all make it a perfect subject for discussion and analysis. It is generally regarded as one of the towering masterpieces of the Classical era, as well as a portent of the Romantic era, which was just around the corner.

Many modern listeners tend to regard the key of a work as almost irrelevant, but composers of the Baroque and Classical eras felt that certain keys possessed specific emotive qualities. Minor keys in particular were replete with emotional significance, mostly of a tragic nature, and few symphonies in this period were written in minor keys. For Mozart, the key of G minor was one of extreme pathos, and he used it sparingly for some of his most heart-wrenching music, including the turbulent so-called “Little G minor” Symphony (No. 25), written when he was 17.

The Symphony No. 40 begins with an “inner voice” from the violas that prepares the way for the main theme in the violins. After the storm and stress of the first movement, the second movement is somewhat more bright, gentle, and relaxed. It is the only movement which is nominally in a major key, but it turns dark and more intense in the midsection, visiting some very strange and unsettling places before the light atmosphere of the beginning returns. The third movement is bold, rugged, even aggressive, and is a long way from the stylish ballroom dances of the time. The quiet and gracious Trio section brings music of repose, as if to escape from the restlessness and turmoil that infuse so much of the work. And the last movement is perhaps the most original in the symphony, seeking to vehemently answer the questions posed by the first movement. Its mood, like the first, is one of anger, accentuated by sudden

strong contrasts of soft and loud, and it travels through remote harmonic regions with both stable and unstable harmony. The symphony is then brilliantly driven to its conclusion with grand and boundless energy.

PROFILES

For Jader Bignamini’s biography, see page 6.

FRANCESCO PIEMONTESI

Swiss-Italian pianist

Francesco

Piemontesi, a native of Locarno, has gained a reputation as one of the leading interpreters of the German classical and romantic repertoire. He regularly appears as a guest with many of the world’s leading orchestras, in concert halls and music festivals around the globe, and was Artistic Director of the Settimane Musicali di Ascona from 2012 to 2024.

With his subtle but mesmerizing interpretations of Schubert’s piano sonatas as well as the solo works and piano concertos of Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and Liszt, he has been acclaimed internationally by critics and audiences alike. His playing is characterized not only by sensitivity, intimacy, and poetry, but also by power and brilliance. Above all, it is important to him to illuminate the scores from within: “Making music is like a second language for me. It feels like an existential necessity. I don’t want to entertain the audience, I want to let them participate in the deep dimensions of music.”

As a soloist, he has played alongside leading orchestras including the Berlin, New York and Los Angeles philharmonic orchestras; Orchestre de Paris; Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia; Filarmonica della Scala; Wiener Symphoniker; the Boston, Chicago, NHK,

The DSO most recently performed Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in January 2023, conducted by Jayce Ogren on the William Davidson Neighborhood Concert Series. The DSO first performed this symphony in November 1919, conducted by Ossip Gabrilowitsch.

and London symphony orchestras; the Cleveland Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra; Budapest Festival Orchestra; and Chamber Orchestra of Europe; as well as the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich. He regularly collaborates with distinguished conductors such as Gianandrea Noseda, Fabio Luisi, Antonio Pappano, Daniele Gatti, Daniele Rustioni, Lorenzo Viotti, Robin Ticciati, Iván Fischer, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Marek Janowski, Joana Mallwitz, Thomas Søndergård, Daniel Harding, Roger Norrington, Karina Canellakis, Paavo Järvi, Zubin Mehta, Nathalie Stutzmann, Elim Chan, and Maxim Emelyanychev.

The 2025–26 season includes premiering the Beat Furrer Piano Concerto (dedicated to Francesco) with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks Munich, as well as further solo appearances with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Leipzig Gewandhausorchester, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Symphony Orchestra; in North America with the Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Baltimore, and Toronto symphony orchestras; and with the Seoul Philharmonic.

A consummate recitalist, he has recently appeared at the Auditorium Lyon, Rudolfinum/Dvořák Hall, Tonhalle Zurich, Schubertiade Festival, and La Chaux-deFonds. This season he performs at the

Musikverein, Theatre des ChampsElysees, and at the Wigmore Hall in London, where he is a regular favorite.

In addition to the classical and romantic periods, Piemontesi’s wider repertoire includes works by Bach and Handel in original versions and transcriptions; piano concertos by Ravel, Debussy, Bartók, Rachmaninoff, and Schönberg; as well as works by Olivier Messiaen and Unsuk Chin. Among his many important musical influences, he highlights his distinguished teachers Arie Vardi and Alfred Brendel, but above all French concert pianist Cecile Ousset. It is to her that he owes his rounded tone and a somnambulistic technique that is rooted in the French piano tradition going back to Marcel Ciampi.

Piemontesi’s musical artistry is documented on numerous recordings that have received awards and critical acclaim, such as Schubert’s last Piano Sonatas, Debussy’s Preludes and Mozart’s Piano Concertos with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra conducted by Andrew Manze and two of the most demanding pieces of the piano literature: Liszt’s Transcendental Etudes and the B minor Sonata. This season, Pentatone will

release Piemontesi’s latest album, a recording of Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Leipzig Gewandhausorchester and Manfred Honek.

Working with fellow musicians and orchestras alike, Piemontesi’s collaborations form themselves from the nucleus of friendship, appreciation, and creativity. He recently served as Artist-in-Residence with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Dresden Philharmonic, and Gstaad Menuhin Festival. As adept on the concert stage as he is in smaller chamber combinations, Piemontesi appears with a variety of partners including Renaud Capuçon, Leonidas Kavakos, Janine Jansen, Daniel Müller-Schott, Augustin Hadelich, and Jörg Widmann.

In November 2024, Piemontesi collaborated with director Jan Schmidt-Garre to create the documentary The Alchemy of the Piano. Filmed over one year, Piemontesi talks with some of the world’s leading performers, including his mentor, the late Alfred Brendel, Maria João Pires, Stephen Kovacevich and Antonio Pappano, in a series of revealing encounters that illuminate their individual approaches to the instrument, its color, and its form.

ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ

Principal Pops Conductor

Devereaux Family Chair

DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

JADER BIGNAMINI , Music Director Music Directorship endowed by the Kresge Foundation

TERENCE BLANCHARD

Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair

TABITA BERGLUND

Principal Guest Conductor

INGRID MARTIN

Assistant Conductor, Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador

TITLE SPONSOR:

THE BILLY JOEL SONGBOOK

Friday, November 21, 2025 at 10:45 a.m.

Saturday, November 22, 2025 at 8 p.m. Sunday, November 23, 2025 at 3 p.m. in Orchestra Hall

ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ, conductor TONY DESARE, vocals and piano

Program to be announced from stage, artists subject to change.

Flash photography, extended video recording, tripods, and cameras with detachable lenses are strictly prohibited.

PROGRAM AT-A-GLANCE | THE BILLY JOEL SONGBOOK

We’re All in the Mood for a Melody...

... And the DSO’s got us feelin’ alright with this performance of Billy Joel’s most beloved hits. Tony DeSare returns to fill Orchestra Hall with his timeless voice and passionate piano playing in celebration of one of the most popular and prolific pop artists of our time. Joel named Ludwig van Beethoven, Frederick Chopin, Leonard Bernstein, and The Beatles as his biggest musical influences, so it’s only appropriate that his music is reimagined for orchestra under the baton of Principal Pops Conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez.

PROFILES

For Enrico Lopez-Yañez’s biography, see page 7.

TONY DESARE

Tony

DeSare performs with infectious joy, wry playfulness, and robust musicality. Named a “Rising Star Male Vocalist” in DownBeat magazine, DeSare has garnered critical and popular acclaim for his concert performances throughout North America and abroad. From jazz clubs to Carnegie Hall to Las Vegas headlining with Don Rickles and major symphony orchestras, DeSare has brought his fresh take on oldschool classics around the globe. DeSare has four top ten Billboard jazz albums and has been featured on CBS’s The Early Show, NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion, and The Today Show. His music has been posted by social media celebrity juggernaut, George Takei, and DeSare has also collaborated with YouTube icons Postmodern Jukebox. DeSare can be seen on Hulu’s Godfather of Harlem (Season 3,

Episode 9) performing the Sinatra classic “That’s Life.”

DeSare is an accomplished and award-winning composer. He won first place in the USA Songwriting Contest and wrote the theme song for the motion picture My Date with Drew, as well as several broadcast commercials. He also composed the full soundtracks for the Hallmark Channel’s Love Always, Santa and Lifetime’s A Welcome Home Christmas

DeSare’s forthcoming appearances this season include performances with The Cleveland Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Columbus Symphony, Seattle Symphony, The Phoenix Symphony, Grand Teton Music Festival, and Rockport Music.

New recordings, originals, and videos of standards are released regularly on DeSare’s YouTube channel, Apple Music, and Spotify. Follow DeSare on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to his YouTube to stay connected.

Tony DeSare is a Yamaha Artist.

ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ

Principal Pops Conductor

Devereaux Family Chair

DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

JADER BIGNAMINI , Music Director Music Directorship endowed by the Kresge Foundation

TERENCE BLANCHARD

Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair

TABITA BERGLUND

Principal Guest Conductor

PVS CLASSICAL SERIES

Title Sponsor:

ROMANTIC TREASURES

Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, December 6, 2025 at 8 p.m.

