United Voices of Detroit

March 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Warren Symphony Orchestra presents United Voices of Detroit

The Warren Symphony Orchestra presents the United Voices of Detroit in a spectacular program featuring choral works, Sunday, May 5. The program begins at 3 p.m. at the Warren Woods Community Center.

The United Voices of Detroit has performed at Carnegie Hall and the National Association of Negro Musicians National Convention. The concert theme, Glorious Everlasting showcases the choral ensemble’s boundless artistry, featuring Classical to Contemporary pieces. For more info on the chorus, click here.

The WSO performs a wide variety of orchestral works, including many of the symphonic repertoire’s most acclaimed and highly regarded compositions. We present guest artists and guest ensembles of both regional andinternational renown.(Note: WSO will not perform at this vocal event.)

Warren Symphony activities are supported in part by the Scripter Warren Symphony Endowment Fund, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the GM Foundation.

Tickets $23 (season tickets are $95). Seniors and students receive discounted rates. Those 18 and under are admitted free.

 

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Ta-ta-ta-TUM!

January 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Beethoven Conducting the Ninth detail

The Warren Symphony Orchestra presents “Ta-ta-ta-TUM!,” a program featuring Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, on Sunday March 17 at Warren Tower High School Auditorium. Just prior to the concert, join Jessica Payette, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Musicology at Oakland University, for a discussion of the program, beginning at 2 p.m.

From the WSO:

Kicking off a concert featuring several of the orchestral repertoire’s most cherished and canonized compositions of the past two centuries, the Warren Symphony Orchestra will perform the famed overture to Gioachino Rossini’s first comic opera, “The Italian in Algiers.” Dvorak’s elegant Serenade No. 2 in d minor for wind instruments, a favorite of Johannes Brahms, serves as a wonderful textural contrast to Aaron Jay Kernis’s sublime Musica Celestis, a magnificent work evoking endless hymns of praise. Then, hum along!—Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor lends its familiar four-note opening motif to the title of this event.

Just prior to our March 17 concert, join Jessica Payette, Ph.D. (photo above) in the concert hall for a relaxed and lively discussion of music that will be performed by the Warren Symphony Orchestra that afternoon. Learn about Beethoven’s famous “ta-ta-ta-TUM;” who is Rossini’s “Italian in Algiers;” why did Dvorak write his Serenade No. 2; and composer Aaron Jay Kernis, whose music reminds us of beautiful harmonies from space and beyond.

Dr. Payette is an assistant professor of musicology at the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance, Oakland University. She teaches the introductory graduate study course and graduate seminars in musicology, as well as segments of the undergraduate music history survey. Dr. Payette received her Ph.D. in musicology and humanities from Stanford University in 2008. For the 2007-2008 academic year she was a Geballe Dissertation Prize Fellow at the Stanford Humanities Center. She also holds a bachelor of music degree in piano performance and a B.A. in art history from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, where she was a Selmer Birkelo scholar.

The discussion is designed to inform you about the music, and enhance your enjoyment of the concert.

Tickets are $23 for adults, $20 for senior citizens, $10 for college students, free for students in K-12. To order, click here.

Program

Overture to “The Italian in Algiers” – Rossini

Serenade No. 2 in D minor , op. 44 – Dvorak

Musica Celestis – Kernis

Symphony No. 5 in C minor, op. 67 – Beethoven

The WSO performs a wide variety of orchestral works, including many of the symphonic repertoire’s most acclaimed and highly regarded compositions. We present guest artists and guest ensembles of both regional and international renown.

Warren Symphony activities are supported in part by the Scripter Warren Symphony Endowment Fund, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the GM Foundation.

Filed Under: Classical, Community, Culture, History, Music, Reviews, Who We Are, Words Tagged With: , ,

Copland Inspirations!

January 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment

WSO presents Aaron Berofsky

The Warren Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Gregory Cunningham, presents Copland Inspirations! on Sunday, April 7 at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts. Virtuoso violinist Aaron Berofsky will be featured soloist. The program begins at 3 p.m. and includes Aaron Copland’s Third Symphony and works by Felix Mendelssohn and Hector Berlioz.

A superb showpiece for orchestra, energy and flourish abound in Roman Carnival Overture, a brilliant work by French composer Hector Berlioz. And the season is brought to a dramatic close with Aaron Copland’s bold Third Symphony, a work written to reflect the euphoric spirit of the country at the end of World War II.

The WSO season finale features celebrated violinist Aaron Berofsky, who has captivated audiences throughout the United States and abroad, gaining effusive praise in concert halls from Carnegie to Museo de Bellas Artes. Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 is considered a masterpiece of the violin repertoire.

