In Monday’s (5/14) Detroit Free Press, Mark Stryker writes, “Now that my ears have finally stopped ringing after Saturday night’s explosive collaboration of Kid Rock and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra at the Fox Theatre, I want to put an exclamation point on a truly extraordinary night for the orchestra. The concert sold out the 5,000-seat theater and raised $1 million for the cash-strapped DSO. But the money only begins to get at why Saturday was a landmark for the symphony and why, in the wake of last year’s divisive musician strike, last week served as a microcosm of how the orchestra is rebuilding and rebranding itself. … DSO officials speak of becoming the most accessible orchestra on the planet; last week encapsulated the efforts on multiple fronts. The DSO musicians played the hell out of everything put in front of them, and it’s hard to think of another maestro of [Leonard] Slatkin’s stature who would have so willingly jumped into the pool with Kid Rock and led authoritative performances of material as diverse as a Haydn symphony, a challenging contemporary work and ‘Bawitdaba.’ Saturday’s concert was not an exercise in pandering. No, it wasn’t Mahler, but arranger Rob Mathes crafted savvy and tasteful charts that gave the orchestra an honest reason for being onstage.”
Photo by Carlos Osario/Associated Press
Posted May 15, 2012