Sunday, December 7, 2025 at 3 p.m. in Orchestra Hall

INGRID MARTIN

Assistant Conductor, Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador

NIKOLAJ SZEPS-ZNAIDER, conductor and violin

Max Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26 (1838 - 1920) I. Prelude: Allegro moderato II. Adagio

III. Finale: Allegro energico Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, violin

Intermission

Johannes Brahms Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73 (1833 - 1897) I. Allegro non troppo

II. Adagio non troppo

III. Allegretto grazioso (Quasi andantino)

IV. Allegro con spirito

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.

PROGRAM AT-A-GLANCE | ROMANTIC TREASURES: BRUCH & BRAHMS

Musical Doppelgängers

Max Bruch and Johannes Brahms were 19th-century composers known for their contributions to German Romanticism. Both favored rich, introspective, and complex yet accessible melodies. Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 showcases the violin’s ability to sing. Written with consultation from Joseph Joachim—a popular violinist at the time and frequent collaborator of Brahms—Joachim declared this as “perhaps the most rewarding piece of music that has ever been written for the violin.” Brahms’s Second Symphony follows, bringing a sense of serenity, but not without moments of his signature lush, melancholic sound. Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider plays double-duty as soloist and conductor.

PROGRAM NOTES

Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 28

Composed 1867 | Premiered 1868

MAX BRUCH

B. January 6, 1838, Cologne, Germany

D. October 2, 1920, Friedenau near Berlin, Germany

Scored for solo violin, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, and strings. (Approx. 23 minutes)

MaxBruch was a highly talented mid-19th century German composer whose fame was overshadowed by those of his near-contemporary, Johannes Brahms and Richard Wagner. The son of a police official, he began to compose at the age of nine and won the Frankfurt Mozart-Stiftung Prize when he was 14. He studied with Ferdinand Hiller, Carl Reinecke, and Ferdinand Breuning. Bruch composed three violin concertos, three fine symphonies, dramatic works, and numerous choral works, both sacred and secular. He attained increasingly important positions in Koblenz, Sondershausen, Berlin, Liverpool, and Breslau, finally directing a composition class at Berlin’s famed High School for Music for 21 years. He was essentially a conservative composer, rejecting the tenets of the Wagner-Liszt New German School in favor of the works of Mendelssohn and Schumann. By the time he died at age 82, Romanticism had given way to 20th century trends, and his music

was considered outdated, notwithstanding its fine craftsmanship and appealing melody.

Despite the seemingly spontaneous flow of beautiful melody in Bruch’s G minor Concerto, the piece cost him four years of labor and six drafts of the score. In that long process, two famous violinists, Joseph Joachim and Ferdinand David, had been consulted to make sure the solo part was playable on the violin. The first movement of Bruch’s concerto flows into the slow movement without a break, as it does in Mendelssohn’s famed Violin Concerto in E minor. But the movement is a less complete, fully rounded sonata-allegro movement than its counterpart in the Mendelssohn concerto. An introductory section, alternating several chorale-like phrases in the orchestra with short solo violin cadenzas, leads the solo violinist to the main theme, which thrusts itself downward in a G minor broken-chord passage. The second theme, also introduced by the soloist, has a similar profile but a more lyrical character and more intricate, decorative rhythms. Both themes are discussed and reworked in an impassioned development section, but the chorale phrases and cadenzas marking the return of the main key merely dissolve in a transition to the slow movement, instead of heralding a full recapitulation section. The middle movement offers an unbroken string of beautiful melody. Its three themes hauntingly anticipate the styles of Mahler and Strauss by about 25–30 years. As the orchestra begins the last of them, the

violin embarks on an extended filigree passage that takes up most of the movement’s middle section. This leads to a more elaborate, decorative return of all three themes.

In his biography of Bruch, Christopher Fifield notes that the main themes in the final movements of the Bruch and Brahms violin concertos share similar “Hungarian” traits, noting that Joachim, a Hungarian violinist, served as adviser to both composers. After a lengthy presentation, this lively G major theme gives way to a broad second theme in D major. The main theme is extensively developed under figurative display by the violin, followed by a return of the second theme (this time chasing itself in canonic imitation) and an exuberant burst of the opening “Hungarian-theme” materials as the concerto comes to a close. —Carl R. Cunningham

The DSO most recently performed Bruch’s First Violin Concerto in June 2022 as part of the William Davidson Neighborhood Concert Series, conducted by Kerem Hasan and featuring Kimberly Kaloyanides Kennedy on violin. The DSO first performed this work in March 1917, conducted by Weston Gales and featuring William Grafing King on violin.

Symphony No. 2 in D major,

Op.

73

Composed 1877 | Premiered December 1877

JOHANNES BRAHMS

B. May 7, 1833, Hamburg, Germany

D. April 3, 1897, Vienna, Austria

Scored for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, and strings. (Approx. 39 minutes)

In1876, Johannes Brahms won a 21-year struggle to complete his First Symphony. The wait was worth it, though—not just because the First is a remarkable work, but because getting it

over with seemed to free the composer’s creative spirit. Suddenly, Brahms began the most productive period of his career, writing three more symphonies, three concertos, two major overtures, and numerous keyboard, vocal, choral, and chamber music masterworks over the next decade.

While this D major symphony is obviously the work of the very same Brahms, its relaxed, genial character is sometimes as different from its predecessor, the frowning C minor symphony, as day is from night. It was composed in the sunny rural environment of Pörtschach, a remote lakeside village in the Carinthian Alps of Southern Austria. Biographer Karl Geiringer has recorded a characteristic quote on the symphony by Brahms’ close friend, the surgeon and amateur pianist Theodor Billroth: “It is all rippling streams, blue sky, sunshine, and cool green shadows. How beautiful it must be at Pörtschach!” Billroth’s comment is especially applicable to the easy, rocking themes that dominate the exposition of the first movement and to the gentle Austrian minuet that makes up the third movement. Though the first movement builds up a typical Brahmsian storm in its central development section and its lengthy coda, the themes set forth at the beginning of the movement are mostly lyrical and untroubled. But even here, Brahms’s stylistic fingerprints are clear in a motivic imitation that shadows the opening horn theme, as well as in the long, spun-out character of a subsidiary violin theme that soon follows. In his contrapuntal wizardry, Brahms combines the two themes when they return at the beginning of the recapitulation.

The plaintive slow movement opens with one of Brahms’s heartfelt cello themes. Gorgeous touches of his unique orchestration abound in this movement, along with elusive harmonic colors. And the third movement is the gentlest of minuets, interspersed with two trios. Each of its sections becomes a variant of what came before and contrast is achieved by

sudden changes in the pulse. The extroverted finale makes an oblique reference to the symphony’s two opening themes, then builds climax upon climax in a gigantic movement that concludes in a brassy display. —Carl R. Cunningham

PROFILE

NIKOLAJ SZEPS-ZNAIDER

Nikolaj

Szeps-Znaider is one of those rare musicians who has “transitioned uncommonly well to the podium, bringing his violinist’s insight and profound musicality” (Cleveland.com). The 2025–26 season marks his sixth as Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon, a partnership that has been extended until 2026–27.

Szeps-Znaider regularly features as guest conductor with the world’s leading orchestras, such as the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, London Symphony, and Royal Stockholm Philharmonic. An imminent return to the Chicago Symphony continues a flourishing relationship with the orchestra: “his mastery showed in a thousand details [...]. An almost steely clarity marked every measure of the performance, and yet the conductor never lost sight of the music’s essential humanity, its vitality and warmth” (Chicago On The Aisle).

On the operatic front, following an outstandingly successful debut conducting The Magic Flute at the Dresden Semperoper, Szeps-Znaider was immediately re-invited to conduct Der Rosenkavalier. He also recently made his debut with the Royal Danish Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, and Zurich Opera House.

Also a virtuoso violinist, Szeps-Znaider maintains his reputation as one of the world’s leading exponents of the instrument with a busy calendar of concerto

The DSO most recently performed Brahms’s Second Symphony in November 2021, conducted by Jader Bignamini. The DSO first performed this symphony in April 1920, conducted by Ossip Gabrilowitsch.

and recital engagements. This season, he makes return appearances with the Concertgebouworkest, London Philharmonic, Danish Radio, as well as the New World and St. Louis symphonies. He will also embark on an extensive European recital tour with Daniil Trifonov.

Szeps-Znaider boasts an extensive discography of much of the core repertoire for violin. A complete collection of Mozart’s Violin Concertos with the London Symphony Orchestra, where SzepsZnaider directs from the violin, led The Strad to declare his playing as “possibly among the most exquisite violin sound ever captured on disc.” Other recordings of particular note include the Nielsen Violin Concerto with Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic, the Elgar Concerto in B minor with Sir Colin Davis and the Dresden Staatskapelle, award-winning recordings of the Brahms and Korngold concertos with Valery Gergiev and the Vienna Philharmonic, the Beethoven and Mendelssohn concerti with Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic, the Prokofiev Concerto No. 2 and Glazunov Concerto with Mariss Jansons and the Bavarian Radio Symphony, and the Mendelssohn Concerto on DVD with Riccardo Chailly and the Gewandhaus Orchestra. Szeps-Znaider has also recorded the complete works of Brahms for violin and piano with Yefim Bronfman.

