Name: Civic Jazz Live!
Start: 2026-05-15T19:00:00
Location: Orchestra Hall

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) invites music enthusiasts to an eclectic lineup of events showcasing diverse genres and electrifying performances. From the youthful energy of Civic Jazz Live! to the cinematic magic of 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ In Concert,' the DSO's season is brimming with cultural richness. Join us as we delve into the impressive array of concerts, including orchestral masterpieces, community showcases, and epic film scores, promising a musical journey that captivates all senses.

Detroit's Symphony Season: A Harmonious Blend of Jazz, Orchestral Brilliance, and Cinematic Scores

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra's 2025-2026 season promises a vibrant celebration of youth, diversity, and musical mastery. From jazz and classical to sensory-friendly concerts, the DSO offers a rich tapestry of events that showcase the talents of young musicians and seasoned artists alike. With performances ranging from the Civic Jazz Live! to the grand Symphonie Fantastique!, each event is a testament to creativity and inclusivity. Join us in exploring how these performances bring the community together through a shared love for music.

A Symphony of Youth and Diversity: Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Vibrant 2025-2026 Season

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra's upcoming 2025-2026 season promises a diverse array of musical delights. From the soulful jazz rhythms of Civic Jazz Live! to the powerful orchestral sounds featured in the Wu Family Academy Showcase, this season is sure to captivate audiences. Notable performances include the poignant Classical Roots series, the youthful exuberance of Imagine US, and the nostalgia-evoking Sounds of Laurel Canyon. With contributions from renowned artists and rising stars, the DSO's season is set to be an unforgettable celebration of music and culture.

A Symphony of Culture: DSO's 2025-2026 Season Highlights

Detroit Symphony Orchestra

Civic Jazz Live! is the opening act for the DSO’s Paradise Jazz Series, featuring student musicians from the Civic Youth Ensemble’s Civic Jazz Orchestra, directed by Anthony Stanco. Join us in The Cube before the show!

Civic Jazz Live!

Orchestra Hall

Premiered by trombonist Kenneth Thompkins and the DSO in 2023, Carlos Simon’s moving concerto commemorates the Underground Railroad and, in Simon’s words, “the stories, accounts, and experiences told by many enslaved people and abolitionists.” Thomas Wilkins also conducts William Grant Still’s vibrant and uplifting Fourth Symphony, which celebrates a wide variety of American musical cultures.

Classical Roots

The 48th Classical Roots concert and 25th Annual Arthur L. Johnson- Honorable Damon Jerome Keith Celebration is scheduled for March 7, 2026. This year, we are pleased to honor educator, recording artist, and longtime DSO Principal Trombone Kenneth Thompkins. As we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Classical Roots Celebration we will also be honoring former Co-Chairs of our Classical Roots Steering Committee. In addition, we will celebrate our 5th Annual Marlowe Stoudamire Honoree for Innovation and Community Collaboration, who will be announced at a later date.

Classical Roots Celebration

Celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday and the power of the youth creative voice with a vibrant performance by Interlochen Arts Academy students and members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, featuring cellist Joshua McClendon.

Imagine US: Joshua McClendon and Interlochen Center for the Arts Celebrate America at 250

This free, relaxed open rehearsal gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the DSO as the musicians prepare for Educational Concerts. Experience the timeless stories of beloved children’s author and illustrator Leo Lionni brought to life through the vibrant music of composer-in-residence Michael Abels. These enchanting musical settings capture the heart and wonder of Lionni’s classic tales, making for a performance that will delight audiences of all ages.

Relaxed Open Rehearsal: Frederick's Fables

Step into the heart of the 1960s and ’70s California rock scene with a symphonic tribute to the legendary artists who shaped a generation led by conductor Jeff Tyzik and the DSO. This unforgettable concert captures the spirit of Laurel Canyon—the creative epicenter of the California Sound—bringing to life the timeless music of Buffalo Springfield, The Doors, The Mamas & The Papas, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, James Taylor, and more. Experience the era that defined peace, love, and musical revolution.

The Sounds of Laurel Canyon: '60's and '70s

Mendelssohn’s beloved Violin Concerto, played here by DSO Concertmaster Robyn Bollinger, is awash in lyricism and virtuosic displays. Conducted by Mendelssohn at its premiere, Schumann’s buoyant “Spring” Symphony delights in celebrating the season of renewal. Composer and conductor Jörg Widmann opens with a piece of his own, which he describes as echoing Beethoven’s “fury and rhythmic insistence.”

Mendelssohn and Schumann

Five-time GRAMMY® Award-winner Dianne Reeves is the preeminent jazz vocalist of our time. She is renowned for her virtuosity, improvisational prowess and seamless fusion of jazz and R&B. She is the recipient of multiple honorary doctorates and is a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master — the nation’s highest honor bestowed to jazz artists. She has recorded and performed with legends including Harry Belafonte, George Duke, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Esperanza Spalding, Robert Glasper and Wynton Marsalis.

Dianne Reeves

Best known for his acclaimed PBS series and bestselling travel guides, Rick Steves takes audiences on a different kind of journey—A Symphonic Journey. From Italy and England to Austria, Norway, and beyond, Steves and the DSO pair Europe’s most stirring orchestral masterpieces with live, on-stage narration, offering rich insights into the history and culture that shaped these timeless works. Experience the beauty of Europe through the power of music in this one-of-a-kind symphonic adventure.

Rick Steves' Europe: A Symphonic Journey

Steve Hackman’s Beethoven X. Beyoncé merges pop’s Queen and classical’s King in a genre-blending celebration performed by the DSO. Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony becomes the foundation for fifteen of Beyoncé’s biggest hits, including Girls, Crazy in Love, Sorry, Cuff It, Single Ladies, and Texas Hold 'Em. The production peaks as Halo intertwines with the second movement of Beethoven’s Seventh. Three powerhouse female vocalists, plus a guest drummer, guitarist/keyboardist, and bassist, join the orchestra.

Beethoven x Beyoncé

Led by Principal Guest Conductor Tabita Berglund, the DSO’s Northern Lights Festival begins in Finland with Rautavaara’s pairing of orchestra with recorded birdsong, and Sibelius’s breathtaking, stormy Violin Concerto performed by renowned soloist Christian Tetzlaff. Continuing to Berglund’s native Norway, Grieg’s incidental music to Ibsen’s Peer Gynt features some of the composer’s most iconic passages.

Northern Lights Festival | Tetzlaff Plays Sibelius

Welcome to the DSO's Open Rehearsal Experience! We're so grateful for your support, and are thrilled that you'll be joining us for a behind-the-scenes preview of how the concerts you love come together.

Civic Jazz Live!

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