 The Program

Violin Concerto in E minor, op. 64 – Mendelssohn, Aaron Berofsky – solo violinist

Roman Carnival Overture, op. 9 – Berlioz

Symphony No. 3 – Copland

For reservations and more information, click here. You also can hear samples of each piece.

Aaron Berofsky will lead a Violin Master Class from on Saturday, April 6 from 3-5 p.m. at Evola Music in Shelby Township. The Master will coach previously-selected youth violinists. The public is welcome to observe this master class. Though the event is free, registration is required for observers. Click here for details.

 

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SCROOGE! with the WSO

November 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

WSO

The Warren Symphony Orchestra presents SCROOGE!, a holiday tradition featuring music and song of the season and readings of the holiday classic by Charles Dickens. The concert is Sunday Dec. 9 at the Macomb Center for Performing Arts in Clinton Township, beginning at 3 p.m.

In commemoration of the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens’s birth, a chorus of ghosts and holiday revelers from A Christmas Carol come alive in SCROOGE! – a delightful tour de force for bass-baritone, orchestra and chorus.

Composer Robert Rodríguez blends traditional carols and London street cries with mischievous winks at Händel, Verdi, and The Beggar’s Opera.

Joining the orchestra is renowned operatic soloist, George Cordes, who has earned high praise for his performances in such esteemed world opera houses as The Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Opera, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Members from the Madrigal Chorale will add their voices to SCROOGE! and other holiday favorites. The MC has provided vocal performances for more than a century.

Other highlights of this Holiday Concert will include a seasonal favorite performed by members of the WSO side-by-side with selected area high school orchestral musicians.

Tickets $23 (season tickets are $95). Seniors and students recieve discounted rates. 18 and under are free. For reservations, call (586) 286-2222. For more information on the show, click here.

Tiny Tim and his father, Bob Cratchit

The illustration of Tiny Tim and his father, Bob Cratchit above is part of “Ten Boys from Dickens.” Originally published in 1904 to spread awareness of the real-life basis for Dickens’ young male characters, the work is now  available online through the Guttenberg Project.

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WSO Celebrates the Big 4-O

October 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Isle Royale home of Michigan Greenstone

The Warren Symphony Orchestra opens the 2012-2013 season with its 40th Anniversary Gala Concert Sunday, Nov. 11 at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts. The program begins at 3 p.m. and it promises to be spectacular with a performance featuring Detroit Concert Choir, Cantata Academy Chorale and Macomb Children’s Chorus, plus the world premiere of On Greenstone Island.

To honor his decades of dedication to WSO, Conductor Emeritus David Daniels returns to lead the symphony in Johannes Brahms’ Tragic Overture. Music Director Gregory Cunningham conducts the World Premiere of On Greenstone Island, a work from the pen of award-winning Michigan composer Terry Herald, commissioned by the Warren Symphony on the occasion of its 40th anniversary.

This exciting and memorable concert then culminates with a masterpiece celebrating its own anniversary: 75 years since its premiere—Carl Orff’s poetic and powerful Carmina Burana, with special guests baritone Stephen Lancaster; tenor Drake Dantzler; soprano Tara Sievers-Hunt; Detroit Concert Choir, Gordon Nelson, Artistic Director; Cantata Academy Chorale, Susan Catanese, Music Director; and Macomb Childrens Chorus, Jeffrey Zurkan, Director.

The Program:

Tragic Overture – Johannes Brahms, guest-conducted by David Daniels

On Greenstone Island – Terry Herald (World Premiere)

Carmina Burana -Carl Orff, with Detroit Concert Choir, Cantata Academy Chorale and Macomb Children’s Chorus

After the concert, join Conductor Emeritus David Daniels and founding member Kingsley Sears at a free post-concert event as they reflect on WSO’s rich, 40-year history. This entertaining and nostalgic event will immediately follow the concert and will include refreshments and a cash bar. The post-concert discussion Sponsored by Charles Schwab.

Tickets are $23, $20 for senior citizens, $10 for college students. For reservations and details, click here.

The NASA image above depicts Isle Royale as seen from space. The Michigan State Gem is found there, the Isle Royale Greenstone (Chlorastrolite). Though closer in proximity to Ontario and Minnesota, the island is linked geologically to Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula.

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A World Tour of Music

February 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

WSO presents a Continental KaleidoscopeThe Warren Symphony Orchestra will showcase music from four continents at its upcoming concert, “Continental Kaleidoscope.” The performance is Sunday, Feb. 19 at the Macomb Center for the performing Arts, beginning at 3 p.m.