Szeps-Znaider plays the “Kreisler” Guarnerius “del Gesu” 1741 on extended loan to him by The Royal Danish Theatre through the generosity of the VELUX Foundations, the Villum Fonden, and the Knud Højgaard Foundation.

ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ

Principal Pops Conductor

DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

JADER BIGNAMINI , Music Director Music Directorship endowed by the Kresge Foundation

TERENCE BLANCHARD

Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair

TABITA BERGLUND

Principal Guest Conductor

PARADISE JAZZ SERIES

INGRID MARTIN

Assistant Conductor, Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador

TERENCE BLANCHARD: MALCOLM X JAZZ SUITE

Friday, December 5, 2025 at 8 p.m. in Orchestra Hall

TERENCE BLANCHARD, trumpet

THE E-COLLECTIVE:

CHARLES ALTURA, guitar

TAYLOR EIGSTI, piano and synthesizers

OSCAR SEATON, drums

DAVID “DJ” GINYARD, bass

TURTLE ISLAND QUARTET:

NASEEM ALATRASH, cello

DAVID BALAKRISHNAN, violin

GABRIEL TERRACCIANO, violin

BENJAMIN VON GUTZEIT, viola

MADE POSSIBLE WITH SUPPORT FROM

PROGRAM AT-A-GLANCE | TERENCE BLANCHARD: MALCOLM X JAZZ SUITE

A Centennial Celebration

DSO’s Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair Terence Blanchard returns with his band The E-Collective and the Turtle Island Quartet for an impactful performance. Blanchard does not just compose—he shares raw, emotional stories with the world. When he plays his trumpet, he speaks from his heart, sharing messages of hurt, hope, and everything in between. In his Malcolm X Jazz Suite, Blanchard resets his own score for Spike Lee’s film Malcolm X for his band. In the centennial year of Malcolm’s birthdate, Blanchard pays musical homage to his legacy as one of the world’s most powerful activists.

Program to be announced from the stage, artists subject to change. Flash

Join us after the performance in the Paradise Lounge (located on the second floor of Orchestra Hall) for The Late Set—a complimentary jazz experience featuring local talent, craft cocktails, and an intimate vibe. Seating is limited; no additional tickets required.

MALCOLM X JAZZ SUITE

NEA Jazz Master, two-time EMMY and Academy Award nominee, and eight-time GRAMMY®-winning trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard has established himself as the quintessential 21st century renaissance man. In celebration of the centennial of human rights and civil rights icon Malcolm X, Blanchard, his band, The E-Collective (comprised of Charles Altura on guitar, Taylor Eigsti on piano and synthesizers, Oscar Seaton on drums, and David “DJ” Ginyard on bass) and the twotime GRAMMY®-winning Turtle Island

PROFILE

Quartet will reprise Blanchard’s iconic Malcolm X Jazz Suite

The original project was created following the release and subsequent critical acclaim of Spike Lee’s 1992 Film Malcolm X , for which Blanchard wrote the score and performed most of the trumpet cues. The Jazz Suite, then, was a resetting of Blanchard’s own score from the film for his quintet. This updated expansion of instrumentation will offer an updated look at work that has thrilled Blanchard’s fans and rippled through all of his subsequent recordings for the last three decades.

For Terence Blanchard’s biography, see page 7.

TURTLE ISLAND QUARTET

Since its inception in 1985, the Turtle Island Quartet has been a singular force in the creation of bold, new trends in chamber music for strings. Winner of the 2006 and 2008 GRAMMYs 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 the quartet 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, Prairie Home Companion, and

Morning Edition, feature articles in People and Newsweek magazines, and collaborations with famed artists such as 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, through performances and recordings with major symphonic ensembles, and through a determined educational commitment, the Turtle Island Quartet stakes its claim as the quintessential “New World’” string quartet of the 21st century.

ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ

Principal Pops Conductor

Devereaux Family Chair

DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

JADER BIGNAMINI , Music Director Music Directorship endowed by the Kresge Foundation

TERENCE BLANCHARD

Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair

TABITA BERGLUND Principal Guest Conductor

YOUNG PEOPLE’S FAMILY CONCERT SERIES WINTER WONDERLAND

Saturday, December 6, 2025 at 11 a.m. in Orchestra Hall

CHAD GOODMAN , conductor

arr. Don Sebesky A Christmas Scherzo

Mykola Leontovych (1877–1921) Carol of the Bells arr. Peter Wilhousky and Richard Hayman

INGRID MARTIN

Assistant Conductor, Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador

Johnny Marks (1909–1985) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer arr. Richard Hayman

Sergei Prokofiev (1891–1953) “Sleigh Ride” from Lieutenant Kijé Suite, Op. 60

arr. Bob Krogstad Christmas at the Movies Miracle on 34th Street The Polar Express Somewhere In My Memory Making Christmas Where Are You Christmas?

Jule Styne (1905–1994) Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! arr. Charles Sayre

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky The Nutcracker, Act II, Op. 71 (1840–1893) Mother Gigone Tea (Chinese Dance)

Sugar Plum Fairy

Trepak (Russian Dance)

Sam Hyken Chanukah 5776

Georges Bizet (1838–1875) “Farandole” from Suite No. 2 from L’Arlésienne

arr. Matt Catingub 12 Days of Christmas

Leroy Anderson (1908–1975) Sleigh Ride

PROFILES

CHAD GOODMAN

Since his appointment as Music Director of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra (ESO) in 2023, Chad Goodman has been praised for elevating the orchestra to new artistic heights and dramatically expanding its impact in the community. In his first two seasons, he led the ESO premieres of more than a dozen works, increased community engagement through run-out concerts and captivating presentations, and spearheaded the orchestra’s first ever Día de los Muertos concert, uniting the symphony with folkloric dance and vocals in a city-wide cultural celebration. In recognition of his committed work, Goodman was named Conductor of the Year by the Illinois Council of Orchestras in 2025.

As a guest conductor, Goodman has led orchestras including the Minnesota Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, and Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de Puebla.

From 2019 to 2023, Goodman served as the Conducting Fellow of the New World Symphony and Assistant Conductor to Michael Tilson Thomas. In addition to leading the orchestra on subscription, education, and special event programs, he collaborated with videographers, animators, and light designers to push the boundaries of how classical music can be presented. Goodman has also served as an Assistant Conductor to the San Francisco Symphony, working with EsaPekka Salonen, Herbert Blomstedt, Michael Tilson Thomas, Elim Chan, Manfred Honeck, Daniel Harding, and Simone Young, among others.

Goodman additionally leads workshops that teach young musicians the business skills needed to successfully navigate the music world. Forbes praised the conductor’s bold strides both on and off stage and hailed him as “An entrepreneur bringing innovation to classical music.” In 2022 he published the book You Earned a Music Degree. Now What?

Goodman holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music and a Master of Music degree from San Francisco State University. His mentors include Michael Tilson Thomas and Alasdair Neale.

JOIN US THIS MORNING IN THE WILLIAM DAVIDSON ATRIUM FOR FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES.

TINY TOTS KRIS JOHNSON GROUP

Saturday, December 6, 2025 at 10 a.m. in the Peter D. and Julie F. Cummings Cube

Join the Kris Johnson Group for a fun morning of music where kids can learn about the foundation of Detroit music: GROOVE. From swing, and blues to Motown and hip-hop, “What is Groove?” will get the audience to feel the beat in a whole new way. Led by trumpeter Kris Johnson, this presentation will introduce the role of various instruments in a band and how they work together to make music.

Please note: the DSO does not appear on this performance.

ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ

Principal Pops Conductor

Devereaux Family Chair

DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

JADER BIGNAMINI , Music Director Music Directorship endowed by the Kresge Foundation

TERENCE BLANCHARD

Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair

TABITA BERGLUND Principal Guest Conductor

INGRID MARTIN

Assistant Conductor, Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador

SPECIAL EVENT

LOVE ACTUALLY

Wednesday, December 10, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. in Orchestra Hall

LUCAS WALDIN, conductor

Program to be announced from the stage, artists subject to change.

Love Actually is a copyright of WT Venture LLC. Licensed by Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Flash photography, extended video recording, tripods, and cameras with detachable lenses are strictly prohibited.

PROFILES

LUCAS WALDIN

Lucas Waldin is a dynamic and versatile conductor whose performances have delighted audiences across North America. He has collaborated with some of today’s most exciting artists including Carly Rae Jepsen, The Barenaked Ladies, Ben Folds, The Canadian Brass, Crash Test Dummies, Leslie Odom Jr., Jackson Browne, and Rita Wilson, in addition to conducting presentations such as Disney in Concert, Blue Planet Live, Cirque de la Symphonie, and Red Bull Symphonic. He is also active as a conductor for concert film presentations including titles such as The Goonies, The Princess Bride, A Muppets Christmas, Love Actually, The Lion King, and Batman (1989).

Waldin has been a guest conductor for numerous orchestras in the US and

Canada, including The Cleveland Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Houston Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Grant Park Festival Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Philly Pops, Vancouver Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony, and National Arts Centre Orchestra.

