The Detroit Symphony Orchestra kicked off their summer season this past weekend with showings of the Hitchcock thriller "Psycho" and the family fantasy film "The Wizard of Oz". Sure, you might catch these flicks on cable, but that simply can't compare to seeing them in a classic theater with a score played live by the DSO.
You don't always think about a film's scoring, but seeing "The Wizard of Oz" with the DSO and conductor Constantine Kitsopoulos reminded me how a good score enhances a film's story. I've seen this movie many times, often at home on television, but watching this classic became a whole new experience on the big screen with a live score. Just as the film's shift from black and white emphasized the vibrant colors of Dorothy's odyssey in Oz, the live score emphasized the experiences Dorothy and her friends encountered along the way.
The audience included many families with young children, and the program held the rapt attention of the youngest audience members until an enthusiastic ovation at the program's conclusion.
Missed it? The symphony's summer season includes several other programs that are great ways to introduce your family to the symphony or a great way to spend a date.
See the DSO for free (with vehicle admission fee) at the park with a trio of concerts this coming weekend. The DSO performs at 8 p.m. Friday at Kensington Metropark, at 8 p.m. Saturday at Metro Beach Metropark, and at 8 p.m. on Sunday at Stony Creek Metropark.
The personable Thomas Wilkins, who we always enjoy seeing, conducts these "Harmony in the Park" concerts, which offer a selection of classical and popular pieces. You can bring lawn chairs and score a seat near the concert stage, but it's possible to hear the concert from many areas within the park. One year, we enjoyed hearing the DSO at Stony Creek from afar as we barbecued dinner in an outlaying picnic area.
Celebrate the holiday weekend (July 1-4) with the DSO at The Henry Ford in Greenfield Village. Steven Reincke conducts the 18th annual "Salute to America" concert, which features Michael Runyan on harmonica and pre-concert entertainment by the River Raisin Ragtime Revue, a Michigan-based theater orchestra. The concert includes patriotic and popular music, capped by a fireworks finale.
Enjoy music under the stars by Lake St. Clair July 9 and 10 at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House. Arrive as early as 6 p.m. to enjoy the home's architecture and grounds. The program begins at 8:30 p.m. and concludes with a fireworks finale.
I 'm a real fan of silent films, and regular Midwest Guest readers may remember me mentioning the July 15 showing of the 1926 Mary Pickford film "Sparrows" when I previewed the Detroit Film Theater's summer season. The DSO partners with the DFT for a showing of this film with live accompaniment by the orchestra at The Max, making this free program a great opportunity to hear the DSO in their home venue.
Next up is one of my favorite summer festivals, the Concert of Colors. This free diversity and world music fest kicks off July 16 at the Detroit Institute of Arts with performances by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra before moving to The Max July 17 and 18. The DSO again performs on Sunday with a program of Western and Arabic classical music conducted by Tito Muñoz featuring Simon Shaheen on the oud, an Arabic stringed instrument. Check my Concert of Colors story article for a preview of the entire three-day fest.
The DSO presents "Summer Nights" shows featuring classical and popular music at the Meadow Brook Music Festival July 22-23, July 30-31, and August 1. The DSO premiere of composer Kenji Bunch's piece commissioned by the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Committee in 2009 happens July 30.
Fans of world music mark your calendars for August 15, when the orchestra cedes the stage to Silk Road Ensemble and Yo-Yo Ma with multi-cultural music and instrumentation at The Max. The program includes arrangements of traditional music from countries like India, China, and Persia, and extending to Europe and the Americas.
We've always enjoyed jazz shows at The Max, seeing trumpeters Bryon Stripling and Irvin Mayfield perform in recent years. Given my love of jazz and silent flicks, I'm pretty jazzed about the August 26 program with trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. Marsalis and his septet perform a live soundtrack accompaniment to the new silent film "Louis", the story of trumpeter Louis Armstrong's life and music. Marsalis executive produced the film and composed much of the music for it. This show is one of a six-city U.S. launch for the film.
Check the DSO Web site for complete information about the summer schedule, repertoire, pricing, and purchasing tickets.
I received tickets to "The Wizard of Oz" program from the DSO. I've also attended numerous DSO programs at my own expense, and knowledge gained from those prior experiences informs the content of this article as well.
Note: "Where I live" posts are part of a series of periodic stories about special events and people in, and around, metro Detroit. "Where I live" posts are stories I'll post in addition to my regular schedule of
stories about attractions around the larger Midwestern region. I hope you enjoy
reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.
© Dominique King 2010 All rights reserved
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