The concert features the Bernard Woma Ensemble, which will perform innovative compositions for the gyil, as well as traditional Ghanaian repertoire. The musical journey also includes pieces from Mexico, Hungary, and Russia.

Tickets are $23 per person; seniors and students receive a discount, youth are free. For reservations, visit online or phone (586) 754-2950.

Dr. Greg Cunningham, WSO Music Director, said, “The Warren Symphony is pleased to share the stage of the Macomb Center for Performing Arts with one of the world’s leading authorities of Ghanaian music, Bernard Woma and his Bernard Woma Ensemble. The concert will highlight music from four continents and will showcase the Bernard Woma Ensemble in performance of two concertos for gyil, a West African mallet percussion instrument, with the orchestra.”

Prior to the concert, 60 area students have been invited to attend an interactive workshop by the Bernard Woma Ensemble, sponsored by the WSO. Participants will learn about the music of Northern Ghana and play Dagara clay pot drums called dalari. Concert ticketholders are welcome to observe. The workshop begins at 1:30 p.m. at the Macomb Center for Performing Arts.

Bernard Woma has shared the stage with renowned artists such as Maya Angelou, Yo Yo Ma, and Glen Velez. His appearances in the U.S. include performances with the New York Philharmonic and the Ethos Percussion group. The New York Times described Woma’s Carnegie Hall performance as “rhythmically vital.”

The Warren Symphony Orchestra is in its 39th season serving the tri-county area. Dr. Gregory Cunningham directs the orchestra, which is made up of 65 classical musicians. In addition to performing its regular concert schedule, the WSO also operates educational programs that bring thousands of elementary school students to an orchestra concert, many for the first time.

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Fiery Visions

January 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

DP MUSE of FIRESometimes, classical music is more than a matter of life and death…sometimes, it’s also about laughter.

Only one person in the world can tell this uplifting true story about the extraordinary power of music, because it is his own: Acclaimed professional conductor, playwright and actor David Katz stars in MUSE of FIRE, his heartbreaking, hilarious one-man play about great music and the secret life of conductors.

MUSE of FIRE takes place Friday, March 16 at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $23. Senior citizens and college students receive a discount. Youth enjoy free admission.

The Warren Symphony Orchestra is sponsoring the one-act musical play, MUSE of FIRE, a theatrical presentation utilizing recorded orchestral music. The Warren Symphony sponsors this production but does not appear in the performance.

“The Warren Symphony is very excited to be able to offer this departure from our standard concert event,” Myrle Hughes, president of the Warren Symphony Society, said. “MUSE of FIRE represents a unique blend of theatre and classical music that should appeal to both genres. We hope that the synergy created by this event will result in introducing the Warren Symphony Orchestra to a new group of prospective patrons.”

The Warren Symphony Orchestra is in its 39th season serving the tri-county area. In addition to performing its regular event schedule, the WSO also operates educational programs that bring thousands of elementary school students to an orchestra concert, many for the first time.

For more information, click here.

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Concerning Concertos with pianist Laura Melton and the WSO

January 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

DP WSO presents Laura MeltonThe Warren Symphony Orchestra pairs with celebrated pianist Laura Melton to present its final event of the season on April 1. “Concerning Concertos” will include works by Kevin Puts, Bela Barok, and Johannes Brahms.

“Concerning Concertos” will be held Sunday, April 1, beginning at 3 p.m. at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $23 each (seniors and students receive a discount, youth enjoy free admission). For reservations, please call (586) 754-2950 or visit WSO online.

“The Warren Symphony concludes its 39th season with two seminal works in the concerto repertoire – the Concerto for Orchestra by Bela Bartok and the Piano Concerto No. 1 in d minor (op. 15) by Johannes Brahms, with featured guest soloist, Dr. Laura Melton,” Dr. Greg Cunningham, WSO Music Director, said.

Dr. Melton is Coordinator of Keyboard Studies at Bowling Green State University. She has been the winner of multiple concerto competitions in the United States, Europe and South America throughout her career, and has amassed an impressive array of solo and chamber appearances with many prestigious organizations throughout the world, Dr. Cunningham reported.

The Warren Symphony Orchestra has served the tri-county area for 39 years. Dr. Gregory Cunningham directs the orchestra, which is made up of 65 classical musicians. In addition to performing its regular concert schedule, the WSO also operates educational programs that bring thousands of elementary school students to an orchestra concert, many for the first time.

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