Having joined the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra as Resident Conductor in 2009, Waldin was subsequently appointed Artist-in-Residence and Community Ambassador—the first position of its kind in North America. In recognition of his accomplishments, he was awarded the Jean-Marie Beaudet Award in Orchestral Conducting and received a Citation Award from the City of Edmonton for outstanding achievements in arts and culture.

A native of Toronto, Ontario, Waldin holds degrees in flute performance and conducting from the Cleveland Institute of Music.

ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ

Principal Pops Conductor

DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

JADER BIGNAMINI , Music Director Music Directorship endowed by the Kresge Foundation

TERENCE BLANCHARD

Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair

TABITA BERGLUND

Principal Guest Conductor

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

TITLE SPONSOR:

INGRID MARTIN

Assistant Conductor, Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador

Devereaux Family Chair Flash photography, extended video recording, tripods, and cameras with detachable lenses are strictly prohibited.

Thursday, December 12, 2025 at 10:45 a.m. & 8 p.m.

Friday, December 13, 2025 at 10:45 a.m.

Saturday, December 14, 2025 at 3 p.m. & 8 p.m.

Sunday, December 15, 2025 at 3 p.m. & 7 p.m. in Orchestra Hall

DANIEL BARTHOLOMEW-POYSER, conductor

PROGRAM AT-A-GLANCE | HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Making Spirits Bright

‘Tis the season to celebrate the holidays with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra! A hallmark of the year, Home for the Holidays brings people together over the shared joy and nostalgia of our favorite holiday tunes. The DSO brings a program of songs straight from Santa’s wish list—played in the warmth and coziness of Orchestra Hall—to delight friends and family in a cherished tradition.

PROFILES

DANIEL BARTHOLOMEWPOYSER

Apassionate

communicator, Canadian conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser brings clarity and meaning to the concert hall, fostering deep connections between audiences and performers. Daniel is an innovative creative visionary, who believes that the beauty of music can heal and unite all of us beyond differences. Bartholomew-Poyser holds the positions of Resident Conductor of Engagement and Education at the San Francisco Symphony, the Barrett Principal Education Conductor and Community Ambassador of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and the Principal Youth Conductor and Creative Partner with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa. Bartholomew-Poyser is also the Artist in Residence and Community Ambassador of Symphony Nova Scotia, conducting Ballet and Pops with national and international artists and designing diverse and relevant family and outreach shows for the Halifax community. He is the host of the weekly national Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio show Centre Stage –with Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser He has conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in the US; and the Canadian Opera Company, the Toronto Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Hamilton Philharmonic, Edmonton Symphony, and Regina Symphony in Canada. He was a

guest conductor with the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center in 2020. Additionally, Bartholomew-Poyser has served as the Assistant Conductor of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and Associate Conductor of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. In April 2022, Bartholomew-Poyser made his debut with Carnegie Hall’s Link Up Orchestra, conducting the world premiere of “Ram Tori Maya” by Indian American composer Reena Esmail and “We Shall Not Be Moved,” arranged by American vocalist and composer Nathalie Joachim.

Bartholomew-Poyser was featured in the 2019 CBC documentary Disruptor Conductor, directed by Sharon Lewis. Along with RuPaul’s Drag Race star Thorgy Thor, the documentary follows Bartholomew-Poyser as he collaboratively creates the first orchestral drag queen show in Canada, titled Thorgy and the Thorchestra. The award-winning documentary focuses on BartholomewPoyser’s concerts for the neurodiverse, prison, African diaspora, and LGBTQ+ populations. Bartholomew-Poyser holds a Bachelor of Music Performance and Education from the University of Calgary, and a Master of Philosophy in Performance from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England. Bartholomew-Poyser is a recipient of the Canada Council for the Arts Jean-Marie Beaudet Prize for Orchestral Conducting. He has been awarded RBC Royal Bank Emerging Artist Grant and the Canada Council for the Arts’ Jean-Marie Beaudet Award in Orchestra Conducting. He is a member of the Ontario College of Teachers.

ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ

Principal Pops Conductor

Devereaux Family Chair

DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

JADER BIGNAMINI , Music Director

Music Directorship endowed by the Kresge Foundation

TERENCE BLANCHARD

Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair

TABITA BERGLUND

Principal Guest Conductor

SPECIAL EVENT HOLIDAY BRASS

Thursday, December 18, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. in Orchestra Hall

INGRID MARTIN, conductor

INGRID MARTIN

Assistant Conductor, Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador

Flash photography, extended video recording, tripods, and cameras with detachable lenses are strictly prohibited.

PROGRAM AT-A-GLANCE | HOLIDAY BRASS

Celebrate the Season with the Brilliance of Brass!

Holiday Brass brings the warmth and joy of the holidays to Orchestra Hall with festive takes on classic carols and seasonal favorites. Enjoy an evening filled with holiday cheer, performed by the world-class musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

PROFILES

INGRID MARTIN

Ingrid Martin puts people at the heart of every musical experience. Her work as a conductor and teacher is shaped by a career spanning music, medicine, and education.

In 2025, Martin joins the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as Assistant Conductor and Phillip and Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador. She also debuts with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Victoria, and leads the Louise Crossley Conductor Training Program for the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. She returns to conduct the Auckland Philharmonia, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, following her 2024 tenure as New Zealand Assistant Conductor in Residence.

Martin loves championing new repertoire, and bringing audiences closer to music through thoughtfully curated experiences. She has commissioned 15 works for youth orchestras, conducted 20 world premieres, and recorded over 50 student compositions. Through her original orchestral shows, Martin invites audiences of all ages to explore unexpected connections between music and other

disciplines, from physics to painting.

Martin was the first Australian admitted to the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship Mentoring Program (2024–2025). She was also a fellow of the Australian Conducting Academy (2023–2024) and the Carlos Miguel Prieto Conducting Fellowship with the Orchestra of the Americas (2022).

Before pursuing conducting professionally, Martin worked for a decade in emergency medicine then retrained as a teacher. Her approach to music and leadership is deeply informed by the skills she developed in these careers: listening closely, thinking clearly under pressure, and communicating complex ideas.

Martin has built a global following for Conducting Artistry, her platform for practical resources, podcasts, books, and online tools that empower teachers and students to deepen their artistry. She is a sought-after speaker and clinician at international music education conferences including the Midwest Clinic and Texas Music Educators’ Association, and her book, Planning Effective Rehearsals, is required reading for university music education programs worldwide.

At home, she’s rarely far from a craft project and a strong black coffee.

ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ

Principal Pops Conductor

Devereaux Family Chair

DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

JADER BIGNAMINI , Music Director

Music Directorship endowed by the Kresge Foundation

TERENCE BLANCHARD

Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair

TABITA BERGLUND Principal Guest Conductor

SPECIAL EVENT

Saturday, December 20, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, December 21, 2025 at 3 p.m. in Orchestra Hall

JASON SEBER, conductor

INGRID MARTIN

Assistant Conductor, Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador

WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY CHORUS — DR. ERIKA TAZAWA, director

HOME ALONE

TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX Presents A JOHN HUGHES Production A CHRIS COLUMBUS Film

HOME ALONE

MACAULAY CULKIN

JOE PESCI

DANIEL STERN

JOHN HEARD and CATHERINE O’HARA

Music by JOHN WILLIAMS

Film Editor

RAJA GOSNELL

Production Designer JOHN MUTO

Director of Photography

JULIO MACAT

Executive Producers

MARK LEVINSON & SCOTT ROSENFELT and TARQUIN GOTCH

Written and Produced by JOHN HUGHES

Directed by CHRIS COLUMBUS

Soundtrack Album Available on CBS Records, Cassettes and Compact Discs

Color by DELUXE®

Today’s program is a presentation of the complete film Home Alone with a live performance of the film’s entire score, including music played by the orchestra during the end credits. Out of respect for the musicians and your fellow audience members, please remain seated until the conclusion of the credits.

Film screening of Home Alone courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox. © 1990 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Flash photography, extended video recording, tripods, and cameras with detachable lenses are strictly prohibited.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Home Alone in Concert is produced by Film Concerts Live!, a joint venture of IMG Artists, LLC and The Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency, Inc.

Producers: Steven A. Linder and Jamie Richardson

Director of Operations: Rob Stogsdill

Production Manager: Sophie Greaves

Production Assistant: Katherine Miron

Worldwide Representation: IMG Artists, LLC

Technical Director: Mike Runice

Music Composed by John Williams

Music Preparation: Jo Ann Kane Music Service

Film Preparation for Concert Performance: Ramiro Belgardt

Technical Consultant: Laura Gibson

Sound Remixing for Concert Performance: Chace Audio by Deluxe

The score for Home Alone has been adapted for live concert performance.

With special thanks to: Twentieth Century Fox, Chris Columbus, David Newman, John Kulback, Julian Levin, Mark Graham and the musicians and staff of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

PROFILE

JASON SEBER Jason

Seber is known for his inviting and engaging approach on and off the podium. A strong believer in the eclectic experiences that today’s symphony orchestras offer their communities, he strives to make music of many genres and styles accessible, relevant, and meaningful to diverse audiences across the country.

Seber has conducted many leading American orchestras, including the Baltimore, Colorado, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Nashville, National, North Carolina, Phoenix, San Diego, and St. Louis symphonies; the Louisville and Minnesota

orchestras; the Buffalo Philharmonic; and the Cincinnati Pops; among others. Upcoming performances include debuts with the Oregon Symphony and the Dallas Symphony. Seber has conducted over 25 full feature films and has had the pleasure of performing with a wide range of artists including Patti Austin, Mason Bates, Andrew Bird, Boyz II Men, Ashley Brown, Melissa Etheridge, Ben Folds, Cody Fry, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Indigo Girls, Wynonna Judd, Lyle Lovett, Katharine McPhee, Natalie Merchant, Brian Stokes Mitchell, My Morning Jacket, Leslie Odom Jr., Aoife O’Donovan, Pink Martini, Ben Rector, Stephen Schwartz, Doc Severinsen, Lindsey Stirling, Violent Femmes, and Bobby Watson.

THE ANNUAL FUND

received between September 1, 2024 and August 31, 2025.

The DSO is a proud, community-supported orchestra. Whether enjoying world-class performances in Orchestra Hall, picking up an instrument for the first time, or experiencing unforgettable music experiences in their own neighborhoods, your gift can transform lives and ignite imaginations across Detroit, Southeast Michigan, and beyond. 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 unforgettable 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, 2024, and August 31, 2025. If you have questions about this roster, or would like to make a donation, please contact 313.576.5114 or visit dso.org/donate.

GIVING OF $250,000 & MORE

Penny & Harold Blumenstein

Julie & Peter Cummings

Ms. Leslie C. Devereaux◊

Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Frankel

Mary Lee Gwizdala

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

GIVING OF $50,000 & MORE

Mr. & Mrs. Aaron Frankel

Mr. & Mrs. Ralph J. Gerson

Ric & Carola Huttenlocher

Mrs. Bonnie Larson

GIVING OF $25,000 & MORE

Mrs. Cecilia Benner

Mr. & Mrs.◊ Brian C. Campbell

Mrs. Marjory Epstein

Mr. Michael J. Fisher

Madeline & Sidney Forbes

Mrs. Martha Ford

Dale & Bruce Frankel

Ronald M. & Carol◊ Horwitz

William & Story John

Mr.◊ & Mrs. Norman D. Katz

Mr. Alan J. & Mrs. Sue Kaufman

Morgan & Danny Kaufman

LeFevre Family

Bud & Nancy Liebler

Linda Dresner & Ed Levy, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. James B. Nicholson

Mr. & Mrs. David Provost

Barbara C. Van Dusen

Mary Ann & Robert Gorlin

The Polk Family

Bernard & Eleanor Robertson

Drs. David & Bernadine Wu

Paul & Terese Zlotoff

Nicole & Matt Lester

David & Valerie McCammon

Richard Sonenklar & Gregory Haynes Philanthropic Fund

Mr. & Mrs. Eugene A. Miller

Xavier & Maeva Mosquet

Sammy & David Nicholson

Ms. Ruth Rattner ◊

Mr. Jerome Salesin

Laura & Jimmy Sherman

Mr. & Mrs. Larry Sherman

Mr. & Mrs. Gary Torgow

Peter & Carol Walters

Mr.◊ & Mrs. Jonathan T. Walton

S. Evan & Gwen Weiner

Wolverine Packing Company

And one who wishes to remain anonymous

Dr. Lourdes V. Andaya

Janet & Norman Ankers

Pamela Applebaum

Drs. Brian & Elizabeth Bachynski

Ms. Therese Bellaimey

Drs. John ◊ & Janice Bernick

Dr. George & Joyce Blum

Elena Bogliani & Pietro Gorlie

Ms. Debra Bonde

Gwen & Richard Bowlby

Robert N.◊ & Claire P. Brown

Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Brownell

Michael & Geraldine Buckles

Sandra & Paul Butler

Ms. Elena Centeio & Tony R. Smith

Thomas W. Cook & Marie L. Masters

Ms. Elizabeth Correa

Mr. Kevin S. Dennis & Mr. Jeremy J. Zeltzer

Mr. & Mrs. Richard L. DeVore

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 & Ben Hubert

Dr. Saul & Mrs. Helen Forman

Barbara Frankel◊ & Ronald Michalak

GIVING OF $5,000 & MORE

Mrs. Denise Abrash

Richard & Jiehan Alonzo

Dr. & Mrs. Joel Appel

Drs. Kwabena & Jacqueline Appiah

Pauline Averbach & Charles Peacock

Mrs. Jean Azar

Ms. Elizabeth Baergen

Ms. Ruth Baidas

Dr. David S. Balle

James A. Bannan

Mr. Mark G. Bartnik & Ms. Sandra J. Collins

Joseph Addison Bartush

W. Harold & Chacona W. Baugh

Mr. & Mrs. Martin S. Baum

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Beaubien

Mr. William Beluzo

Hadas & Dennis Bernard

Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey A. Berner

Bill & Caitlin Beuche

Mr. Michael G. Bickers

Nancy & Lawrence Bluth

Timothy J. Bogan

Ms. Nadia Boreiko

The Honorable Susan D. Borman & Mr.

Stuart Michaelson

Mr. Anthony F. Brinkman

Ms. Kathy Burkhart

Lynn & Bharat Gandhi

Girolami Family Charitable Trust

Mr.◊ & Mrs. James A. Green

Mr. & Mrs. Darby Hadley

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Hage

Judy ◊ & Kenneth Hale

Mr. Sanford Hansell & Dr. Raina Ernstoff

Ms. Lori Harbour

Michael E. Hinsky & Tyrus N. Curtis

Mr.◊ & Mrs. Norman H. Hofley

Mr. & Mrs. Peter Hollinshead

Renato & Elizabeth Jamett

Mr. & Mrs. Richard J. Jessup

Lenard & Connie Johnston

Paul & Marietta Joliat

Betsy & Joel Kellman

Dr. David & Mrs. Elizabeth Kessel

Mr. & Mrs. Kosch

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Lile ◊

Mrs. Sandra MacLeod

Dr. Stephen & Paulette Mancuso

Ms. Deborah Miesel

Dr. Robert & Dr. Mary Mobley

Cyril Moscow ◊

Geoffrey S. Nathan & Margaret E. Winters ◊

Mr. & Mrs. Albert T. Nelson, Jr.

Eric & Paula Nemeth

Jim & Mary Beth Nicholson

Dr. & Mrs. Roger C. Byrd

Richard Caldarazzo & Eileen Weiser

Philip & Carol Campbell◊

Steve & Geri Carlson

Mrs. Carolyn Carr

Mr.◊ & Mrs. François Castaing

Dr. Carol S. Chadwick & Mr. H. Taylor

Burleson

Ronald ◊ & Lynda Charfoos

The Cheresko Family Foundation

Dr. Betty Chu & Mr. Navot Shoresh

Mr. Fred J. Chynchuk

Dr. & Mrs. Bryan & Phyllis Cornwall

Patricia & William ◊ Cosgrove, Sr.

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

Ms. Jane Deng

Dr. Anibal & Vilma Drelichman

Elaine C. Driker

Ms. Ruby Duffield

Mrs. Connie Dugger

Edwin & Rosemarie ◊ Dyer

Randall & Jill* Elder

Patricia & Henry Nickol◊

Gloria & Stanley Nycek

George & Jo Elyn Nyman

Debra & Richard Partrich

Kathryn & Roger Penske

Dr. Glenda D. Price

Dr. & Mrs. John Roberts

Dr. Erik Rönmark* & Mrs. Adrienne Rönmark*

Mr. Ronald Ross & Ms. Alice Brody

Martie & Bob Sachs

Peggy & Dr. Mark B. Saffer

Sandy Schreier

Elaine & Michael Serling

Lois & Mark Shaevsky

Mr. Steven Smith

Mr. Norman Silk & Mr. Dale Morgan

Dean P. & D. Giles Simmer

Dr. Doris Tong & Dr. Teck M. Soo

Mrs. Kathleen Straus & Mr. Walter Shapero

Mr. & Mrs. John Stroh III

Emily & Paul Tobias

Mr. James G. Vella

Ms. Mary Wilson

Lucia Zamorano, M.D.

And two who wish to remain anonymous

Mr. Lawrence Ellenbogen

Ms. Laurie Ellias & Mr. James Murphy

Ms. Emily Elmer & Mr. Andrew Lerma

Mr. & Mrs. John M. Erb

Fieldman Family Foundation

John & Karen Fischer

Ms. Joanne Fisher

Dorothy A. & Larry L. Fobes

Ms. Linda Forte & Mr. Tyrone Davenport

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

Ms. Gail Haines

Robert & Elizabeth Hamel

Thomas & Kathleen Harmon

Cheryl A. Harvey

Ms. Barbara Heller

Eric Hespenheide & Judith Hicks

Mr. Donald & Marcia Hiruo

Mr. Matthew Howell & Mrs. Julie Wagner

William Hulsker & Aris Urbanes

Larry & Connie Hutchinson

Jane Iacobelli

Mr. & Mrs. A. E. Igleheart

Dr. Raymond E. Jackson & Dr. Kathleen

Murphy

Mr. John S. Johns

Mr. George G. Johnson

Paul & Karen Johnson

Carol & Rick Johnston

Connie & Bill Jordan

Mr. & Mrs. Steven Kalkanis

Diane ◊ & John Kaplan

Judy & David Karp

Mike & Katy Keegan

Mrs. Frances King

Mrs. Janice King

Dr. & Mrs. Edward L. Klarman

Mr. & Mrs. Ludvik F. Koci

Dr. Sandy Koltonow & Dr. Mary Schlaff

Ms. Susan Deutch Konop

Douglas Korney & Marieta Bautista

James Kors & Victoria King

Robert & Laurie Kunz

Mrs. Maria E. Kuznia

Dr. & Mrs. Gerald Laker

Mr. David Lalain & Ms. Deniella

Ortiz-Lalain

Dr. Raymond Landes & Dr. Melissa McBrien-Landes

Drs. Lisa & Scott Langenburg

Bill & Kathleen Langhorst

Ms. Sandra Lapadot

Nina Dodge Abrams

Mr. & Mrs. Joel Adelman

William Aerni & Janet Frazis

Mr. Juan Alvarez

Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Anthony

Mr. Thomas Basile

Robyn Bollinger* & Dane Lighthart*

Rud ◊ & Mary Ellen Boucher

Don & Marilyn Bowerman

Mr. & Mrs. Mark R. Buchanan

Jason Bucholz & Lee Kirtley

Dr. Robert Burgoyne & Tova Shaban

Mr.◊ & Mrs. Robert J. Cencek

Mr. Andrew Christians

Dr. & Mrs. Robert Clark

Mr. William Cole & Mrs. Carol Litka Cole

Dr. & Mrs. Charles G. Colombo

Mr. & Mrs. Brian G. Connors

Mr. & Mrs. David Conrad

Ms. Joy Crawford* & Mr. Richard Aude

Phyllis & Kevin Cullen

Mrs. Barbara Cunningham

Ms. Joyce Delamarter

Michelle Devine & Brian Mahany

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

Mr. & Mrs. Winom J. Mahoney

Cis Maisel

Mr. Sean Maloney & Mrs. Laura Peppler-Maloney

Maurice Marshall

Mr. Anthony Roy McCree

Patricia A.◊ & Patrick G. McKeever

Dr. & Mrs. David Mendelson

Dr. Susan & Mr. Stephen* Molina

Mr. & Mrs. Daniel E. Moore

Ms. Jennifer Muse

Ms. Jacqueline Paige & Mr. David Fischer

Mr. & Mrs. Randy G. Paquette

Mr. David Phipps & Ms. Mary Buzard

William H. & Wendy W. Powers

Charlene & Michael Prysak

Mrs. Anna M. Ptasznik

Drs. Stuart & Hilary Ratner

Drs. Yaddanapudi Ravindranath & Kanta

Bhambhani

Mr. & Mrs. Dave Redfield

Mr. & Mrs. Gerrit Reepmeyer

Mr. & Mrs. Jon Rigoni

Ms. Patricia Rodzik

Michael & Susan Rontal

Mr. Wm. Christopher Sachs

Mr. David Salisbury & Mrs. Terese Ireland

Salisbury

Marjorie Shuman Saulson

Ms. Martha A. Scharchburg & Mr. Bruce Beyer

Mr. & Mrs. Donald & Janet Schenk

Shirley Anne & Alan Schlang

Joe & Ashley Schotthoefer

Mrs. Rosalind B. Sell

Carlo & Nicole Serraiocco

Robert & Patricia Shaw

Mr. Martin Sher*

Shiv Shivaraman

Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Simoncini

William & Cherie Sirois

Michael E. Smerza & Nancy Keppelman

Mr. Michael J. Smith & Mrs. Mary C. Williams

Ms. Susan Smith

Charlie & John Solecki

Peter & Patricia Steffes

Dr. Gregory Stephens

Mr. JT Stout

Mr. & Mrs.◊ John Streit

David Szymborski & Marilyn Sicklesteel

Joel & Shelley Tauber

Dr. & Mrs. Howard Terebelo

Dr. Barry Tigay

Alice ◊ & Paul Tomboulian

Yoni & Rachel Torgow

Tom & Laura Trudeau

Mrs. Eva von Voss

Mr. William Waak

Mr. Michael Walch & Ms. Joyce Keller

Richard P. Walter & Carol A. Walter

Mrs. Judith Weiner

Beverly & Barry Williams

Dr. & Mrs. Ned Winkelman

Ms. Andrea L. Wulf

Dr. Sandra & Mr. D. Johnny Yee

Mr. & Mrs. Wesley Yee

Ms. Ellen Hill Zeringue

And two who wish to remain anonymous

Dr. & Mrs. Thomas Ditkoff

Ms. Marla Donovan

Paul◊ & Peggy Dufault

Mr. Jay Fishman

Amy & Robert Folberg

Mr. & Mrs. Calvin Ford

Ms. Laurie Frankel

Mr. George Georges

Stephanie Germack

Thomas M. Gervasi

Mr. Joseph & Mrs. Lois Gilmore

Dr. Kenneth ◊ & Roslyne Gitlin

Ms. Jody Glancy

Judie Goodman & Kurt Vilders

Dr. William & Mrs. Antoinette Govier

Dr. Darla Granger & Mr. Luke Ponder

Diane & Saul Green

Dr. Robert Greenberger

Anne & Eugene Greenstein

Sharon Lopo Hadden

Dr. & Mrs. Razmig Haladjian

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Holcomb

James Hoogstra & Clark Heath

Dr. Karen Hrapkiewicz

Jean Hudson

Carolyn & Howard Iwrey

Mr. & Ms. Charles Jacobowitz

Lucy & Alexander* Kapordelis

Carole Keller

Bernard & Nina Kent Philanthropic Fund

John Kim & Sabrina Hiedemann

Mr. & Mrs. Norman R. King

Aileen & Harvey Kleiman

Tom ◊ & Beverly Klimko

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Koffron

Barbara & Michael Kratchman

Mr. Michael Kuhne

Mr. & Mrs. Robert LaBelle

Deborah Lamm

Ms. Anne T. Larin

Arlene & John Lewis

Mr. Steven L. Lipton

David & Clare Loebl

Mr. & Mrs. Eugene LoVasco

Mr. & Mrs. Charles W. Manke, Jr.

Barbara J. Martin

Dr. & Mrs. Peter M. McCann, M.D.

Ms. Mary McGough

Ms. Kristen McLennan

Steve & Brenda Mihalik

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

Mr. Frederick Morsches & Mr. Kareem

George

Megan Norris & Howard Matthew

Mr. & Mrs. Arthur T. O’Reilly

Mr. Tony Osentoski & Mr. David Ogloza

Ken & Geralyn Papa

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

Ms. Rochelle Riley

Ms. Marilyn Rodzik

Mr. James Rose

Mr. & Mrs. Robert B. Rosowski

Sandy ◊ & Alan Schwartz

Mr. Jeffrey S. Serman

Shapero Foundation

Bill* & Chris Shell

Dr. Les Siegel & Ellen Lesser Siegel

Ralph & Peggy Skiano

Ms. Dhivya Srinivasan

Shirley R. Stancato

Daniel & Tracey Stavale

Mrs. Andreas H. Steglich

Nancy C. Stocking

Dr. & Mrs. Gerald Stollman

Danielle Susser

Dr. Neil Talon

Mr. Rob Tanner

Mr. & Mrs. Harry Thomalla

Barbara & Stuart Trager

Barbara & Steve Tronstein

Charles ◊ & Sally Van Dusen

Mr. Gary Van Elslander

Gerald & Teresa Varani

Ms. Caren Vondell

Mr. Patrick Webster

Rissa & Sheldon Winkelman

Mr. William Wonfor & Ms. Kathy White

Ms. Gail Zabowski

And two who wish to remain anonymous

TRIBUTE GIFTS

Gifts received – February 15 to August 31, 2025

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

Hayden Anders

Paula Durbuow

Dr. George & Joyce Blum

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Leib

Joanne Danto

Aviva & Dean

Friedman

Dr. & Mrs. Richard S. Schwartz

Mr. Phillip Wm. Fisher

Joanne Danto and Arnold Weingarden

Ms. Amanda Fisher & Mr. Ben Hubert

Mr. Frederick Morsches

& Mr. Kareem George

In honor of their wedding and support of the initiatives of the Anne Parsons Leadership Fund

Shari Burgess

Ms. Joy Crawford* & Mr. Richard Aude

Maureen T. D’Avanzo

Ms. Christina Dragone

Carol A Friend

Joyce Hayes Giles

Ric & Carola

Huttenlocher

Mr. Shane Pliska and Mr. Karl Lievense

Mrs. Bonnie Larson

Linda and Bob Michaels

Franz Morsches

Conny Owen

Patrick Owen

Tom and Linda Platt

Carol & Larry Pliska

Nancy Rands Realty, Inc.

Ms. Susan Sherbow

Silvia Sims

Ms. Candace Stuart

Buzz Thomas

Jack Horner*

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Cook

David LeDoux

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry LeDoux

Faye Alexander Nelson

Mr. Lane Coleman

Sammy & David

Nicholson

Mr. and Mrs. William A. Bernstein

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bury

John Cannon

Mr. Jonathan Colman

Tasha Downey

Mr. & Mrs. David Fischer

Jeffrey Frost

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Goodrich

Mr. and Mrs. Brad Gregory

Joe Kaiser

Mr. Douglas Krizanic

Dean Larson

Patrick Mansfield

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Marowske

Mr. & Mrs. Eugene A. Miller

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Norcia

John Ottaway

David Philips

Dr. and Mrs. Louis D. Saravolatz

Mary Shank

Mr. Allan Schlumberger

Mr. and Mrs. Robert I. Schostak

Sandy◊ & Alan Schwartz

Mr. and Mrs. Richard R. Widgren

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Vantol

Christine and David Provost

Maureen T. D’Avanzo

Mrs. Rosalind B. Sell

Ms. Mary Brady

Emily Sheffer

The Doug Sheffer Family

Dean Simmer

Roland Andreasson

The Viola Section of the DSO

Marc Haxer

Mary Wilson

Ann McIlvain

Mrs. Lynn E. Adams

Ms. Aimee Anderson

Dr. & Mrs. Gary S. Assarian

Mr. & Mrs. William C. Babbage

Drs. Richard & Helena Balon

Dr. Jeffrey D. Band & Mrs. Meredith Weston-Band

Mr. & Mrs. David W. Berry

Mr. & Mrs. John Bishop

Ms. Terry Book

Mr. Larry Brown & Mrs. Marilynn Silberman

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Burstein

Ms. Paula Cole

Mr. & Mrs. David Colman

Catherine Compton

Gordon & Elaine Didier

Diana & Mark Domin

Mr. Howard O. Emorey

Burke & Carol Fossee

Mr. Paul Glantz

Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Goodman

Mr. Henry Grix & Mr. Howard Israel

Mr. Jay Brown

Mr. Chad McDaniels

Carol Ann Campbell

Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Clement

Ilene Kahn

Marilyn Johnson

Annette Dooley Winger

Amy Zimmerman

Barbara Ann David

Neil & Ro Schilke

Dr. Robert Erbes

Linda and Jim Barry

Spencer Felix & Derrick Garner

Ms. Lynda-Anne Cash

Maurine K. Fisher (19071995)

Michael J. Fisher

John Gleeson

Linda Asciutto

Dr. Gerald “Jerry” Grossman

Ms. Christine Peck

Joyce DuPont Herron

Alice Bakalis

Nancy Moss

Jennifer Schied

Susan Nanette Jacques Board of Uplift Milford

Catherine Jewell

Chris and Carol Brown

Charles and Lisa Crouch

Larry Larson

George Pariseau

Dana Powell

Dr. Susan Harold

Mrs. Andrea Harral

Mr. & Mrs. Mark R. High

Sally Ingold

James Jacob

Mrs. & Mr. Clara Jenkins

Mr. & Mrs. Gerd H. Keuffel

Elissa & Daniel Kline

Mr. & Mrs.◊ Gregory Knas

Mr. Robert Kosinski

Mr. & Mrs. Charles Laurencelle

Mr. Daniel Lewis

Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Liss

Clara & Federico Mariona

Ms. Nancy McGunn

Camille & Ian McLeod

Ms. Evelyn Micheletti

Carolyn & J. Michael Moore

Mr.◊ & Mrs. George Nicholson

Mrs. Ruth Nix

Anne Parsons ◊ & Donald Dietz

Mr. & Mrs. Mark H. Peterson

In Memory

Peter Kalakailo, Jr

Ms. Karen Brichford

Mr. Kelly Brown

Carolyn Danielson

Ms. Ellen M. Demray

Jeffrey Ghioto

Ms. Joann Kefalas

Mr. Jerry McKindles

Jim & Terrye Mock

Ron & Joanne Nosek

The St. Paul’s Girls

Vera Kalnins

Gerson Family Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Eubanks

Mrs. Michele Munkarah

John & Nada Ghafari

Leonard A. Karle III

Dr. Diane K. Karle

Frank Martilotti

Trudy Sharpe

Karen McCoy

Karen & Jerry Jennings

Martha Yost Newcomer

Mrs. Virginia Bennett

Eric Hampton

Ms. Karen Ruddy

Susan Zoma

William “Bill” Panzer

Danielle Leff

Friends of William Panzer

Laurie Myers

Couzens, Lansky, Fealk, Ellis, Roeder & Lazar, P.C.

Salvatore Rabbio*

Lynn Mayers

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Marchesano

Nancy Nuss

Mr. Frank Polasek

Mr. & Mrs. Rodney Rask

Ms. Libby Robinson

Mr. and Mrs. John Rohrbeck

Brian & Toni Sanchez-Murphy

Ms. Rosemarie Sandel

Ms. Joyce E. Scafe

Dr. and Mr. Joyce R. Schomer

Ms. Sandra Shetler

Ms. Polly Tan

Ruth & Mark Theobald

Mr. & Mrs. Krister Ulmanis

Mr. & Mrs. Paul Vantol

Dennis & Jennifer Varian

Dr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Verhelle

Dr. Elliot & Mrs. Wendy Wagenheim

Ms. Janet Weir

Ms. Joan Whittingham

Mr. & Mrs.◊ Richard Wigginton

Mr. Robert S. Williams & Ms. Treva Womble

Cathy Cromer Wood

Ruth Rattner

Mrs. Julie August

Julie Buch

Mrs. Ann Fishman

Mrs. Eleanore Gabrys

Mr. and Mrs. Steve Goodman

Ms. Barbara Heller

Mr. Jeffrey Hollinshead

Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Jacobson

Mr.◊ & Mrs. Norman D. Katz

Dr. and Mrs. Steven Klein

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Lewis

Mr. and Mrs. Todd Sachse

Sandy Schreier

Cynthia Shaw

Marc Siegel

Mr. Marc Sussman

Ms. Mary Nave

Mr. Howard Weinberger

S. Evan & Gwen Weiner

Mrs. Lisa Weisman

Theresa Valasco

Ms. Sharon Zimmerman

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Zussman

Shelley Schwaderer

Roland

D and Laura Hamilton

Elizabeth A. Seurynck

Shanda Lowry Sachs

Leonard & Bonita Schemm

Nancy Smith

SAGE Publications, Inc.

Carrie Lyn StewartGulan

Robin Chan

Susan O’Brien

Clune Walsh

Ms. Beverly Curtiss

Jennifer Lynn Whitteaker

Joe Barone

Ms. Heather Betts

Anderson Eckstein & Westrick Inc

The Fanning Family

Julie Flory

Mark Gaworecki

Joy Girvan

David Harwood

Pamela Headley

Erin Hottel

Julie Jozwiak

Ms. Debbie Keith

Jason Knepper

Dawn M. Moffitt

Nancy J. Moody

Mr.◊ & Mrs. John Osler

Oakland County Association of Township Supervisors

Michael C. Robbins

The City of Royal Oak

Esther Sanabria

Mila Sarsozo

Ms. Michelle Sarsozo

Veronica Sherwood

Nancy Sizer

Eileen Lopez Tome

Domonique

And two who wish to remain anonymous *Current DSO Musician or Staff

Washington-McNish

Donald E. Whitteaker

Robert & Jean

Whittaker

Mrs. Ciara Yates

Mr. Douglas Ziemnick

CORPORATE,

FOUNDATION, AND GOVERNMENT GIVING

Giving of $500,000 & more

SAMUEL & JEAN FRANKEL FOUNDATION

THE STATE OF MICHIGAN

Giving of $200,000 & more

EMORY M. FORD JR. ENDOWMENT FUND

Giving of $100,000 & more

PAUL M. ANGELL FAMILY FOUNDATION

MARVIN & BETTY DANTO FAMILY FOUNDATION

Giving of $50,000 & more

William Randolph Hearst Foundation

Masco Corporation Milner Hotels Foundation

Donald R. Simon & Esther Simon Foundation Myron P. Leven Foundation

Giving of $20,000 & more

Detroit Pistons

MGM Grand Detroit

Eleanor & Edsel Ford Fund

Honigman LLP

Strum Allesee Family Foundation

Jack, Evelyn, & Richard Cole Family Foundation

Comerica Incorporated

Applebaum Family Philanthropy

The Cassie Foundation

Coffee Express Roasting Company

Benson & Edith Ford Fund

Sieg Dunlap Foundation

Enterprise Holdings Foundation EY

Japan Business Society of Detroit Foundation

Stone Foundation of Michigan

Wolverine Packing

Mandell & Madeleine Berman Foundation

Giving of $10,000 & more

Geoinge Foundation

Richard & Jane Manoogian Foundation

Oliver Dewey Marcks Foundation

Penske Foundation, Inc.

Karen & Drew Peslar Foundation

Giving of $5,000 & more

James & Lynelle Holden Fund Hylant Group

Marjorie & Maxwell Jospey Foundation

Mary Thompson Foundation

Giving of $1,000 & more

Dolores & Paul Lavins Foundation

Ludwig Foundation Fund

Michigan First Credit Union Plante Moran

Taft Law

Young Woman’s Home Association

Burton A. Zipser & Sandra D. Zipser Foundation

Renaissance (MI) Chapter of the Links

Sun Communities Inc.

HUB International

Sigmund and Sophie Rohlik Foundation

Samuel L. Westerman Foundation Anonymous

Louis & Nellie Sieg Foundation

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

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

Stephanie Baer Fricker

Sally & Donald Baker

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 ◊

Mr. Lawrence Brown

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

Drs. William ◊ & Janet Cohn

Lois & Avern 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 ◊

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. and Mrs. Renato Jamett

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas H. Jeffs II

Mr. & Mrs. Richard J. Jessup

Mr. George G. Johnson

Lenard & Connie Johnston

Mr. and Mrs. Richard 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

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

Harold Lundquist ◊ & Elizabeth Brockhaus Lundquist

Eric & Ginny 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

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 ◊

Mr. and Mrs. John 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 ◊

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

Barbara C. Van Dusen

Charles ◊ & Sally 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 Williams

Ms. Nancy S. Williams ◊

Mr. Robert S. Williams & Ms. Treva Womble

Ms. Barbara Wojtas

Elizabeth B. Work◊

Dr. Melissa J. Smiley & Dr. Patricia A. Wren

Dr. & Mrs. Clyde Wu ◊

Ms. Andrea L. Wulf

Mrs. Judith G. Yaker

Milton & Lois Zussman ◊

And six who wish to remain anonymous

FORD PIQUETTE AVENUE PLANT

Birthplace of the Model T

A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK

461 Piquette

5 minutes from Orchestra Hall

PUBLIC HOURS

Visit Henry Ford’s original Model T factory built in 1904. Stroll through automotive history at your own pace, or take a guided tour led by museum historians. You’ll learn the amazing story of how Ford revolutionized manufacturing and put the world on wheels. Get up close to more than 65 rare automobiles and T trucks, see Ford’s office, find unique gifts, or host your special event in this landmark building. For private and group tour information, call (313) 872-8759

Wednesday to Sunday 10 am – 4 pm

Closed Holidays

Private tours and school fi eld trips are available Mondays and Tuesdays upon request.

Optional guided tours at 10 am, Noon & 2 pm

ADMISSION

Adults: $20

Seniors (65+) and Veterans: $18

Students (with ID)/Youth: $10

Children (4 & under): Free

Group Tours (15+ guests): $15 ea.

YOUR EXPERIENCE AT THE MAX

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 plated dinner options 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 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.

Accessibility

THE MAX M. & MARJORIE S. FISHER MUSIC CENTER 3711 Woodward Avenue Detroit, MI

Box

Visit the DSO online at dso.org For general inquiries, please email info@dso.org

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, barrier-free 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 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.

• A golf cart-style DSO Courtesy Shuttle is available for all patrons who need assistance entering The Max.

• 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 friends@dso.org.

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.

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.

• 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. 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

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.

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

EXECUTIVE OFFICE

Erik Rönmark

President and CEO

James B. and Ann V. Nicholson Chair

Jill Elder

Chief Revenue Officer

Martin Sher

Chief Artistic & Operating Officer

Joy Crawford

Administrative Assistant

Carol Davis

Executive Assistant

Anne Parsons ◊ President Emeritus

ARTISTIC OPERATIONS

ARTISTIC PLANNING

Ian Kivler

Senior Director of Artistic Planning

Jessica Slais

Creative Consultant for Popular & Special Programming

Stephen Grady Jr.

Program Manager, Popular & Special Programming

Jacquelynn Wealer Artistic Coordinator

LIVE FROM ORCHESTRA HALL

Marc Geelhoed

Executive Producer of Live from Orchestra Hall

ORCHESTRA OPERATIONS

Kathryn Ginsburg

Vice President and General Manager

Patrick Peterson

Orchestra Manager

Dennis Rottell

Stage Manager

Andrew Williams Director of Orchestra Personnel

Laura Scales

Production Manager

Benjamin Tisherman Manager of Orchestra Personnel

ADVANCEMENT

Alex Kapordelis Vice President, Strategic Philanthropy

Ali Huber

Director of Donor Engagement

Dane Lighthart

Director of Individual Giving

Cat Lockman

Director of Institutional Partnerships and Strategic Giving

Zach Suchanek

Associate Director of Annual Giving

Alex Anderson Manager of Advancement Events

Francesca Leo DeLouis

Manager of Governance & Donor Engagement

Courtney Gonzales Institutional Giving Specialist

Elizabeth McConnell Major Gift Officer

Tarajee Moore Donor Communications Specialist

Samantha Taylor Manager of Institutional Giving

Amanda Tew Major Gift Officer

BUILDING OPERATIONS

Ken Waddington

Senior Director of Facilities & Engineering

Nykrum Bell Chief Engineer

Demetris Fisher Manager of Environmental Services (EVS)

William Guilbault EVS Technician

Robert Hobson Chief Maintenance Technician

Aaron Kirkwood EVS Lead

Anthony Lindsey EVS Technician

Daniel Speights EVS Technician

EVENT AND PATRON EXPERIENCE

Christina Williams Senior Director of Event & Patron Experience

Neva Kirksey Manager of Events & Rentals

Alison Reed, CVA Manager of Volunteer & Patron Experience

COMMUNICATIONS

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

LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT

Karisa Antonio Vice President of Social Innovation & Learning

Damien Crutcher Director of Detroit Harmony

Debora Kang Director of Education

Clare Valenti Director of Engagement

Kiersten Alcorn Manager of Program Accessibility

Chris DeLouis

Manager of Student Development

Erin Faryniarz

Detroit Harmony Partnerships Coordinator

Claire Eileen Hall Coordinator of Engagement Operations

Bronwyn Hagerty Library & Programs Manager

Samuel Hsieh Coordinator of Learning Operations

Kendra Sachs Manager of Learning & Engagement

FINANCE

Tanisha Hester Accountant

Sophie Lall Accounting Clerk Assistant

Sandra Mazza Senior Accountant of Business Operations

Claudia Scalzetti Staff Accountant

HUMAN RESOURCES

Hannah Lozon Vice President of Talent & Culture

Angela Stough Director of Human Resources

Sharon Tse Director of Culture & Inclusion

Severina Oliver HR Specialist

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

William Shell Senior Director of Information Technology

Patrick Harris Systems Administrator

Michelle Koning Web Manager

Aaron Tockstein Database Administrator

MARKETING & AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

Kelly Striewski Vice President of Marketing & Patron Experience

Connor Mehren Director of Growth Marketing

Juliana Nahas Director of Loyalty Marketing

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

Michelle Marshall Director of Patron Sales & Service

Valerie Jackson Group Sales Representative

James Sabatella

Group & Tourism Sales Manager

Chantel Woodard

Manager of Patron Sales & Service

SAFETY & SECURITY

George Krappmann Director of Safety & Security

Johnnie Scott Safety & Security Manager

Willie Coleman Security Officer

Joyce Dorsey Security Officer

Tony Morris

Security Officer

Eric Thomas

Security Officer & Maintenance Technician

UPCOMING CONCERTS & EVENTS

NOVEMBER

CYE CIVIC YOUTH ENSEMBLES EXPERIENCE AND SHOWCASE CONCERT NOV 2

PVS CLASSICAL SERIES CARMINA BURANA NOV 7—9

PVS CLASSICAL SERIES BIGNAMINI CONDUCTS MOZART AND BEETHOVEN

NOV 14—15

PNC POPS SERIES THE BILLY JOEL SONGBOOK NOV 21—23

TERENCE BLANCHARD: MALCOLM X JAZZ SUITE DEC 5

BIGNAMINI CONDUCTS MOZART AND BEETHOVEN NOV 14—15

DECEMBER

TRISHA YEARWOOD DEC 19

PVS CLASSICAL SERIES ROMANTIC TREASURES: BRUCH & BRAHMS DEC 4—7

PARADISE JAZZ SERIES TERENCE BLANCHARD: MALCOLM X JAZZ SUITE DEC 5

TINY TOTS KRIS JOHNSON GROUP

DEC 6

FAMILY WINTER WONDERLAND DEC 6

SPECIAL EVENT LOVE ACTUALLY

DEC 10

PNC POPS SERIES HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

DEC 12—14

SPECIAL EVENT HOLIDAY BRASS DEC 18

SPECIAL EVENT TRISHA YEARWOOD

DEC 19

SPECIAL EVENT HOME ALONE

DEC 20—21

& INFO

Featuring U-M Jazz Faculty

Ed Sarath, trumpet

Ellen Rowe, piano

Dennis Wilson, trombone

Robert Hurst, bass

Andrew Bishop, tenor sax

Andy Milne, piano

Daniel Pinilla, guitar

by

by

Scotty Barnhart

With

Directed by Dennis Wilson

And special guests

Carla Cook, guest vocalist

Nandi Comer, Former Michigan

Poet Laureate (BA ’01, English & Spanish)

Mark Stryker, Master of Ceremonies

October 24, 2025, 8pm

Power Center for the Performing Arts

Reserved Seating (fees included) $40 / $34 / $16 Student Tickets

Directed

Directed

Scotty Barnhart

The Whitney, a 130-year-old Romanesque-style mansion, stands as one of the last great mansions to grace Woodward Avenue. Before your next show, or whenever the urge hits you, come visit. From the welcoming reception you’ll receive, the exquisite cuisine and refined cocktails you’ll enjoy, and the timeless ambience you’ll experience, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time.

Pre-Concert Dining, Post-Concert Desserts and Cocktails, Sunday Brunch or Afternoon Tea — it’s an experience you won’t forget.

4421 Woodward Avenue, Detroit | 313 832 5700 |